The School of Sciences & Engineering of the University of Crete was established in 1976 (by presidential decree 653/1976) as a School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences comprising the Departments of Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Geology. The aforementioned departments began their operation on a gradual basis with the exception of the Department of Geology, which never actually ran and whose operation was, thus, cancelled in 1999.
(By presidential decree 1082/1980) the School encompassed the Departments of Mathematical, Computer, Natural, Geological, Biological, and Chemical Sciences. In 1984 (by presidential decree 452/1984) the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences was renamed School of Sciences. In 1999 (by presidential decree 209/1999) the Departments of Applied Mathematics and Materials Science & Technology were added to the School, while the operation of the Geology Department was cancelled. In 2002 (by presidential decree 134/2002) the School was renamed School of Sciences and Engineering. In 2013 (by presidential decree 96/2013) the two Departments of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics were incorporated in one Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics offering studies in two introductory divisions (Mathematics and Applied Mathematics).
Consequently, the School is now composed of the following Departments with the corresponding year of their initial operation mentioned:
- Mathematics & Applied Mathematics (1977 as Department of Mathematics)
- Physics (1978)
- Computer Science (1984)
- Biology (1987 offering undergraduate studies, 1983 offering postgraduate studies)
- Chemistry (1987)
- Materials Science and Technology (2001)
The School had initially been located in a number of buildings in Heraklion before it was moved into the prefabricated premises of the University next to ‘Knossos’ archaeological site in the early ‘80s. It was later expanded in the so-called ‘White buildings’ of the University in the same area (1990). Since 1996 the Departments of Physics and Biology have been located in the new premises of the University in an area called ‘Giofyrakia’, Voutes, in the outskirts of Heraklion, where the University Campus is now situated. In 2006 the Department of Chemistry moved into its new premises in the same area, while the Departments of Mathematics & Applied Mathematics and Computer Science moved into their premises in 2013. The Department of Materials Science and Technology is using the premises of the other Departments at the moment.
The School of Sciences & Engineering comprises the Data Processing Lab, as well as the Natural History Museum.
Nowadays, the School is equipped with up-to-date premises for the purpose of teaching and research, while closely cooperating with the Foundation for Research and Technology- Hellas on an educational and research basis.