Establishment
The school was established by a government decision of 27 February 1953 as the University of Mechanical Engineering (VŠS). The building of the then F. X. Šalda grammar school in Hálkova Street was vacated for the new school. On October 1, 1953, 259 students entered the first years of the newly opened university. At that time, the school had six departments with just 19 teachers. Studies were focused on fields typical of northern Bohemia: engineering, textile, clothing, glass and ceramics industries. The students of that time were accommodated in a dormitory in Zeyerova Street.
Years of expansion
During the following years, the school expanded not only with new students, but also with new premises: new dormitories were built, the building of the former textile factory in Doubí was acquired, and other buildings in the vicinity of today’s Studentské náměstí. In 1958, the first 121 graduates completed their studies with a graduation ceremony at the Liberec Theater.
VŠST
In 1960, the school was divided into the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Textiles and became the University of Mechanical Engineering and Textiles in Liberec (VŠST). Furthermore, buildings in Sokolská Street (former building S) were acquired, also the building after the abolished pedagogical institute in Komenského Street (building P).
Harcov dormitories
With the increase in the number of students, of course, the accommodation capacity of the then dormitories ceased to be sufficient. Therefore, in 1977, the construction of a complex of six dormitory blocks with a capacity of 2,300 beds, a new canteen and other facilities was started in Starý Harcov, Liberec. The complex was completed in its current form in 1990.
University Library & Vesec complex
Two years later (1992), the building of the former Stavoprojekt in Voroněžská Street (building H) was acquired, including the temporary headquarters of the Investment and Postal Bank newly rebuilt into a University Library. In the same year, the school also acquired a complex in Vesec serving as dormitories and laboratories, and in 1996 the former House of Political Education on 1. Máje Street (building K).
New faculties
In the years 1990–1994, the school established four other faculties: then named “Pedagogical faculty” in 1990 (now the Faculty of Science, Humanities and Education), Faculty of Economics (1992), Faculty of Architecture (1994, now the Faculty Arts and Architecture) and Faculty of Mechatronics and Interdisciplinary Studies (1995).
The newest and youngest faculty is the Faculty of Health Studies (FZS), which was established on August 1, 2016 by transformation from the Institute of Health Studies (ÚZS), which was established on the premises of TUL on December 1, 2004 in Liberec to accredit a three-year full-time form of study in the bachelor’s programme Nursing. Since then it is still growing and new accredited programs are being created.
TUL becoming a university
Thanks to such growth, own research activities and foreign relations, the school was by Act No. 192/1994 Coll. of 27 September 1994, awarded the Technical University of Liberec on 1 January 1995.
Rectors
| prof. Ing. Dr. techn. Josef Kožoušek | 1953–1961 |
| doc. Ing. Vojtěch Dráb, CSc. | 1961–1966 |
| akad. Jovan Čirlič | 1966–1969 |
| prof. Ing. Jiří Mayer, DrSc. | 1969–1973 |
| akad. Jovan Čirlič | 1973–1985 |
| prof. RNDr. Bohuslav Stříž, DrSc. | 1985–1990 |
| prof. Ing. Zdeněk Kovář, CSc. | 1990–1997 |
| prof. RNDr. David Lukáš, CSc. | 1997–2003 |
| prof. Ing. Vojtěch Konopa, CSc. | 2003–2010 |
| prof. Dr. Ing. Zdeněk Kůs | 2010–2018 |
| doc. RNDr. Miroslav Brzezina, CSc. | from 2018 |
