After our conversation with Prof. Tomislav Dragičević about the ERC project ARTEFACT , in this second installment we bring you an interview with another recipient of the prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant , Prof. Ivan Dokmanić from the University of Basel. Dokmanić is an alumnus of FER who already has prior experience winning an ERC Starting Grant , and in the project PHASESHIFT – Phase-Space Foundations for Scientific Machine Learning he explores how to develop artificial intelligence for scientific and engineering applications that is not only accurate, but  lso stable and reliable.

FER has published a Guide for Students: How (Not) to Use Artificial Intelligence at FER , the first guide that clearly and concretely explains how artificial intelligence tools may be used in academic work. The goal of the Guide is not to ban the use of artificial intelligence, but to encourage its responsible, ethical, and transparent application in teaching, projects, and research. As tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and similar systems increasingly change the way people learn and work, FER warns that they can be a great help—but also a serious risk if used thoughtlessly or without proper source attribution. Regardless of whether part of the work was written by a human or by a tool, students always remain fully responsible for the content they submit.

The FER WIN – Women in Innovation Conference was held at our Faculty on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which is celebrated every year on February 11. The participants were welcomed on behalf of the FER Management by Vice Dean Assoc. Prof. Ana Drandić, PhD. "When we talk about women in science and technology, we often talk about representation and numbers, and forget that behind every number there is a real person – a student wondering whether she chose the right path, a young PhD candidate who is growing and needs support on her journey, an experienced researcher and professor who has many different roles and tries to balance them all, while still achieving high scientific and professional results. That is why it is important for all our researchers, both women and men, to have a community and support. FER WIN contributes exactly to that: it gives visibility to research work, but also an open space for meeting and support for everyone", she emphasized. We wish all our female colleagues a happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science. We thank our male colleagues for their support and cooperation. See you next year.

The celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing – today known as FER, and originally as the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (ETF) – is an opportunity to recall the period that strongly shaped its identity. Particularly notable is the time from 1956 to 1965, when the Faculty began operating independently and laid the foundations of modern electrical engineering, electronics, and computer education in Croatia. This was an era of rapid technical and technological change worldwide: the boom of electronics, the birth of computing and information technology, and the expansion of power and communication systems. It was precisely in these fields that FER assumed an unrivaled role as a bearer of knowledge and innovation.

On 1 January 2026, the implementation of the QuGNOPs project (Deployment and Operations of Quantum Ground Nodes) began. The project’s main objective is to establish infrastructure for satellite-based quantum communication between Germany and Croatia using the European quantum communication satellite Eagle-1 and optical ground stations in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich and in Zagreb. The project is led by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) . The consortium brings together partners from Croatia the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing ( FER ), the Ruđer Bošković Institute ( IRB ), the Croatian Academic and Research Network - CARNET , and the University of Zagreb Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences ( FPZ ), and from Germany - the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg ( FAU ) and the DLR Gesellschaft für Raumfahrtanwendungen (GfR ), with the support of the Croatian Office of the National Security Council ( UVNS ).

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of quantum mechanics, the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology , emphasizing the critical importance of these increasingly relevant technologies for our society. With the rapid advancement of quantum technologies—especially quantum computers - the world has become aware that the realization of a quantum computer capable of compromising existing communication systems, such as RSA encryption, is now only a matter of time. CroQCI: Croatia's Contribution to the European Quantum Network To prepare for the so-called Q-Day , governments of the world's leading economies have adopted strategies to adapt their communication systems by developing quantum networks resistant to quantum computers , with security based on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) . In line with this, the European Union launched the EuroQCI initiative (European Quantum Communication Infrastructure) in 2023, aiming to establish a pan-European quantum communication network . Croatia is participating through the CroQCI project (Croatian Quantum Communication Infrastructure), involving FER (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing), along with CARNET, IRB, OIV, FPZ, IF, SRCE , and UVNS .

The ceremonial signing of grant agreements under the call Professionalization of Research Centers, implemented within the project Digital, Innovative and Green Technologies – DIGIT, was held last week at the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth in Zagreb. On this occasion, a total of 13 grant agreements were awarded, with an overall value of EUR 5 million, intended for public higher education institutions and public research institutes in the Republic of Croatia. The Only Institution in Croatia with Two Approved Projects The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing of the University of Zagreb ( FER ) achieved an exceptional success by securing two projects with a total value of EUR 694,000 within the DIGIT programme , implemented by the World Bank and the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth. FER is the only institution in Croatia to have been awarded as many as two projects within this programme, further confirming its leading role in innovation, applied research, and cooperation with industry.

It’s time we share our expectations for this year’s 19th edition of Job Fair - it's around the corner! We know many of you have been waiting for those two days to spend at the region's biggest career festival! Well, the wait is finally over, because the chance to meet over 100 tech companies is just around the corner. Mark May 13th and 14th in your calendars, as thousands of students will join you in your visit for this year's Job Fair. Still in the neighborhood! We’re not leaving our usual spot, so this year we’ll once again host Job Fair at the Mozaik Event Center, transforming it into a hub of conversations, networking, and amusements for both students and company representatives. Whether it’s a relaxed conversation at a booth, participating in an interactive workshop, or networking during a talk, you won’t find a place with more opportunities to explore anywhere nearer than Job Fair.

Two alumni of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER) at the University of Zagreb have won prestigious ERC Consolidator Grants with a total value of €4 million: Prof. Tomislav Dragičević, PhD, from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) for the project ARTEFACT, and Prof. Ivan Dokmanić, PhD, from the University of Basel for the project PHASESHIFT. ERC Consolidator Grants are intended for excellent researchers and provide up to €2 million per project over five years to build a research team and conduct cutting-edge “frontier” research. In this first installment, we bring an interview with Prof. Tomislav Dragičević, a FER alumnus and professor at DTU Wind and Energy Systems, about his ERC project ARTEFACT – Reliable Online Learning in Power Converters to Unlock Flexibility from Motor Applications.  

“Croatia’s high-tech exports amount to only one-third of the European Union average. If we wish to secure competitiveness and sustainable growth, we must invest in knowledge, infrastructure, and people," stated Prof. Dr. Vedran Bilas, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), in his keynote address on "Technologies of the Future / Challenges of Global Trade" at the 20th Convention of Croatian Exporters, held under the high patronage of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. "Without investment in high technology, it will be difficult to retain the outstanding engineers and PhDs educated in Croatia, as they wish to work on future-oriented projects or on technologically mature topics of global relevance. By introducing such technologies into Croatia, we are laying the foundations for a more advanced, resilient, and competitive nation, which simultaneously promotes wider social development," Dean Bilas concluded.