JOSIP JURAJ STROSSMAYER UNIVERSITY OF OSIJEK
Osijek 2015
2 | Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 8
1. About the University of Osijek 2. Management and constituent units
9
3. University constituent units STEM Faculty of Agriculture Faculty of Civil Engineering Faculty of Electrical Engineering Faculty of Food Technology Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Medicine Department of Biology Department of Chemistry Department of Mathematics Department of Physics SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES Faculty of Economics Faculty of Education Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of Law Catholic Faculty of Theology Department of Cultural Studies ARTS Academy of Arts OTHER UNIVERSITY UNITS AND SPECIAL BRANCHES University and City Library Osijek Student Center in Osijek Student Center in Slavonski Brod Student dormitory in Ä?akovo University Center for Quality Assurance of Higher Education University Center for Bibliographic and Documentary Materials on Josip Juraj Strossmayer and Church History (in establishing) Center for Professional Studies (in establishing) University Center for Lifelong Learning (in establishing)
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 46 46 48
50 52 54 56 60 62 64
TRADE COMPANIES Tera Tehnopolis Ltd Renewable Energy Sources Osijek Ltd. 4. Students and studying 5. Lifelong learning 6. Cooperation 7. Premises 8. Student life 9. Osijek and its surroundings
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As an introductory part of the University publication, it is my honor to point out that the University of Osijek was founded on May 31, 1975, to continue a three-century long tradition of higher education in Osijek. In this academic year, the University celebrates its 40th anniversary. In this year we also observe the 200th birthday and the 110th anniversary of death of Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer, whose name the University of Osijek carries with pride for 25 years. Today, the University of Osijek is one of seven Croatian universities and the only one in Eastern Croatia. In the past forty years, 51131 students graduated from the university and professional studies, which is an outstanding contribution to the social and economic development of Eastern Croatia. Currently, during this 2014-2015 academic year, the University is in the second academic year of Croatian membership in the European Union, thus becoming one of the European universities. Membership in the European Union brings about significantly different possibilities, but also emphasizes the need for the harmonization of the initiated processes of the Bologna study system reform, student and staff mobility, liberalization and expansion of higher education area in the Republic of Croatia, greater availability of international research programs and projects, development of new technologies and joining the European research area. Managing the university presupposes the creation of an organizational culture in which each individual shall feel invited and motivated to share their emotional, moral, and intellectual capacity with others in order to create an internationally recognizable and competitive university. On this occasion, I wish to express my gratitude to founders of the University of Osijek, as well as to all the members of the Osijek academic community for the past forty academic years, and in particular, for their contribution to the reputation and recognition of the University of Osijek in Croatian and European science. Your Rector, Prof. Dr. Željko Turkalj
4 | Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
SUMMARY The history of higher education in Eastern Croatia began three centuries ago. The Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek1 was founded in 1975 as the fourth university in the Republic of Croatia. Today, the University of Osijek has 18,000 students and 1,100 professors and assistant professors at eleven faculties, the Academy of Arts and five university departments.
2005/06 2005/06 2008/09 2011/12
2013/14
% women
Students (total enrolled in one academic year)
9 183
17 583
19 465
18 118
56.2
Undergraduate study
2 924
7 011
7 741
7 575
53.3
Graduate study
-
847
3 559
3 917
55.8
Long rst degree study
944
4 244
3 433
3 203
73.4
Doctoral study
162
490
852
1 044
52.3
Post-graduate specialist study
252
245
309
221
45.2
Professional study
4 901
4 746
3 571
2 158
46.3
Teachers (FTE)
446
532
644
774
43
Associates
163
374
393
360
66.9
Administrative and technical staff
596
668
774
783
74.3
This includes all full-time and part-time students and graduates; the academic year 2005/06 was the initial year of the Bologna Process and in the academic year 2008/09 the graduate study programs were initiated. 1. Hereinafter: University of Osijek
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1. ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF OSIJEK Short history The first higher education institution, the Higher Theological School, was founded in Osijek in 1707. After that, another theological school was founded in 1724 and on 22 January 1735, based on the decision of the commissioner of the Franciscan order Joseph ab Ebora, both were recognized as first-class general higher education institutions, Studium Generelae Theologicum primae Classis. The first higher education institutions in Osijek are significant for their exceptional contribution to the Croatian language and literature, as well as the spreading of humanistic education and the understanding of the language and classical literature. The founder of the Seminary, the Bishop of Đakovo,
Antun Mandić, established the Diocesan Theological College of the Bishops Seminary in Đakovo in 1806. Today, the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo continues the two-century-old tradition of studying philosophy and theology. Today’s University of Osijek was founded in 1975 by the consent of the Croatian Parliament, and in the beginning, it focused on education and research in the fields of agriculture, technology, economics, engineering, pedagogy and music. In 1990, the University Senate passed the decision to include the name Josip Juraj Strossmayer in the name of the University.
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Famous people from Osijek
Josip Juraj Strossmayer (4 Feb 1815 – 8 May 1905) Bishop, enlightener, founder and patron of today’s Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, politician, great benefactor, humanist, visionary and definitely one of the most influential people at the turn of the 19th century. Leopold Lavoslav Ružička (13 Sep 1887 – 26 Sep 1976) Winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1939.
Oskar Nemon/Oskar Neumann (13 Mar 1906 – 13 Apr 1985) A prominent sculptor and medal designer. His sculpture won a gold medal at the Royal Academy in Brussels in 1925. He made a large sculpture of Sigmund Freud, which is displayed in Hampstead. He is also famous for a series of sculptures and portraits of Winston Churchill, the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II.
Fifty four members of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) were born or educated in Osijek, or served as professors of the University of Osijek. Since its establishement, altogether 17 honorary doctorate degrees (doctor honoris causa) have been awarded by the University of Osijek.
Vladimir Prelog (23 Jul 1906 – 7 Jan 1996) Winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1975. Julije Knifer (23 Apr 1924 – 7 Dec 2004) One of the most important Croatian artists of the 20th century. Since the 1960s, the main and most recognizable motif of Knifer’s art is the meander, used in countless variations and different techniques – from pencil to oil paintings, collages and murals. Branko Lustig He is the first Croat to win two Oscars for the production of movies Schindler’s List in 1993 and Gladiator in 2000. He has won the Golden Globe Award twice.
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Athletes – Olympians and students of our University
David Šain. He is a Croatian Olympian and rower who won the silver medal at the Olympics in London in 2012 in the men’s quadruple sculls. He won the gold medal at the World Championship in 2010 and 2013, as well as the silver medal at the European Rowing Championships (Portugal) in 2010.
Mirna Rajle Brođanac. A graduate of the University of Osijek, she won the Croatian Championship title in rowing 36 times. She won the bronze medal at the World Championships in the Netherlands (1995) and Belgium (1996), as well as the silver medal at the World Championship in Italy (2003).
Robert Seligman. He is the most successful Croatian gymnast of all time, the winner of 21 medals at the World Cup competitions, the gold medal at the Universiade 2005, the bronze medal at the European Championship in 2008, and the silver medal at the Mediterranean Games in 2013. In 2014, he ranked first on pommel horse on the World Ranking list.
Maja Anić. She is a student at the University of Osijek who won bronze medals in rowing (coxless pair) at the World Championship in 2009 and 2010.
Jelena Vuković. She is a Croatian judoka who won the first place at the European Cup in 2006 and is a member of the Croatian national kata team.
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2. MANAGEMENT AND CONSTITUENT UNITS UNIVERSITY BODIES
UNIVERSITY ADVISOR COUNCIL RECTOR
SENATE
VICE-RECTORS
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
Vice-Rector for Teaching and Students Vice-Rector for Science, Technology, Projects and International Cooperation Vice-Rector for Development Strategy and Spatial Planning Vice-Rector for Finances and Business Relations
Board fot Teaching and Human Resource Policy Committee for Postgraduate Studies, Doctorates and Honorary Doctorates Committee for Undergraduate, Graduate and Professional Studies Board for Financial Business and Budget Quality Assurance Board Board for Statutory and Legal Matters Ethical Committee Board for Publishing Activities Board for Acknowladgmants Board for Sports and Physical Education
RECTOR’S OFFICE
Academic Secretary
ORGANISATIONAL UNITS Rector’s Cabinet Central Of ce for Legal and HR Issues, Teaching and Scienti c Activity - University Secretariat International Relations Of ce, Of ce for Finances, Business Relations, Investments and Construction
UNIVERSITY UNITS
UNIVERSITY UNITS Faculty of Economics Faculty of Electrical Engineering Faculty of Education Faculty of Humanilies and Social Sciences Faculty of Civil Engineering Chatolic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Agriculture Faculty of Law Faculty of Food Technology Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Slavonski Brod Department of Biology Department of Chemistry Department of Mathematics Department of Physics Department of Cultural Studies Academy of Arts
Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities
Independent University Division for Internal Audit
OTHER UNIVERSITY UNITS AND SPECIAL BRANCHES University and City Library Student Center in Osijek Student Center in Slavonski Brod University Center for Quality Assurance of Higher Education University Center for Bibliographic and Documentary Materials on Josip Juraj Strossmayer and Church History (in establishing) Center for professional Studies (in establishing) University Center For Lifelong Learning (in establishing)
TRADE COMPANIES Tera Tehnopolis Ltd. Renewable Energy Sources Osijek Ltd.
