Brief History of the Institute

The Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb was founded by a decision of the advisory board of the University of Zagreb on June 27, 1967. The institute began its work as a division of the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Zagreb under the direction of Prof. Vladimir Filipović. Initially, the Institute of Philosophy employed six researchers and one administrative assistent.

In 1977, the Institute of Philosophy was incorporated into the Center for Historical Studies, as the Department of the History of Philosophy. At this time, the Institute took up residence at Krčka 1, Zagreb. Prof. Vladimir Filipović continued in his role as director of the newly restructured department, which now employed eight researchers and two staff members for administration and finances.

On September 17, 1991, the governing board of the Department History of Philosophy of the Center for Historical Studies passed a decision seeking to make the department an independent research institute, the Institute of Philosophy, under the auspices of the University of Zagreb. This decision was confirmed by the then Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia on the 24th of September 1991 and the Institute of Philosophy registered in the Ministry's list of independently governed scientific research institutes. It was at this point that the institute moved to its present address at Ulica grada Vukovara 54, 10000 Zagreb. Dr. Pavo Barišić was chosen as new director. Dr. Srećko Kovač took over as acting director for an interim period from 2001 to 2002, when Dr. Stipe Kutleša was named the Institute's new head. Today the Institute of Philosophy employs seventeen researchers, four assistent researchers and four administrative staff members.