The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER) at the University of Zagreb has once again demonstrated why it is the leading research center in the region. This year’s milestone edition of PhD Day, held on Thursday, June 5, 2025, brought together more than 50 doctoral candidates who presented their latest scientific achievements, technological innovations, and applicable solutions that are shaping the future of Croatian and European society.

Topics such as biomedical engineering, sustainable energy, cybersecurity, and machine learning were just part of the scientific spectrum featured at this year's event, further confirming FER’s strong research presence both domestically and internationally.

Photos from Doctoral Day 2025 are available at this link, and the event recording can be viewed on FER’s YouTube channel.

Opening the event, FER Dean Prof. Vedran Bilas, PhD, emphasized the importance of continuous scientific excellence:
"At FER, an average of 40 young researchers earn their doctorates each year. The vast majority - 85 percent - stay in Croatia, and about half of them work in domestic industry. That part makes me especially happy because it proves that both the qualifications and expertise of our PhDs are exactly what our industry needs. In Croatia, science is rarely seen as something essential for the future. That’s why FER’s mission is the development of young scientists and entrepreneurs who will contribute to Croatia’s technological empowerment and help position it as a significant player in international business and scientific circles."

FER is currently involved in as many as 190 research projects with partners from over 80 countries, making it the most active university-based research center in the country, with industry collaboration growing steadily.

"FER’s doctoral research projects transfer technology into the business world because our PhD students develop a portfolio of knowledge and expertise that is truly unique, we can actually call them innovation generators. FER thus represents the excellence of Croatian science, which is evidenced not only by the number of PhDs and completed projects but also by 49 unique patents—original world-first innovations created and protected by FER," emphasized Assoc. Prof. Tomislav Capuder, PhD, Vice Dean for Research and Innovation.

The event program also included four themed panel discussions featuring leaders of Croatian industry: Miroslav Šaban (Philips Croatia), Ivan Paić (Končar), Robert Perica (ReversingLabs), and Gordan Kreković (Visage Technologies). The experts shared their visions for industry development and the challenges they face in day-to-day business. Attendees then had the opportunity to hear success stories from FER's awarded PhD students and view their dissertations in the poster session.

A special part of the program featured the presentation of the Josip Lončar Silver Plaque for outstanding doctoral dissertations, awarded to: Sara Vlahović, Tomislav Antić, Matej Krpan, Sara Raos, Matija Kostelac, and Nina Stipetić.

FER’s Doctoral Day once again proved that Croatia has a new generation of scientists who think globally, act locally, and innovate without boundaries.