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3. UNIVERSITY CONSTITUENT UNITS
10 | Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
Faculty of Agriculture Kralja Petra Svačića 1d, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: dekanat@pfos.hr Web: www.pfos.unios.hr
The Faculty of Agriculture was established in 1960. Apart from the three-year undergraduate study program in Agriculture (Agroeconomics, Plant Production, Mechanisation, Zootechnique, Horticulture) and two-year graduate study programs (Agroeconomics, Plant Production, Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Plant Selection and Seed Production, Plant Protection, Mechanisation; Zootechnique: The Nutrition of Domestic Animals, Hunting and Beekeeping, Special Zootechnique, Organic Agriculture, Vegetable and Flower Growing, Fruit Growing, Viticulture and Vine Production: Fruit Growing, Viticulture and Vine Production), the Faculty of Agriculture offers several postgraduate specialist study programs (Quality and Safety of Animal Products, Production Systems in Animal Breeding, Pig Production, Management of Agricultural Farms, Plant Protection) and a doctoral study program (Agricultural Sciences: Agroeconomics, Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, Hunting and Cynology, Plant Breeding and Seed Science, Animal Breeding, Technical Systems in Agriculture, Plant Protection, Agrochemistry). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 1633 students enrolled.
The Faculty of Agriculture’s scientific and research activity is focused on the development of interdisciplinary research in the following research areas and topics: • sustainable agriculture with the aim of producing high-quality food through various production systems, biofortification and product enrichment, and functional product development, •
soil and environment protection and sustainable energy with the aim of environmental protection,
•
the use and conservation of genetic resources,
•
agroeconomic aspects of sustainable agricultural production through rural development research, and agricultural products’ marketing and market.
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The results of the aforementioned studies are a part of a significant number of scientific-research projects, as well as of good professional cooperation with Slavonia Counties and business entities whose primary activity is agriculture and food production. This provides high-quality cooperation and implementation of knowledge into solving problems of agricultural production. The Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek is involved in three projects of the Croatian Science Foundation (two research and one installation project). The objectives of the mentioned projects are scientific pork branding, formulation development of new natural insecticides based on internal powders and botanical insecticides and their combinations as a substitute for conventional synthetic insecticides, and creating the wheat of future. The direct transfer of new scientific knowledge to the economy is enabled through 12 VIP projects of the Ministry of Agriculture of Croatia, held by the Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek, and by organising numerous symposiums and conferences. At the moment, the Faculty is involved in the Tempus project “Lifelong learning for sustainable agriculture in Alps-Danube-Adriatic Region” (http://lifeada.sistemi.hr/), and is also a holder of the Erasmus+ Project “Training for Renewable Energy Network Development” (TREND), as well as a partner of scientific project HORIZONT 2020 “Diversity of local pig breeds and production systems for high quality traditional products and sustainable pork chains”.
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Faculty of Civil Engineering Drinska 16a, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: gfos@gfos.hr Web: www.gfos.unios.hr
The Faculty of Civil Engineering was established in 1982. Apart from a three-year undergraduate study program (Civil Engineering) and two-year graduate study programs (Civil Engineering: Hydraulic Engineering, Load-Bearing Structures, Construction Management and Technology, Traffic Engineering) the Faculty of Civil Engineering offers postgraduate specialist studies (Civil Engineering: Earthquake Engineering, Project Management in Civil Engineering, Environment Protection in Civil Engineering) and a doctoral study program (Civil Engineering). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 1222 students enrolled.
In compliance with a defined mission and vision, the Faculty of Civil Engineering focuses its development towards the formation of educational and scientific-research centers in the field of civil engineering. Recognizing fundamental values such as ethics, transparency, affirmative competitiveness, cooperation and communication, the Faculty strives for every member of the community to develop creative abilities and competences to work wisely, responsibly, and efficiently with the aim of the overall progress of the community. In this way, the Faculty will be imposed as a desirable place to study in the regional, national, and European frameworks. In order to achieve these objectives, the Faculty of Civil Engineering has approved all types of study: undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and specialist studies, and professional specialist study. To ensure the flow of new ideas, special attention is given to scientific research and laboratory equipment. Very remarkable results were achieved in the field of dynamics of structures, particularly a series of research projects that investigate the seismic performance of buildings in order to develop new and more efficient ways of designing earthquake-resistant buildings. Besides these, there has been
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significant research in the field of building materials, fire resistance of structures, geosynthetics and interaction of soil, and geogrids and the impact of explosions on engineering structures. The faculty employees actively participate in the work of the Croatian Standards Institute and the committees of the Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning in the adoption of new Croatian standards in the field of construction, and these experiences are directly transmitted to students in the formal classroom setting, and through extracurricular activities (student workshops, competitions, and forums).
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Faculty of Electrical Engineering Kneza Trpimira 2B, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: etf@etfos.hr Web: www.etfos.unios.hr The Faculty of Electrical Engineering was established in 1978. Apart from three-year undergraduate study programs (Electrical Engineering, Computer Sciences) and two-year graduate study programs (Electrical Engineering: Communication and Informatics, Power Engineering; Computer Sciences), the Faculty of Electrical Engineering offers several postgraduate specialist study programs (Process Computing, Advanced Communication Technologies, Power Engineering Networks in Market Environment) and a doctoral study program (Electrical Engineering: Power Engineering, Communications and Informatics). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 2002 students enrolled.
In the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Osijek, researchers achieve significant results in the research and development of the advanced methods for data-driven process modelling, the development of the soft sensors for the difficult-tomeasure process variables estimation, as well as for the realization of backup virtual sensors. By using soft sensors for the fault detection and identification of the fault location in the industrial process control and by applying backup virtual sensors in the case of measurement equipment failure, the production efficiency can be increased. Within the project Photovoltaic systems as actuators of regional development funded by the IPA cross-border co-operation program between Hungary and Croatia, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Osijek, the Hungarian Academy of Science, and the Center for Regional Studies have achieved important results in the development of optimal photovoltaic system configuration for climatic conditions of the cross-border region and investigating the impact of photovoltaic systems on the electric power system, economics, and the environment. In the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, a Laboratory for renewable resources has been established and it will enable further research in this strategically important area. As part of the Energy efficient system for wireless measurement of biological signals project, financed by Proof of Concept Grand Fund for Researchers BICRO, through the application of the asynchronous sigma-delta modulator for the digitalization and UWB modulation technique for the transmission of the measured signal within single wireless sensor node, an innovative system for analogue sig-
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nals measurements has been developed. The European patent office gave a positive opinion about the innovation of this system under the international patent application PCT/HR2013/000015 “Energy efficient system for distant measurement of analogue signals.� In cooperation with Modus Ceramics Ltd. from Orahovica (former KIO dd), unique research in Croatia of a visual defect detection and ceramic tiles classification based on the robotic vision has been conducted. A test production line with lighting was made for the inspection of ceramic tiles, an innovative visual diagnostic system was developed and ceramic tiles production processes models were made and evaluated. Substantial results were achieved in the area of programming and computer intelligence, embedded, distributed and application-oriented computer systems with an emphasis on their timing requirements, sustainability and decreased energy consumption, as well as application in real computing environments. Advanced image processing methods for 2D and 3D environments were developed, as well as image compression based on the partial differential equation and data visualization with usage, inter alia, in the processing of medical images.
16 | Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
Faculty of Food Technology Franje KuhaÄ?a 20, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: office@ptfos.hr Web: www.ptfos.unios.hr The Faculty of Food Technology was established in 1976. Apart from a three-year undergraduate study program in Food Technology and two-year graduate study programs (Food Engineering, Food Science and Nutrition, Process Engineering), the Faculty of Food Technology offers several postgraduate specialist study programs (Safety and Quality of Food, Technology of Traditional Meat Products, Nutrition) and a doctoral study program (Food Engineering). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 682 students enrolled.
The mission of the Faculty of Food Technology in Osijek is to develop and spread nationally and internationally recognized excellence in education and research in the fields of biotechnical, technical and natural sciences. It also deals with the transfer of knowledge and its application for the benefit and prosperity of every section of society.
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The Faculty of Food Technology is located in Eastern Slavonia, the center of agricultural and food processing industries. Its research activities are based on highly qualified staff, representing its scientific potential and its driving force. The success of scientific research is reflected in the number of projects and quality of published results and cooperation with scientific institutions in the country and abroad, as well as the cooperation with both the industry and the local community. Priority research topics include the development of high quality food, quality and food safety, biotechnology, the development of new additives for the food industry, nutrition and lifestyle habits in health preservation, the increase of efficiency and energy saving, and environmental protection. An important task of the Faculty is the transfer and application of knowledge in the business sector, thus it has established the Center for Development and Engineering Technology (CERT-ING) and The FOODLINKS Center. CERT-ING operates in order to consolidate and develop scientific research and professional services, publishing, counselling and other activities, which serve to promote the registered activities of the Faculty, as well as the collaboration with the private sector and government institutions and the commercialization of research results. Its FOODLINKS Center has been founded with the aim of improving cooperation between the Faculty and the industry in the area of food safety and quality.
18 | Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Slavonski Brod Trg Ivane Brlić Mažuranić 2, HR-35000 Slavonski Brod E-mail: info@sfsb.hr Web: www.sfsb.unios.hr The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Slavonski Brod was established in 1979. Apart from a three-year undergraduate study program in Mechanical Engineering and a two-year graduate study program (Mechanical Engineering: Product Design and Development, Manufacturing Logistics, Materials Engineering, Engineering Technologies, Power Engineering), the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering offers postgraduate specialist studies (Development of Products and Technologies: Material Engineering, Modelling and Numerical Analysis of Constructions, Production Process Application, Production Management) and a doctoral study program (Mechanical Engineering: Modern Manufacturing Processes, Modern Production Management, Design and Numerical Modelling of Products). In the 2014-2015 academic year, there were 1032 students enrolled.
