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.  

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.

A new generation of specialists, growing in number year after year, at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), University of Zagreb, has successfully completed specialist studies in key technological and business fields specifically tailored to the demands of the modern labor market. A total of 27 professionals from the private and public sectors, as part of FER’s lifelong learning programs, further enhanced their skills for leadership positions and gained additional experience in the areas of Information Security; Product Management, Digital Innovation and Insurance Technology (INSURTECH); Transformers; and Project Management. At the beginning of the graduation ceremony and the presentation of well-earned certificates, the Dean of FER, Prof. Vedran Bilas, PhD, addressed the graduates, emphasizing that the employability rate of newly graduated professionals in Croatia is just under 80%, while more than 75% of employers face difficulties in finding talented candidates for open positions.

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 .

Cooperation between the space industry, academia, investors, and public institutions; the state of the sector in Italy and Croatia; and shared areas of interest for strengthening bilateral cooperation in space research and the development of space technologies were discussed and presented at the Scientific Colloquium European Space Perspectives, held on 11 December 2025. The event was organized by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth of the Republic of Croatia, and the Embassy of Italy in Zagreb. We brought together leading representatives of the Croatian and European space ecosystem: Hrvoje Meštrić, PhD, Director of the Directorate for Science and Technology at the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, Karol Brzostowski, the European Space Agency (ESA) Delegate responsible for Croatia, Francesco Soldovieri, PhD, Director of the Institute for Environmental Remote Sensing of the Italian National Research Council, H.E. Paolo Trichilo, Ambassador of Italy to Croatia; professors from Politecnico di Torino, Italy’s leading faculty in the field of space technologies; and representatives of companies operating in the 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.

“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.