The University of Białystok (Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku) is the largest university in north-eastern Poland, both in terms of the number of employees and students, as well as the fields of study and forms of teaching offered. The University of Bialystok was founded by virtue of the Act of 19th June 1997 as a thirteenth university in Poland from the Branch of Warsaw University, which was established by virtue of a decree of Minister of Science and Higher Education - Prof. Henryk Jabłoński, as of 15th July 1968. The first official inauguration of the academic year 1997/1998.