Scientific research at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is developing in several main areas: 1. Advanced production technologies The testing of weldability, thermal cycle simulation, and the weakening of welded joints are oriented to the improvement of welding processes. Tests are performed on light construction made of aluminium alloys, pressure vessels and boilers made of high strength steels, etc. Next to welding, the faculty is also working on other joining technologies and procedures for PE-HD pipelines, as well as metal spraying techniques. More information is available at: http://www.sfsb.unios.hr/fakultet/ustroj/zps/zps---zi-aktivnosti The main activities in machining are the testing of machinability for nontraditional processes and the investigation of the cutting temperature under different cooling conditions (e.g. dry machining, MQL, liquid nitrogen, cold air, classical cooling). Medical implant production was tested by 3D
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek | 19
printing, SLS procedures of RP of polymer nanocomposites based on natural clay PA12/ MMT. To achieve efficient aluminium alloy casting, Magmasoft simulated the process and the samples for measuring residual stresses with system MTS 3000 were used. The FEM method was used for a large number of numerical simulations of V-tool bending. High stress/low mass steels were tested on spring-back values. Hydroforming technology was analysed on sheet metal plates. 2. Product design and development (new mechanical construction design and redesign of structures in exploitation by using CAD, the modular approach in design and the implementation of the matrix of function and functionality (MFF) to improve the initial design, development, and application of the finite element method (FEM), structural optimisation, techno-economic evaluation of variant design solutions, and integrity assessment of structures based on fracture mechanics). Analytical and numerical modelling is combined with experiments. Special attention is paid to FEM analysis on the fracture behaviour of heterogeneous structures, such as welded structures, and fluid structure interaction (FSI). More information is available at: http://www.sfsb.hr/fakultet/ustroj/zsk/laboratoriji-oprema-i-aktivnosti-zavoda 3. Surface engineering (the thermodiffusion of carbide and nitride layers, tribology and wear of components). Projects envisaged the following research: the influence of the thermodiffusion process on volume and design changes, phase transformation, and the establishment of Ms temperature with increased hardness. Extremely hard duplex on constructional steels were exposed to tribological property tests. 4. Logistic support to production (ERP systems application and development). Different multi-criteria decision making and artificial intelligence methods (neural networks, genetic algorithms, particle swarms, fuzzy logic and expert systems) as well as designed experiments results integrated into the models of production planning, inventory, and maintenance control. The analysis of process planning, the standardisation of technological processes, and tools, as well as NC programs for transfer to technological processes aimed at the selection of optimal cutting parameters. Various CAD/CAM techniques used for the programming of CNC machines and its connection with ERP system are also examined. 5. Energy efficiency and energy convection problems. Mathematical and numerical models (based on the enthalpy method) were developed for simulation heat and mass transfer processes. Velocity and temperature fields were tested on a hot water pipeline. The efficiency of energy conversation for different thermodynamic cycles like IC engines, solar energy conversion to heat and electric energy was determined.
20 | Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
Faculty of Medicine Josipa Huttlera 4, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: ured@mefos.hr Web: www.mefos.unios.hr
The Faculty of Medicine was established in 1998. Apart from a three-year undergraduate program and two-year graduate study programs (Nursing, Biomedical-Laboratory Technologies) and a six-year long first degree study program in Medicine, the Faculty of Medicine offers several postgraduate specialist study programs (Clinical Epidemiology; Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine; Ultrasound in Clinical Medicine: Cardiology; General Internal Medicine), as well as a doctoral study program (Biomedicine and Health). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 936 students enrolled.
The three main fields of research activities are basic medical sciences, clinical medical sciences and public health and healthcare, in which research topics are intertwined. The majority of our research capacities are involved in cardiovascular diseases, either in investigating the basic mechanisms in disease aetiology, genetics or clinical manifestation and follow up of the patients, or pharmacogenomics or public health impact of these diseases. A part of these research activities is conducted within projects in collaboration with the RECOOP-HST (Regional Cooperation in Health, Science and Technology) Association (recoopunideb.hu/portal). Projects that have been conducted in neurobiology and genetics are also very important.
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The following major research topics are autoimmune diseases and pathophysiological mechanisms of the immune system, together with basic medical and clinical research in cancer biology. There is an evolving interdisciplinary quality of the research activities and linking of preclinical, clinical and public health issues with the experimental laboratory approach to patients, with the aim of disease prevention and public health improvement. The majority of cross-border cooperation projects are based upon the public health approach to studied topics. We would like to point out the project IPA Hu/HR Health Impulse - the common initiative in the field of research of autoimmune (immunological) diseases in cross-border region with Hungary. One of directions in which the Faculty of Medicine is developing its scientific and research activities is the strengthening of research in the field of the environmental impact on health, particularly, the effect of dietary factors, which is visible in the collaborative efforts of research groups from the Faculty of Medicine and other research groups from other University units. Therefore, the Faculty of Medicine is one of the co-founders of the Healthy Food Chain Center of Competencies, which will serve as a frame for collaborative research activities. This direction allows us to use all our research capacities in all fields of biomedicine and health.
22 | Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
Department of Biology Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8a, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: info@biologija.unios.hr Web: www.biologija.unios.hr
The Department of Biology was established in 2005. Apart from a three-year undergraduate study program in Biology and two-year graduate study programs (Biology and Chemistry Education; Biology: Scientific program; Nature and Environmental Protection), the Department of Biology offers postgraduate specialist studies (Nature and Environmental Protection), as well as two doctoral studies: Nature and Environmental Protection in collaboration with the Ruđer Bošković Institute and Molecular Biosciences in collaboration with the University of Dubrovnik and the Ruđer Bošković Institute. In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 231 students enrolled.
In the Department of Biology, studies are conducted that have focuses on two main areas: the identification of biodiversity and the investigation of the effects of environmental change on the ecosystem. Over the past few years, the main research themes were implemented through projects. Within the project “Wa-
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ter protection of Kopački rit - ecological interactions of the Danube and the floodplain,” the hydrological and ecological interactions of the river and its floodplain were studied; within the project “Entomofauna of Kopački rit,” the biodiversity of insects of Kopački rit was determined; within the project “Genetic markers and the role of attractants as regulators of hematophagous diptera number,” the effectiveness of attractants and different types of traps in the sampling of flies was investigated; in the project “Nutrients and the development of floating macrophytes and algae in Eastern Croatia,” nutrients in aquatic ecosystems were studied; in the project “Interaction of the functional food ingredients with quality,” the interactions between the components of functional food were determined and their effect on the quality of the finished food products was investigated. Direct results of this research are numerous scientific papers published in leading scientific journals with an over the average Impact Factor (IF). Scientific Colloquium of the Department of Biology - The Department of Biology organizes scientific colloquia in the field of biology, as a rule, every last Friday of the month. The aim of the colloquium is the dissemination of knowledge and the affirmation of biologists and scientists at the Department of Biology. Lectures are designed to approach scientific topics for a wide audience and affirm biology as a science. For many years, a group of scientists of the Department of Biology has been dealing with an extremely important issue for the local community and the region. Within a project entitled “Monitoring and research of mosquitoes,” biologists’ knowledge has been implemented in the improvement of the conditions of life in the city of Osijek and the wider region. Data on current condition of mosquitoes in this area have been used to develop a mosquito control strategy and the control of mosquito activities (treatment). Throughout the years, knowledge about mosquitoes has resulted in numerous applicative results. Thus, a dynamic model showing the spread of mosquitoes in the city of Osijek has been created with the aim of informing citizens about the current number of mosquitoes in Osijek (http://biologija.unios.hr/webbio/monitoring-komaraca-u-osijeku/).
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Department of Chemistry Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8a, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: info@kemija.unios.hr Web: www.kemija.unios.hr
The Department of Chemistry was established in 2005. It offers a three-year undergraduate and a two-year graduate study program in Chemistry. In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 163 students enrolled.
Most of the research at the Department of Chemistry is conducted within several high-quality, innovative projects with significant involvement of the students during the course of their study:  The Use of Nanomaterials in the Construction of Potentiometric Surfactant Sensors for Industrial and Environmental Applications (HRZZ - Croatian Science Foundation) - the project encompasses the development and construction of nanomaterials based on the potentiometric surfactant sensors. They will be broadly used for ionic surfactant concentration measurements in raw materials, industrial as well as consumer products, pharmaceutical and cosmetic goods, environmental applications, etc.  The Development and Construction of a Potentiometric Surfactant Microsensor (BICRO - Business Innovation Center of Croatia) - the aim of this project is the development and construction of potentiometric surfactant microsensors that can be used for ionic surfactant concentration measurements in a variety of applications: industrial production and goods, consumer products, surfactant raw materials, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, wastewater streams, etc. Newly developed sensors can also be used as a specific detector in microfluidic techniques.
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The Preparation and Characterization of New Porous Macrocyclic Organic Materials and Metal-Organic Frameworks for Gas Adsorption - synthesis of the new macrocyclic ligands, their comprehensive characterization, and molecular and crystal structure determination are the main aims of this project. These newly prepared ligands will be employed for the metal complex synthesis and further for building the Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). Collaboration - researchers from Saponia, a chemical manufacturing company from Osijek, are actively involved in research projects within Department of Chemistry. From very establishment of the Department, professors and associates have been working in partnership with a number of institutions from Croatia and abroad: the University of Pécs (Hungary), the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), the Faculty of Sciences and Faculty of Chemical Engineering, the University of Zagreb, and the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. Numerous students of the Department of Chemistry are engaged in scientific and research work, not only during completion of their diploma thesis, but on an everyday basis. Every year, several students co-author (with teachers and assistants of the Department) oral and/ or poster presentations at national and international conferences, such as: The International Conference Ružička Days, the Congress of Chemists and Chemical Engineers of Bosnia and Herzegovina with International participation, the Croatian Meeting of Chemists and Chemical Engineers, the Symposium of Chemistry Students, and others.
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Department of Mathematics Trg Ljudevita Gaja 6, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: helpdesk@mathos.hr Web: www.mathos.unios.hr
The Department of Mathematics was established in 1999 as the first independent university department in the Republic of Croatia. Apart from a three-year undergraduate study program in Mathematics (Bachelor level) and a five-year Educational study program in Mathematics and Computer Science, the Department of Mathematics also offers a two-year graduate study program in Mathematics (Master level) with two branches Financial Mathematics and Statistics and Mathematics and Computer Science. Also, in collaboration with the University of Zagreb, Split and Rijeka, the Department of Mathematics offers a postgraduate doctoral study program in Mathematics (PhD level). In the academic year 2013-2014 there were 441 students enrolled in the study program.
