The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER) at the University of Zagreb proudly represented Croatia at the world exhibition EXPO 2025, held in Osaka, Japan. As part of Croatia’s official participation, a team of researchers from FER delivered a two-day presentation introducing the international audience to the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, robotics, and sustainable technologies.

Our researchers and experts Vinko Lešić, Tamara Petrović, Đula Nađ, and Hrvoje Novak took part in EXPO, delivering a series of presentations that demonstrated why FER has long been regarded as a regional leader in innovation. The events were personally attended by the Minister of Science, Education and Youth, Prof. Dr. Radovan Fuchs, who expressed strong support for the Croatian scientific and academic community on the global stage.

During the two-day program (May 13 and 14) in the CS2 and EU pavilions, FER presented topics that attracted significant interest from both professionals and the general public:

• Smart Bio-Hybrid Organisms – an innovative system that transforms plants into environmental sensors for real-time monitoring, developed through the EU-funded WatchPlant project from the LARICS lab; 

• Journey into the Depths of Underwater Systems and Technologies – an overview of the latest advances in autonomous underwater robots and their application in exploring marine ecosystems, presented from the perspective of the LABUST lab and the MARBLE Centre of Excellence; 

• AI-Powered Meteorology – the use of artificial intelligence in climate forecasting and its impact on energy, agriculture, and sustainable development, based on the long-term work of the LARES lab, 

• An Interdisciplinary Approach to Solving Global Challenges – through collaboration with industry and international institutions.

We are proud to have had the opportunity to present FER, our research projects, and our vision for the future on such a prestigious platform. We thank the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and the Ministry of Economy for their support and cooperation, which enabled the successful participation of Croatia and FER at EXPO.

See more photos and the atmosphere from EXPO 2025 in the post on FER’s LinkedIn profile.