Student healthcare in Ljubljana was organized immediately after liberation in 1945, on the initiative of the then Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, as the Institute for Student Healthcare at the University of Ljubljana.
The initiative arose due to the very poor health of higher education students at the time, reflected mainly in skin and sexually transmitted diseases and active tuberculosis. Preventive measures were organized to promote positive health, including vaccinations, fluorography campaigns, dietary nutrition, and student recovery centers and spas located in Visoko near Škofja Loka, Otoče near Radovljica, Mežakla, Moščenička Draga, Savudrija, and elsewhere.
In the post-war years, up to 2.6% of students examined suffered from tuberculosis. Students were treated in the sanatorium near Golnik under the supervision of hospital staff, but were largely managed by students themselves. Treatments and preventive campaigns took place under very modest conditions, but with a tremendous effort from the students. Outpatient care consisted of a single general clinic with a small diagnostic laboratory and two dental offices in residential premises at Miklošičeva 14 in Ljubljana, which was also the headquarters of the Institute for Student Healthcare.
A major qualitative leap occurred in the 1965/66 academic year when the Institute moved to more suitable premises in the student residential tower on Ilirska Street. That year saw the introduction of regular systematic examinations for all first- and final-year students. Preventive work shifted from psychosocial protection to protection against more serious illnesses affecting students, such as skin and sexually transmitted diseases, anemia, musculoskeletal injuries, dental caries, menstrual cycle disorders, and unwanted pregnancies. Based on students’ health assessments and promotion of positive health, the first mandatory physical education classes were introduced in faculty curricula. The aim of holistic physical and mental health became an integral part of programs and a long-term shared goal.
Alongside regular general health checks, preventive dental examinations were organized. The high prevalence of dental diseases highlighted poorly organized dental care in Slovenia at earlier education levels. Systematically oriented student dental teams were able to treat approximately half of dental caries during students’ studies, with complete treatment achieved much later.
Significant developments also included the establishment of the Women’s Health Dispensary and the Psychomental Dispensary to address unwanted pregnancies and mental health challenges caused by academic pressures. Specialists at the time performed pioneering work, laying the foundation for modern specialist clinics still operating today.
In the 1980s, with the decline of tuberculosis, fluorography lost its importance, while new infectious diseases (AIDS, hepatitis, other sexually transmitted diseases), the rise of allergies, and early signs of cardiovascular diseases among young people emerged. In 1984, all activities of the Student Health Center moved from Ilirska Street to the former school polyclinic at Aškerčeva Street, one of the first purpose-built healthcare facilities in Slovenia. At this time, student healthcare operated as a unit of the Ljubljana Health Center.
With Slovenia’s independence in 1992, the Student Health Center of the University of Ljubljana was established as an independent public healthcare institution. Independence allowed greater flexibility in adapting to contemporary needs, staff training, and facility maintenance. The main task remained to follow medical doctrine while addressing the healthcare needs of University of Ljubljana students.
In the 1990s, as enrollment in faculties increased and new higher education institutions were founded, the concept of a chosen personal doctor, dentist, or gynecologist emerged. Students studying in Ljubljana could retain their personal doctor throughout their studies, and many continued even after graduation. Despite the growing postgraduate population, preventive activities, such as systematic health examinations for first- and final-year students, remain a core part of the Center’s work.
With good organization, more than 100 students are invited daily for systematic check-ups. Modern technology supports health education; laboratory results are often brought to medical appointments, and dental examinations assess students’ oral health. Key risk factors affecting long-term health, often already present in students, include poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and obesity, exposure to stress with low tolerance, and hypersensitivity to allergens causing respiratory and skin conditions. Preventive and curative efforts focus on these areas, helping young people discover and strengthen healthy habits at the start of their life and professional paths, building a foundation for a healthy future.