At the Department of Mathematics, significant results have been achieved in the areas of applied mathematics and scientific computing. In the context of mathematical models, special attention is given to the problem of the existence and uniqueness of optimal parameters, the problem of constructing an efficient optimization method, the problem of determining a good initial approximation, and the problem of statistical analysis of the obtained optimal parameters. In collaboration with researchers from other university institutions, these mathematical models are applied in the research areas of agriculture, economics, medicine, food technology, electrical engineering, etc. The investigation of damping optimization in mechanical systems as well as results on the optimal control of dynamical systems have been included in software packages such as SLICOT (Subroutine Library in Systems and Control Theory) or Morlab (Model Order Reduction Laboratory). These activities influenced the collaboration among some scientific institutions
Surface generating on the basis of data of the Hellish Channel in the vicinity of the island of Hvar in the Adriatic Sea
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Earthquake zones in a wider area of the Republic of Croatia
Minimal number of communication antennas covering the terrain
Damping optimization in mechanical systems
from Croatia, Germany and the United States. In the area of linear optimization, a software package was released for computing a fast polynomial time approximation scheme for fractional packing and covering linear programs (the software package is available for free at https://code.google.com/p/fpclip).
Optimal number and configuration of constituencies in the Republic of Croatia
Significant contribution in the area of cluster analysis has been achieved through the construction of efficient algorithms for searching for a globally optimal partition by using our adaptation of the famous DIRECT global optimization algorithm in the case of the symmetric function. Special attention is given to applications in different areas of science, such as pattern recognition, agriculture, earthquake analysis and seismic zoning, short- and long-term energy products prediction, fault detection and diagnosis in engineering systems, construction of the optimal configuration of constituencies, etc. (see http://www.mathos.unios.hr/index.php/en/science/papers buduci).
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Department of Physics Trg Ljudevita Gaja 6, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: ured@fizika.unios.hr Web: www.fizika.unios.hr
The Department of Physics was established in 2005. The Department of Physics offers a three-year undergraduate study program in Physics and a two-year graduate study program in Physics and Informatics (Teacher Training). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 153 students enrolled.
The Laboratory for Low-Level Radioactivity at the Department of Physics conducts research associated with the continuous monitoring of radon variation in soil and examining the relationship of changes in radon concentration in soil and groundwater, with meteorological parameters, as well as the seismic activity of the soil. One-year systematic measurements of radon in houses in Croatia from a random sample of 1,000 locations were performed, thus the radon map according to the territorial organization of Croatia has been created. In the project of the continuous monitoring of radionuclides in the environment, several thousand measurements of radon in the air in homes, schools and kindergartens as well as in the soil have been performed. Research on neutrons in the environment using nuclear detectors started several years ago. This neutron research has two main applications: naturally occurring neutrons in the atmosphere due to the interaction of cosmic rays and the atmosphere, and the artificially created neutrons at the linear accelerator.
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Research in solid-state physics is related to the study of critical phenomena and solid-state phenomena with strong electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions. The main topics of research in the framework of critical phenomena are the scaling in real space, renormalization group, Monte Carlo simulations, and phase transitions in systems with long-range interactions, systems with frozen disorder, and self-organized critical phenomena. Furthermore, another group is doing the research of electrical, magnetic, mechanic and thermal properties of TE-TL alloys as well as systematically studying the magnetic properties of amorphous ferromagnets. High-pressure phase structures and phase transitions between them are studied using quantum-mechanical simulations from the first principles based on density functional theory. Various spectroscopy methods are used in the preservation of cultural heritage as well. In the field of information and communication technology, the main research interests are: e-learning, the use and perception of e-resources, online databases, management information systems, decision support systems, statistics, data mining, and simulation models. Winter Schools of Physics – The Department of Physics organizes the traditional winter schools of physics for primary and secondary school pupils. It is organized in collaboration with the Osijek Branch of the Croatian Physical Society, the Osijek-Baranja County Professional Council of Teachers of Physics – East and the Agency for Education. These schools are held in February, with more than one hundred participating pupils from the OsijekBaranja County.
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Faculty of Economics Trg Ljudevita Gaja 7, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: ured@efos.hr Web: www.efos.unios.hr
The Faculty of Economics was established in 1961. Apart from three-year undergraduate study programs (Entrepreneurship; Economic Policy and Regional Development, Financial Management, Marketing, Management, Business Informatics, Commerce and Logistics) and two-year graduate study programs (Entrepreneurship; Economic Policy and Regional Development; Financial Management; Marketing; Business Economics: Management, Business Informatics, Commerce and Logistics), the Faculty of Economics offers several postgraduate specialist studies (Entrepreneurship, Organisation and Management, Development Management, Finance and Banking, Marketing of Special Areas) as well as two doctoral study programs (Management, Entrepreneurship and Innovativeness). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 3,362 students enrolled.
Research related to socio-economic development has been carried out at the Faculty of Economics in Osijek for over fifty years. The wide range of research covers business systems, their operations and growth prospects, local and regional development, and the development of certain economic sectors including that of the country’s economy as a whole. The research is conducted in the areas of finance and banking, entrepreneurship, marketing and commerce, general and information management, human resources and other socio-economic fields, which requires cooperation with a range of business entities. Within the framework of these investigations, a two-way transfer of knowledge is being achieved through numerous forms of cooperation that are established with business subjects. Apart from one-on-one contracts between individual entities, this cooperation has been established between the Croatian Employers’ Association through the Agreement on Scientific and Professional Cooperation. The Faculty of Economics can boast its on-going research, such as the annual Interdisciplinary Management Research conference, which has been organized for the past ten years. Another constant is the research in logistics management, the development of retail distribution chains and supply chains, as well as the development in the promotion of environmentally friendly products.
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Here are the current entrepreneurship projects: A.C.T.I.V.E. (Activity and Creativity Through Ideas and Ventures = Employment) is funded from the IPA program of the European Union, component IPA IV – Human Resource Development. This project has been carried out in the Osijek-Baranja County from 1 February 2014 until 30 September 2015. The Faculty of Economics in Osijek is the project coordinator. The main goal of the project is to improve the preconditions for employment and self-employment of secondary school graduates, students and young unemployed people in Osijek-Baranja County. The project Social Enterprise 360° is part of the ERASMUS+ program. The main goal is to devise a curriculum of social entrepreneurship for secondary schools and to offer an efficient and flexible modular approach throughout secondary education, based on the best available practices. There are ten European partners in this project, which is coordinated by Junior Achievement Young Enterprise Europe. The project BTAR (Business Transfer Awareness Raising) is funded from the CIP program. It aims to develop an ideal model of measures for raising awareness on the importance of ownership transfer in small and medium companies, as well as the framework, activities and tools for implementing those measures. SeAMK from Finland is the project coordinator. There is a long-standing cooperation with the Croatian Banking Association, the Croatian Monetary Institute, the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and the Croatian National Bank. Furthermore, a number of national and local projects in the area of public finance and accounting practice have been completed in cooperation with domestic and foreign professional associations. At the Faculty of Economics, numerous research studies related to marketing have been conducted using sophisticated electronic technologies, as well as studies related to the tourism sector in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and the Croatian National Tourist Board. In cooperation with business operators, a range of software solutions for complex business analytics have been developed and tested. The Faculty of Economics has been involved in, or coordinated the formulation of development strategies of local communities (the development strategy for the city of Osijek, the development strategy for the town of Vukovar). The Faculty has devised a number of lifelong learning projects, such as the training of prospective project managers and tourist guides.
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Faculty of Education Ulica cara Hadrijana 10, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: helpdesk@ufos.hr Web: www.ufos.unios.hr
The Faculty of Education was established in 1998. The Faculty offers a five-year long university graduate study program in Primary Education, as well as a threeyear undergraduate and a two-year graduate study program in Preschool Education. In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 903 students enrolled.
The Faculty of Education is the gathering place for the cooperation of fifteen different scientific fields such as pedagogy, psychology, Croatian and foreign languages, history, biology, mathematics, computer science, kinesiology, and arts. Accordingly, part of the Faculty’s research is carried out with regard to these fields. However, since the Faculty promotes the idea that so many different scientific fields represent strength rather than weakness, they have directed a great number of their scientific activities towards cooperation, establishing new research fields, and the dissemination of scientific approaches; in other words – they are directed towards interdisciplinarity. The most significant results of interdisciplinary research can best be observed in the field of regionality. By carrying out a project aimed at the preservation of the intangible heritage of Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranja, aided by numerous published papers and monographs, they have managed to protect and add the speeches of Siče and Perkovci to the List of Intangible Heritage.
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The next result of the efforts fostering interdisciplinarity is the project LUCIDE. LUCIDE is a network within 16 EU countries, Australia and Canada, which develops ideas about relationships within multilingual civilian communities. The aim is to show how communication develops in multilingual communities in the EU and other countries. We wish to help institutions such as city councils, schools, hospitals and local and national economies to recognise and more productively use language diversity. Language diversity is not only seen as economic resource, but it can also strengthen social bonds by promoting better communication and mutual understanding. Also, we would like to be able to better understand how the cultural diversity of these new cities can strengthen the “unity of diversity� in the 21st century. Interdisciplinarity is also reflected in project Roufos-luna-MI. The global aim of the project was the promotion of equal possibilities and the integration of Roma children into the education system of the Republic of Croatia. Research and expert work in the field will improve the primary education of Roma children, especially with an emphasis on the importance of their socialisation and integration in early childhood. We will encourage the involvement of Roma children in non-formal education, which helps them to integrate and acquire language competences.
