Technical college

Institutes of technology versus polytechnics

The institutes of technology and polytechnics have been in existence since at least the 18th century, but became popular after World War II with the expansion of engineering and applied science education, associated with the new needs created by industrialization. Among the oldest institutions of technology are the Czech Technical University in Prague (1707), Braunschweig University of Technology (1745), Istanbul Technical University (1773), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (1782), and the École Polytechnique in Paris (1794). In some cases, polytechnics or institutes of technology are engineering schools or technical colleges.