Pristupačnost
On the occasion of the celebration of Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Day, November 22, 2024, Dean Prof. Vedran Bilas, PhD, reflected on the outstanding international achievements of FER’s researchers and scientists. He also called for the unification of all stakeholders around the vision of a technologically strong Croatia.
Dean Bilas shared with attendees that ensuring the technological progress of the country is one of FER's strategic goals. However, he emphasized the need to reform the science and higher education system if Croatian universities are to become environments that foster ambition, scientific discovery, and innovation. "Croatia needs policies that will make our country technologically advanced; we need a concentration of technological knowledge, research enthusiasm, and intellectual capital, effectively managed", Dean Bilas stated. He highlighted that FER can and will be a catalyst for Croatia's technological transformation, particularly in the academic domain and industry relations. However, cooperation among all stakeholders—policy, industry, and academia—is essential to build a system and framework for implementing this vision.
Joint efforts to strengthen the country's technological development as a priority national security issue were the key conclusions of this year’s celebration of FER Day, the largest educational, research, and innovation center in the field of technical sciences in Croatia.
"We must create an atmosphere at our faculties and universities that encourages ambition and entrepreneurship among students and faculty for technological and social innovation. When our goals are ambitious enough, when we believe in ourselves and have the necessary knowledge, we push boundaries. We will create innovations with significant impact and launch major business ventures. We can be the best in the world," Bilas concluded.
The President of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, also addressed the audience, extending congratulations and emphasizing that this important anniversary highlights a rich tradition worthy of respect. "FER is a symbol of excellence and one of the most prestigious institutions in Croatia. It is particularly important to understand how to connect science and education with the economy and realize this through various innovations and technological advancements, and FER is indeed a model in this respect," Jandroković said.
The Minister of Science, Education, and Youth, Prof. Radovan Fuchs, PhD, joined in the congratulations for FER's many international achievements and numerous awards. He highlighted the recent major success of the Center of Excellence for Underwater Robotics and Technologies for Sustainable Blue Economy under the Horizon Teaming program, valued at €35 million. "We have many research institutes, but we lack a single institute for technical sciences. This could become the core; the Government has already announced that part of the Brodarski Institute will be made available for this project, so let’s view this as a starting point in that direction," Fuchs said, adding that FER has always been a leader in both educational and scientific segments.
The Minister of Justice, Administration, and Digital Transformation, Damir Habijan, emphasized the importance of partnerships with the academic community, recognizing FER as a leader among higher education institutions in education, science, and technology. "Collaboration between the state, academia, and the private sector is key if we want to achieve all our digitalization goals and establish trust," Habijan said.
"FER is a key partner in the development of the Croatian economy. Students and scientists at this faculty already demonstrate how the application of science and the development of new technologies can bring tangible benefits to our society. I believe this tradition of excellence will continue to grow, and through your innovations, we will see progress in key industries," said the Minister of Economy, Ante Šušnjar.
Dean Bilas also revealed that FER has completed its first project with the European Space Agency, which involved the development of a module for satellite-based light pollution monitoring. Additionally, he noted that the past year would be remembered for FER researchers’ remarkable results. "In February, after two years of preparation and qualification, our team from two robotics laboratories won first place at the prestigious international competition Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge. This is a major achievement for the international reputation and visibility of the Faculty, proving that it is possible to be the best in the world from Croatia. The prerequisites for this success were a decade of participation in international competitive project consortia and the formation of outstanding and ambitious young experts," Bilas added, pointing out that FER remains Croatia's most successful higher education institution in terms of contracted projects under the Horizon program.
One of the most significant achievements for FER in the past year has been the start of renovation work on its buildings. Bilas expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved for their support and collaboration in the preparation and implementation of these large infrastructure projects.
The FER Day celebration was attended by numerous distinguished guests, including representatives of government, scientific, educational, and military institutions, as well as industry. Among them were the envoy of the Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, Branko Hrg; Deputy Mayor of Zagreb, Luka Korlaet, PhD, Rector of the University of Zagreb, Prof. Stjepan Lakušić, PhD, Rector of the Croatian Catholic University, Prof. Željko Tanjić, PhD, and Rector of the University of Slavonski Brod, Prof. Ivan Samardžić, PhD,.
Important messages aimed at encouraging the continued work of scientists and engineers were highlighted, and awards and recognitions were presented to the most successful students and faculty members. Individuals who significantly contributed to the development and reputation of the Faculty received the prestigious Golden Plaque "Josip Lončar," while the Silver Plaques "Josip Lončar" were awarded for outstanding doctoral dissertations and scientific research. The Bronze Plaques "Josip Lončar" recognized exceptional achievements in graduate studies. Awards for science, teaching, and research excellence were also presented, along with acknowledgments from the Dean to non-teaching staff for their contributions to the Faculty’s success and organizational efforts, as well as awards from foundations and companies collaborating with FER.
You can watch the recording of the FER Day ceremony here and view the photo gallery here.