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Lorenza J채gera 9, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: helpdesk@knjiga.ffos.hr The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences was established in 1961. It offers Bach- Web: www.ffos.unios.hr elor of Arts programs in Croatian Language and Literature (single degree program and dual degree program), German Language and Literature (single degree program and dual degree program), English Language and Literature (dual degree program), Philosophy (dual degree program), History (dual degree program), Pedagogy (dual degree program), Psychology (single degree program), Information Sciences (single degree program), Hungarian Language and Literature (dual degree program), as well as Master of Arts programs in Croatian Language and Literature (single degree program with specializations in Teacher Training or Research in Literature Studies), Croatian Language and Literature (dual degree program with specializations in Teacher Training or Research Studies), German Language and Literature (single and dual degree program with specializations in Teacher Training or Translation Studies), English Language and Literature (dual degree program with specializations in Teacher Training, Translation and Interpreting Studies or Philology), Philosophy (dual degree program), History (dual degree program), Pedagogy (dual degree program), Psychology (single degree program), Information Sciences (single degree program), Hungarian Language and Literature (dual degree program), and Publishing Studies (dual degree program). The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences also offers the following PhD programs: Linguistics, Literature and Cultural Identity, Pedagogy and Culture of Modern School. In the 2013-2014 academic year, the Faculty had the total of 1304 students.
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Research focus at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is on the studies of man and society relevant for the sustainable development of humanity, society, education, national identity, preservation of Croatian values and linguistic heritage in the European context, with a special emphasis on investigating Croatian, English, German and Hungarian languages and literatures, history, philosophy and culture, as well as on the studies of social processes and risks related to new information and communication technologies. Research results are made available to the community and thus contribute to the improvement of the quality of life, education processes, preservation and promotion of national identity, linguistic, literary and cultural heritage. Otvoreni Ä?etvrtak (Open Door Thursday) is a project of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences dedicated to sharing knowledge and promoting dialogue related to research conducted at the Faculty. The basic premise of the community engagement and outreach is that all forms of research should benefit and be validated by the public. (http://web.ffos.hr/portal/?id=173) Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences - Innovative Solutions to European Societal Challenges Multilingualism – Managing multilingualism is one of the European challenges that requires a combination of different approaches from social sciences and humanities and aims to respond to the pressures of increased mobility of European citizens on the one hand, and the need for social cohesion and inclusion in linguistically and culturally diverse European societies on the other. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, together with 22 partners from 16 European countries participates in a large-scale collaborative FP7 project MIME Mobility and Inclusion in Multilingual Europe, which combines research on multilingualism, mobility and language policy. (http:// www.mime-project.org/) Digitization and literacy – the aim of the COST project IS1404 Evolution of reading in the age of digitization (E-READ), in which the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences participates with partners from 31 countries, is to improve the scientific understanding of the implications of digitization, hence helping individuals, disciplines, societies and sectors across Europe to cope optimally with its effects. Based on a multidimensional, integrative model of reading and combining paradigms from experimental sciences with perspectives from the humanities, the project will develop new research paradigms and metrics for assessing the impact of digitization on reading. These metrics will provide guidance for practitioners, policy makers, publishers and designers (http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/isch/Actions/IS1404).
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Faculty of Law Stjepana Radića 13, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: office@pravos.hr Web: www.pravos.unios.hr
The Faculty of Law was established in 1975. Apart from a five-year long first degree study program (Law) the Faculty of Law offers several postgraduate specialist study programs (Management of Local and Regional Self-Government Development, Criminal Law, Human Rights) and a doctoral study program (Law). In the 20132014 academic year, there were 2,557 students enrolled.
The activities of two Jean Monnet Chairs of the Faculty of Law in Osijek (The Jean Monnet Chair in EU Procedural Law and Jean Monnet Chair in European Labour Law, European Equality Law and European Human Rights Law) aim at establishing the regional reference center for the EU Law research promoting excellence in teaching and scientific research. In accordance with the conditions and recent changes in the European labour market, the lifelong learning program for lawyer-linguists offers professional training to those wishing to pursue a career in EU institutions and to lawyers who deal with legal translation in their everyday work. The Faculty of Law has had experience in applying for European projects, in particular within the IPA Cross-Border Cooperation program HungaryCroatia (IDEM, EUNICOP, SUNICOP, DUNICOP), which resulted in â‚Ź EUR 553,253.7 funding with the purpose of enhancing university cooperation in the fields of science and higher education and the development of a long-term cross-border curriculum as a final goal.
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The students of the Faculty of Law in Osijek have the opportunity to implement their theoretical knowledge in practice in the Legal and Economic Clinic (Pravno-ekonomska klinika). Clinical education focuses on improving the quality of study by integrating theoretical and practical teaching. In addition to its educational function, the Clinic provides free legal and economic counselling for small and medium-sized businesses in order to join scientific and professional capacities of the University constituent units for the benefit of the local community and to create an opportunity for the students to meet their future employers, i.e. to enter the labour market, thus preparing them for the work in the “real world�.
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Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo Petra Preradovića 17, HR-31400 Đakovo E-mail: tajnistvo@djkbf.hr Web: www.djkbf.unios.hr
The Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo was established in 2005. Apart from a five-year long first degree study program in Philosophical and Theological Studies, the Catholic Faculty of Theology offers postgraduate specialist study programs (Pastoral Theology: Family Pastoral Care, Crisis Pastoral Care, Pastoral of Parish Community). In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 208 students enrolled.
In accordance with the vision and mission of the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, one of the main goals is to empower the scope, quality and transparency of scientific research. The Faculty tries to confirm its potential and be a recognized research and teaching institution in this part of Europe by fostering pluralism, interdisciplinarity, quality international cooperation and social significance. To this purpose, we undertake numerous scientific activities. Josip Juraj Strossmayer 1815 – 2015 The Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo carries out research for the purpose of organizing three symposiums that should be held in Đakovo, Vienna and Rome to mark the 200th anniversary of Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer. Research is being conducted in cooperation with the Croatian Historical Institute in Vienna, the Institute for History of Theology in Vienna, the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, the Croatian Province of St. Jerome in Rome, the Vatican Secret Archives, and the Croatian Institute of History. In cooperation with the Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek and the Croatian Radiotelevision, the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo is making a documentary film about the Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer.
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The annual symposium is organized in October, usually with international participants, including presentations of new results in humanistic sciences and new thoughts and insights about current topics important for both the Church and society as a whole. Scientific colloquiums are organized four times a year in order to introduce scientific research to the wider public and to important Christian intellectuals, theologians, philosophers and to mark important events that shaped Western European culture and civilization. Also the goal of these scientific colloquiums is to popularize of the importance of the humanities as such, especially philosophy and theology and the development of free academic spirit. Lectio Strossmayer is organized as a reminder of Josip Juraj Strossmayer’s spirit and a well-known idea that knowledge and education are foundations of social identity and development. Therefore, every year the Faculty invites eminent scientists to give lectures on various topics in the fields of theology, philosophy, social and political life, thus contributing to the interdisciplinarity, pluralism and academic dialogue - crucial factors of the spiritual and material progress of nation.
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Department of Cultural Studies Trg Sv. Trojstva 3, HR-31000 Osijek Email: kultos@kulturologija.unios.hr Web: www.kulturologija.unios.hr
The Department of Cultural Studies was established in 2010. It offers a three-year undergraduate and two-year graduate study programs in Cultural Management, Media Culture and Librarianship. In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 428 students enrolled.
The Department of Cultural Studies is the youngest constituent unit of the University of Osijek that has aspired to recognize the significance of an interdisciplinary approach that promotes a dialogue between various disciplines, redefinition and networking of versatile scientific areas (interdisciplinary areas of science, humanities, and social sciences), scientific fields, and subfields (literature, sociology, philosophy, history, art history, information and communication sciences, media theory, and cultural management and administration) in its scientific-research operations heretofore. A strategic scientific activity area is oriented toward a multi-discursive research of culture in a regional and a broader European context. By virtue of its interdisciplinary scientific research, the Department of Cultural Studies tries to articulate and examine the issue of culture and its impact while trying not to neglect the Croatian historical and sociocultural heritage. The most important scientific research areas dealt with by the Department are as follows: cultural capital and cultural participation, the analysis of media, the impact of media, and the ethics of media practice, the history of Croatian theatre, and the interrelation between a nation and literature. The Department also co-organized two interdisciplinary scientific symposia in alignment with its basic orientation towards interdisciplinary scientific research.
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Culture, Society, Identity—European Realities was an international interdisciplinary scientific symposium co-organized by the Department and by the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences from Zagreb, envisaged as a followup to the dialogue on the notion and problem of identity, which has been subjected to a theoretical examination in various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences over the last few decades. The symposium objective was to promote an intercultural and multidisciplinary approach to the problem area while redefining the issue of identity in the social sciences, humanities, information and communication sciences and arts. Within such a scope, the papers from different scientific areas (i.e. literature, philology, history, philosophy, economics, law, librarianship, etc.), as well as the papers representing various theoretical approaches (cultural studies, psychoanalysis, deconstruction, feminist criticism, New Historicism, postcolonial studies, nation theories, gender studies, media theories, cultural anthropology, etc.), have found their place in this symposium. In cooperation with the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences from Zagreb and the Matica Hrvatska Branch Office in Osijek, the Department of Cultural Studies has also co-organized the interdisciplinary scientific-professional symposium with international participants titled Eastern Croatia in the Homeland War —Experiences, Realizations, and Consequences. The program of this symposium promoted the idea of an interdisciplinary dialogue pertaining to the inexhaustible topic of the role of Eastern Croatia in the Homeland War. Thematically, the symposium has opened a series of questions pertaining to the cultural memory of the Homeland War, its media representations, demographic effects, and civic and cultural life. The interdisciplinary nature of the symposium enabled various cultural phenomena, e.g. the educational system, academia, healthcare, culture, arts, religious communities, and economy, to be observed from different viewpoints.
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Academy of Arts Kralja Petra SvaÄ?ića 1f, HR-31000 Osijek E-mail: uaos@uaos.hr Web:www.uaos.unios.hr
The Academy of Arts was established in 2004. The Academy of Arts offers three-year and four-year undergraduate study programs in Music Pedagogy, Piano, Singing, Fine Arts, Acting and Puppetry, Theatre Design, as well as one-year and two-year graduate study programs in Music Pedagogy, Piano, Singing, Fine Arts, and Theatre Arts. In the 2013-2014 academic year, there were 244 students enrolled.
At the Department of Fine Arts at the Academy of Arts in Osijek, there is research conducted on the medieval artistic heritage in Slavonia and around Osijek, especially on mural paintings. The existence of medieval art in this area has been almost completely unknown until recently and thus neglected as a field of research. It was considered that the artistic achievements of this period were destroyed in the Tatar invasions and Turkish conquests. Research has shown the existence of a large number of high artistic achievements of medieval art in Slavonia, especially the murals, which have been almost completely unexplored so far, as well as the connection of these monuments with the contemporary artistic creations in the wider area of the Pannonian plain, in Hungary, Srijem and northern Bosnia. The monuments of medieval art in Slavonia are presented in scientific papers in journals with scientific reviews. The value of these studies lies in introducing the scientific world and the general public to the medieval art and cultural heritage of Slavonia and its relationship with the contemporary artistic events in the wider area of the Pannonian plain. This research provides a basis for the future exploration of this topic, as well as the training of students of the Department of Fine Arts at the Academy of Arts in Osijek to deal with this subject in their professional careers. Also, the exploration of the medieval art in Slavonia in the context of artistic development in the area of the Pannonian plain contributes to the possibility of establishing future regional cooperation and joint research and collaboration of scientists in the region. We hope that this research would contribute to the interest and popularization of far less-known artistic and cultural heritage in these areas as well as care for its preservation.
Mural paintings from the 13th century in the church of Nativity of Mary in Koprivna
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University and City Library Europske avenije 24, 31000 Osijek E-mail: gisko@gskos.hr Web: http://www.gskos.unios.hr/
University and City Library is the largest library in the Eastern Croatia that holds a collection of 506,097 books, 12,984 members and 50 employees. The University and City Library Osijek was founded on 8 February 1949.
Before the Homeland War, three years were significant for the development of the Library: 1954, when a separate Children’s Department within the Library was established and a new organizational structure with separate lending departments was introduced; 1975, when after the founding of the University of Osijek, the City Library, as one of the founders, expanded its activities and took over the role and tasks of the central university library and changed its name to University and City Library; 1982, when the Regional Registry Office for Slavonia and Baranja was founded, being the second one in Croatia.
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The Republic of Austria helped in renovation, decoration and equipping of the Austrian library, as well as in reparation of the damage inflicted on the central library building during the war, and the Austrian library was opened in 1996. Since then, the University and City Library serves as the Central Library of Austrians in the Republic of Croatia. The beginning of the new millennium, aside from the establishment of the Bibliobus service in 2011, was marked by the opening of the Youth Club in 2003, the American Corner, which was opened as the first American corner in Croatia in May 2005, and Medioteka, the “youngest� part of the library, opened in 2006.
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Student Center in Osijek Istarska 5, 31000 Osijek E-mail: ured@stucos.hr Web: www.stucos.unios.hr
Student Center in Slavonski Brod Petra Svačića bb, 35000 Slavonski Brod E-mail: info@stucsb.hr Web: www.stucsb.unios.hr
Student dormitory in Đakovo Petra Preradovića 17, 31 400 Đakovo E-mail: grgo.grbesic@gmail.com Web: www.djkbf.unios.hr The Student Center in Osijek and the Student Center in Slavonski Brod, as constituent units of the University of Osijek, take care of the complete student standard of life through nutrition, accommodation, occasional and temporary employment of students, and the cultural and athletic life of students.
The subsidized nutrition of students is organized in two large student self-service restaurants in Osijek, a smaller restaurant in Slavonski Brod and a number of smaller canteens with fast and simple services that are located in some faculties in Osijek. The existing capacities (about 6,000 meals daily), which are offered in restaurants of Student Center in Osijek meet the current needs of students. Student accommodation is offered in appropriate premises, adapted for students with disabilities too, as well as in suites for guest professors, with subsidized prices in two dormitories in Osijek (with a total of 713 beds) for students studying in Osijek, a dormitory in Slavonski Brod (114 beds) and one in Đakovo (90 beds) for students of the University of Osijek who are studying in these cities. By working in the Student Service Centers in Osijek and in Slavonski Brod students have an opportunity to earn additional income and to improve their standard of living. The Student Service Center helps students find jobs at more than 3,000 partner companies, in all lines of work, such as catering, tourism, administrative activities, programming and other jobs. Annually, more than 5,000 students use the services of the Student Service Center. With the support of the Student Center in Osijek, in Slavonski Brod and the Student dormitory in Đakovo various sports and other activities have been organized.
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University Center for Quality Assurance of Higher Education Cara Hadrijana 10 c, 31 000 Osijek E-mail: kvaliteta@unios.hr http://www.unios.hr/?g=7&i=46
Foundation of the University Center for Quality Assurance of Higher Education (abbr. Center for Quality) in January 2014, is the result of a systematic approach to quality of higher education at the University of Osijek, present since 2006. The QA University’s system is based on the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and is structured in accordance with the requirements of the HRN EN ISO 9001 norm in managing teaching, scientific research and business processes. Center for Quality conducts various activities related to assuring and improving the quality of education at the University of Osijek, such as assessment and analysis, drafting and revision of documentation, organization of yearly students’ evaluation of teaching and teachers as well as educational training for teachers, administrative staff and students in different areas (professional counseling and time management for students, learning outcomes and transfer of knowledge in the area of projects’ application and implementation for researchers etc.).
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Center for Quality also coordinates procedures of academic recognition of higher education qualifications and recognition of periods of study and ECTS at the University level. Center’s employees participate in the implementation of several national and international projects related to improving the quality of higher education - projects for better employability of students, for the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, for the equalization of opportunities for students with disabilities, for the development and implementation of the Croatian Qualifications Framework. Future goals of the Center for Quality are directed towards creating a forum for various stakeholders in higher education - students, teachers, employers, graduates and experts, Croatian Employment Service, local and regional authorities; providing a place for them to meet and communicate with the aim of improving the quality of studies at the University of Osijek.
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Tera Tehnopolis Ltd. Trg Ljudevita Gaja 6, 31000 Osijek E-mail: ured@tera.hr Web: www.tera.hr
Tera Tehnopolis Ltd. is a member of the University of Osijek specialized in development of knowledge-based economy by implementing significantly improved technologies. Tera Tehnopolis was established in 2002 as a joint-venture of the University of Osijek, the City of Osijek and the Osijek-Baranja County to intensify commercialization of publicly funded research conducted at the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek; to achieve balanced regional development and retain entrepreneurial and skilled labor force in the region. The commercialization of research results is carried out according to the integrated model developed under the program TEHCRO. The first component of the model, Technology Transfer Office, identifies the intellectual property of the University, strategically plans system of the protection and management of relevant IP and directly licenses the results of research at national level. Licensing at a global level together with business and research matchmaking is done with help of Enterprise Europe Network – EEN (TERA is a member of EEN since 2008). Next component of the model, Business Development Center, develops and tests the prototypes produced at various facilities of University members or in TERA own Laboratory for rapid prototyping. This phase also includes planning commercialization path by establishing Spin-off company. After the end of incubation, usually within five years, the next step is moving to the enterprise zone and work under commercial conditions. Conditions for fast and efficient transformation of scientific research results and innovation into competitive products are created with help of the University, supporting institutions and local
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government. International technology transfer and development of SMEs is also boosted. The critical mass of technology based enterprises is created in the Incubator, so TERA became place of business support concentration which, in collaboration with other members of the University, represents respectable team of different expertise who could solve the most complex tasks. Tera Tehnopolis has developed the ability to provide complete services to innovative entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial scientists and is profiled as an institution that reliably provides complete solutions. The support is provided by administration of available national programs and by creating our own programs, such as FOCUS – the first “co-working space” in Croatia (since 2004); STUDOS – the program of students’ pre-incubation and BE A ROLE MODEL®, the international invention show and student business competition.
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4. STUDENTS AND STUDYING In its 40th academic year, the University of Osijek has been organizing classes in 37 undergraduate, 46 graduate, 5 long first degree, 9 professional study programs, 28 postgraduate specialist and 17 doctoral study programs. Croatian higher education system is based on the European humanist and democratic tradition, so the University of Osijek focuses on its inclusion into modern European systems of higher education while still preserving its uniqueness and identity. For the last ten years the University has been implementing the Bologna process, which encourages change by introducing flexible programs and the option to make individual choices in education. We foster the values of high quality levels, excellence, uniqueness and cultural diversity. The University’s diversity is a great platform for successful cooperation with other Universities within the European Higher Education Area, but also outside its boundaries, and the geographic position and strategic orientation enables the University to connect with the economic sector. We are proud to say that we are a regional and European University, being the only University in Eastern Croatia, and that, according to surveys, our students consider us a friendly and helpful institution, where teachers, teaching assistants, and administrative staff always offer a helping hand to students who have difficulties in obtaining student rights, among other things. The Student Union and students’ ombudsmen also actively protect student rights and students can always count on their help.
The University Sports Office organizes sports and extracurricular activities and it takes credit for the participation in a number of national, international and European University sports competitions. Our students, thanks to their hard work and dedication, always achieve noticeable results in those competitions, thus promoting the name of the University, strengthening its international recognition. The Office for Students with Disabilities helps those students with all difficulties they come across during their student years, and all Faculties and Departments have been investing in improving the standard of their University life, removing the architectural barriers and making access easier.
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Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities The International Relations Office, in cooperation with Erasmus coordinators at the University constituent units, helps students with the preparation for studying abroad, the realization of internships and study mobility that lasts one semester or the whole academic year in partner higher education institutions in the European Union or outside its boundaries, and it works on the realization of incoming mobility. The career development through individual consultations and group workshops is the task of the Career Office working within the Center for Quality Assurance in Higher Education of the University of Osijek, while the Psychological Counselling Center at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences takes care of the psychological guidance of students.
In the 2010-2011 academic year, the first Doctoral school in the interdisciplinary field of humanities and social sciences was established at the University of Osijek. The Doctoral School offers: postgraduate specialist studies (European Studies- Regional Cooperation and EU Integration), postgraduate doctoral studies in collaboration with Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences in Zagreb and the Department of Information Sciences of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb: Cultural Studies (Culture, Art and Literature in European Context, Information and Communication in Culture, Management in Culture, Art and Education), postgraduate doctoral studies: European Studies, and postgraduate doctoral studies in collaboration with the University of Dubrovnik and the Catholic University of Croatia: Communication Studies.
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5. LIFELONG LEARNING The Faculties and Departments of the University of Osijek offer a wide range of Lifelong Learning Programs, so the University Senate approved 62 professional training programs carried out within the framework of the lifelong learning concept. In that framework, the Academy of Arts carries out 25 programs focused on public performance art and various techniques of art expression and design in the area of fine arts, sculpting, graphic design, music and puppetry. The Faculty of Food Technology carries out nine programs focusing on the production quality, preservation and storage of food products and distillates, as well as their sensor analysis. The Faculty of Agriculture has specialized in training programs related to milk and cheese production on family farms, the production of honey and other bee products, and plant protection. The Faculty of Civil Engineering offers training programs in Civil Engineering, training for energy assessment and certificates of buildings with complex technical systems, and public lighting energy assessment. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences offers Croatian language and Latin alphabet learning programs for non-native speakers, professional training in proofreading and editing, conference translation, and pedagogical-psychological, and didactic-methodical training (also available at the Faculty of Education).
The Faculty of Economics educates all interested parties for project cycle management, offers professional training programs in the area of public procurement (also available at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering), license exams for tourist guides and office managers, as well as the training for city and municipal mayors of local and regional government. The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering offers a professional training program on building energy assessment and control of heating and air-conditioning systems, while the Catholic Faculty of Theology carries out a theological and catechistic lifelong learning program for preschool education. The Faculty of Law at the University of Osijek and the Faculty of Law at the University of Pecs (Hungary) carried out one joint program concerning the European Law and CBC issues. The Faculty also offers professional training programs for lawyerlinguists, professional training in the area of human rights, civil education, in child rights protection, and communication with children. Its Jean Monet Chair offers programs in the European Labour Law, Equality and Human Rights Law and the EU Procedural Law. The Department of Cultural Studies offers a training program in librarianship, while our Department of Mathematics carries out a useful lifelong learning program in the field of applied statistics.
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6. COOPERATION Cooperation with other higher education institutions in the country or abroad
International and inter-institutional cooperation of the University of Osijek is carried out within the activities based on bilateral inter-institutional agreements, international university networks, international scientific and professional research projects of the European Commission, and international activities of student organizations. In addition, cooperation is carried out with the Universities of Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Zadar, and it is mainly based on the improvement and implementation of joint study programs and collaboration in scientific research projects.
Graphical representation of bilateral cooperation
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Graphical representation of international exchange in the last 5 years Since the University of Osijek is one of the promoters of the development of Eastern Croatia, its strategic goals refer to encouraging cross-border cooperation, which is particularly developed in the field of joint international scientific research projects. The engagement of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, the Faculty of Agriculture, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Faculty of Medicine in IPA projects with the Universities of Maribor, Pécs, Tuzla and Zenica should also be noted. We should also mention the assistance of the Faculty of Education in the establishment of the Chair of Croatian Language at the Trakya University (Edirne, Turkey), the assistance of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in the establishment of the English Language study program at the Faculty of Philosophy in Tuzla, the “Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Agriculture in Alps-Danube-Adriatic Region” TEMPUS project of the Faculty of Agriculture and the International Summer Camp organized by the Academy of Arts. It is also important to emphasize the engagement of the Faculty of Economics in the international inter-institutional interdisciplinary post-graduate (doctoral) study Entrepreneurship and Innovativeness carried out in cooperation with the Universities of Turku (Finland), Maribor (Slovenia), Klagenfurt (Austria) and Durham (Great Britain), together with Microsoft Croatia. A significant number of professors from the region are involved in teaching at the post-graduate level at the University of Osijek and vice versa.
Within their scientific research activities, the constituent units of the University of Osijek have had long-standing successful cooperation with numerous scientific institutions in the country and abroad: the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb, the Faculty of Science and Andrija Štampar School of Public Health in Zagreb, the Institute for Anthropological Research, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Croatian Veterinary Institute and Naval Institute (Brodarski institut) in Zagreb, the Croatian Historical Institute in Vienna, the European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages in Pécs , Cardiff University, the Universität des Saarlandes, the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems in Magdeburg, West Virginia University in Morgantown, and University of Texas at Arlington, etc. We particularly emphasize the participation of all constituent units of the University of Osijek in the Erasmus program within which the international exchange of students and (non) teaching staff is realized. In the last six years, over one hundred Erasmus Inter-Institutional Agreements have been signed, which provide a solid basis for the development of international cooperation with a tendency to expand to the CEEPUS program, project cooperation, joint study programs and the organization of professional and scientific symposiums.
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Cooperation with the economic sector
Rapid advancement in science and technology and their successful application present a challenge for modern society based on knowledge, hence the University of Osijek encourages the cooperation of scientists and researchers with the economic sector, to achieve faster technological and economic development and the inclusion of the University in the European science and technology trends. Today, perhaps more than ever, production capability (the design of new products, technological processes and systems) is the condition for survival in the global market. With the aim of encouraging research, development and innovations, as well as linking science with the economic sector, the University of Osijek has been successfully cooperating with various business entities for years. Cooperation is based on education and knowledge advancement, participation and assistance in solving various research and development problems, consultations and expertise. Since the development and application of intelligent automated production systems in modern production is one of the main scientific and professional challenges of today with the aim of improving work conditions, the constituent units of the University of Osijek have been cooperating with numerous business entities in the fields of electrical engineering, automation and robotics, telecommunications and computer science, computer engineering and mechanical engineering. In the field of social sciences (economics and management), cooperation has been established with the Croatian Employers’ Associa-
tion and companies on joint research projects, investment studies, and feasibility studies of projects. In the field of biotechnology, successful cooperation has been established with business entities in agriculture, food production and processing, and the chemical industry. Research in this field is focused on: the development and improvement of high-quality food production processes; food safety; the increase of process efficiency in food and chemical industries; nutrition and health-related habits; the creation of new, environmentally sustainable practices in plant and animal species cultivation and the implementation of modern technologies, where special attention is paid to preservation and the acceptable use of natural resources and environmental protection. In the field of natural sciences, successful cooperation has been established with the business sector, primarily within research projects managed by scientists from the University of Osijek and by research teams from the chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries.
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Cooperation with local and national government and public institutions
One of the strategic goals of the University of Osijek is the creation of a recognizable identity in the regional, national and European context, as well as the cooperation and partnership with the local and national government and public institutions. The University of Osijek and its constituent units have recognized the importance and the opportunities of the pre-accession programs of the European Union, which resulted in joint applications and the successful implementation of projects in cooperation with the local government. The constituent units of the University of Osijek successfully cooperate with the local (regional) governments, that is, with five Slavonian counties: Osijek-Baranja, Brod-Posavina, Vukovar-Srijem, Virovitica-Podravina and Požega-Slavonia, that have recognized the importance of cooperation and the implementation of knowledge in solving problems in the field of technical, biotechnical and natural sciences, which resulted in joint research projects. In the field of social and economic development, the constituent units are cocreators of plans and strategies of the development of cities and local (regional) self-governing units.
The constituent units of the University of Osijek cooperate with government bodies and public institutions as follows: the Croatian Education and Teacher Training Agency in organizing license exams and conferences, the National Center for the External Evaluation of Education in conducting the state graduation exams, the National Catechetical Office of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, and the Croatian Food Agency in forming scientific opinions and implementing national projects, etc. In the field of culture, the constituent units of the University of Osijek (the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Catholic Faculty of Theology, and the Academy of Arts) have long-term cooperation with local governments (Cities of Osijek, Đakovo, Požega), particularly in organizing various cultural events, symposiums, and concerts, involving prominent Croatian and foreign scientists and artists. In the field of art, successful cooperation has been achieved with art academies and theatres on the national level, as well as with numerous institutions and associations.
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7. Premises The University of Osijek has a need for a larger space than the one currently available, partly due to the significant material losses during the Homeland War and partly due to its rapid development. A key strategic shift in terms of a long-term solution was achieved by signing the Agreement on Assignment of Rights and Repurposing of Former Barracks “Gaj” and “Drava” according to the needs of the University of Osijek in 1997, marking the beginning of the biggest strategic project of the University – the construction of the modern University Campus. In the first two phases of reconstruction and development of the University, several buildings were renovated and constructed, today housing the constituent units of the University, such as the new premises of the student dormitory and the Faculty of Agriculture, and the renovated premises of the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Physics, the Department of Biology, the Department of Chemistry, the student restaurant, the Academy of Arts, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of Education, and the Faculty of Medicine, as well as the new premises of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, which is still under construction. The majority of renovated and adapted facilities are specific for the historical value of the buildings, which had to be taken into account during the actual construction. The third phase of reconstruction and development is currently underway, encompassing the construction of the new premises of the student pavilion and the University Library and Multimedia Center of the Faculty of Law, for which most of the necessary funds are to be ensured from the infrastructure projects of the EU in cooperation with the Ministry of Sciences, Education and Sports.
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8. Student life The University of Osijek organizes various activities in order to make students’ daily life as eventful as possible, which is achieved by a variety of events in the University constituent units. In addition to numerous scientific meetings, students could participate in exhibitions, concerts, sports clubs and numerous social events organized during the academic year. Sporting activities can be characterized as very important in the life of students at the University of Osijek. The Student Sports Association brings together all the student clubs and associations of the individual Faculties and coordinates their activities, organizes University championships, tournaments and all other forms of sports activities and events for students of the University of Osijek. The main goals of the Association are the promotion, improvement, popularization and organized development of sports at the University. For those who are looking for culture and music, there are numerous musical events, as well as puppet and acting shows, usually organized by the Academy of Arts in Osijek, but also by other University constituent units. Each academic year, the constituent units of the University of Osijek initiate and participate in numerous projects involving students, professionals and the teaching staff of the University constituent units. A significant number of students are thus involved in scientific and research activities, not only during the preparation of their graduation theses, but also through various national and international scientific meetings.
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In 2012, an idea of the creation of the student radio show that will be broadcasted on TV Radio Unios ETFOS (TRUE) appeared, so two teams were gathered that, since then, have been editing a radio show called Geeks on a Plane. The short format show brings news from the world of IT and technology through the perspective of students of the University. As the first show airing on a regular basis, Geeks on a Plane is, in a way, the beginning of a larger development of TRUE, which will, through expansion in the permanent radio frequency, offer students an alternative to large commercial radio stations. Students are enabled, through this and similar radio shows, to conduct volunteer work and to educate, and, at the same time, the tangible progress of promoting radio culture at the University of Osijek is achieved. Also, by broadcasting on HRT radio Osijek, radio UNIDU Dubrovnik and via the Internet at
www.radio.etfos.hr, the voice of the students and the University of Osijek spreads every Thursday evening outside the city of Osijek. Altruistic engagement of students refers to numerous volunteer activities, such as helping the disabled and the sick as well. In addition to professional development, through associations, students get the opportunity for spiritual, humanitarian, and ethical development. In addition to the aforementioned, students can participate in the work of the Student Union, which is a legitimate student electoral representative body that protects the interests of students, takes part in decision-making in the Senate and professional councils of constituents of the University of Osijek, and represents students in higher education.
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9. Osijek and its surroundings Osijek – The City on the Drava River – got its name from the word “oseka” (low tide) by Slavic and Old Croatian immigrants, and today it has about 100,000 inhabitants. It is located in the heart of the European Danube region, about 20 km from the point where the Drava River joins the Danube. It has excellent traffic connections by road, rail, river and air with other parts of Croatia and the region, and in relation to the position of the central European cities, Zagreb, Budapest, Belgrade and Sarajevo, it is located almost in the center of the circle with the radius of about three hundred kilometres. In ancient times, the Celtic and then Roman city of Mursa was located here. The Hungarian version of the name of the town Eszek was mentioned for the first time in 1196, and
the Germans called it Esseg. After the Turkish conquest in the summer of 1526, Osijek was returned to Croatia only at the end of the 17th century, within the Habsburg (Austro-Hungarian) Empire. A large fortification was built along the Drava River, the city was rebuilt in Baroque style, and the first brewery in Croatia was established. Further development and the great economic and cultural boom of Osijek happened in the 19th century. The buildings of the Croatian National Theatre, the County Building, and the St. Peter and Paul Church were built, and the first tramline in the wider region was put into use. Numerous other cultural institutions and factories were opened, which attracted a large number of new citizens.
In the second half of the 20th century, with major social and economic changes, Osijek again grew into an important industrial center. During the Homeland War, Osijek was violently attacked and destroyed, but never conquered, and that is how the famous slogan was created—“Osijek - Unconquered City.” After the War, the renovation of the city started and has not yet been finished.
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Sights and attractions of Osijek
City Walls and Water Gates. At the beginning of the 18th century, the construction of the walls of the Osijek fortress – Tvrđa, in the form of a large, irregular star – began. Upon the completion of the works in 1722, Tvrđa became one of the largest and most modern military fortifications in Central Europe. Within the walls, the buildings were built almost exclusively in the Baroque style, and the four doors led to the city. Today only a small part of the walls remains towards the river with the Water Gates and tower (water tower), and most of the crown fort on the left bank of Drava. General Barracks – In 1726, in Holy Trinity Square in Tvrđa, a monumental Renaissance-Baroque building of General Barracks was built. As its name says, the building was built on the borders of the great Austro-Hungarian military leader Prince Eugene of Savoy, and it was used for the needs of the imperial military administration in Eastern Croatia (Slavonia and Syrmia). Today the building is known as Rector’s Office of the University of Osijek. Church of St. Michael the Archangel. Immediately after the liberation from the Turkish authorities, in the late 17th century, many of Osijek’s mosques were turned back into Catholic churches. One of them is the parish church of St. Michael the Archangel. Jesuit monks built this Baroque church from 1725 to 1748. Today, with two 47-meter high towers, it dominates the landscape of Tvrđa. Every Friday at 11am its bells remind people of the moment of liberation from the Turks on September 29th, 1687.
Church of Exaltation of Holy Cross. The Franciscan monks built the Baroque monastery and Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Tvrđa in 1732. It has been built on foundations of three former places of worship: a Romanic and Gothic church and an Ottoman mosque. The main altar is decorated with a statue dedicated to Holy Mary of Osijek, which was rescued in the 18th century from the South Hungarian sanctuary Mary Jud before the Rákóczi uprising. European Avenue. Osijek is especially famous for Secession, the style very popular throughout the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. The magnificent city palaces along the European Avenue, today mostly luxurious office spaces, were built at the beginning of the 20th century in the style of so-called Viennese Secession while the largest among them, the Post Office, was built in the style of Hungarian Secession. On the same street, there are also a number of classicist buildings from the 19th century with the monumental Justice Building. Co-Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul. The construction of the St. Peter and Paul Church began in 1894 from the initiative of the Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer. Today, it is the co-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, and the citizens of Osijek call it simply the cathedral. After the old Baroque church located on that site was torn down, the Cathedral was finished in only four years, and, since 1898, the Osijek panorama is inconceivable without its 90-meter bell tower, the second highest in Croatia and South-East Europe.
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Urania Cinema. The experts consider the Urania Cinema one of the best examples of Secession architecture in the city and wider. The cinema was allegedly built not only for the purpose of showing movies, but also for the Masonic Lodge called Budnost. The building itself is full of symbols visible on the façade, from the pyramidal shape to the Sphinx relief, the guardian of the temple. Suspension bridge and Secession well. One of the most common motifs on the postcards from Osijek is the view of the city from the left bank of the Drava River encompassing the suspension bridge, the Cathedral bell tower and a glass hotel in the background. The suspension bridge, called the Bridge of Youth, was built in 1980, and today it is a favourite spot for couples who lock the so-called love padlocks to it. On the Promenade along the Drava River, between the suspension bridge and the Winter Port, there is another symbol of Osijek, the large Secession well, a gift to the city of Osijek from the Pejačević family in 1903.
Pejačević Palace. Famous Croatian noble family, the Counts Pejačević, had estates in all parts of Croatia. The first Croatian female composer, Dora Pejačević, was also born into this family. Male members of the family were Croatian Bans, a position similar to that of today’s prime minister, and their political and economic influence spread throughout the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. In Slavonia, they owned three big palaces, one of which is located in the city quarter of Retfala. The palace was built between 18th and 19th century in the style of Baroque Classicism.
Other interesting facts about Osijek Osijek is said to be the greenest city in Croatia, and you can check if that is true by taking a walk through one of its 17 parks. The largest one is the King Tomislav Garden between the Upper Town and Tvrđa, originating from the 18th century. The King Petar Krešimir IV Park and the King Držislav Park are located nearby. In the second half of the 19th century, the most romantic park in Osijek was landscaped. It was named after the statue of Sakuntala, a girl from Indian mythology who lived in harmony with nature. The statue was a gift from the city of Berlin, and the myth originates from the epic poem about Sakuntala, written by Kalidasa, an Indian author who lived in the 5th century. Freshwater swamp woods and arable land surround Osijek. The famous nature park Kopački Rit is located on the edge of the city, so the white stork nests can be noticed even near the city center. The citizens of Osijek have a pet name for their city – The City on the Drava River. The whole city spreads along the banks of the Drava River, and the whole bank is protected by a fortification and a levee (bent) on the Baranja side. The fortified part of the bank is a promenade (the popular Promenada). Citizens of Osijek go there to
run, ride bicycles, roller-skate, and the part of the promenade near the main square is also a favourite place for meeting friends. The largest bathing resort on Drava was built in 1965 and it carries the name of the famous Brazilian beach Copacabana, and citizens call it Kopika. During summer, you can have a refreshing swim in Drava or have fun in the outside swimming pools and sports grounds. The Zoological Garden in Osijek was opened in 1955. Since it is far from the city noise, it is a perfect place to relax in the nature. The Zoo is home to around eighty different animal species. In the aquarium and the terrarium, there are around twenty species of fish and reptiles, and there are around 650 animals. With 11 acres, the Osijek Zoo is one of the largest parks in the middle Danube region, and its location makes the park very significant.
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IMPRESSUM Published by: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Dr. Željko Turkalj, Rector Design by: Foto art, d.o.o. Photography by: Marin Topić and the archives of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Printed by: