Excellence is what drives us. We maintain and upgrade it in all areas of activity and mutual and international cooperation, which are ever more important. We believe in success every step of the way. It is no coincidence that the University of Ljubljana holds the top spot in the country and is at the top of universities from new EU Member States.
Prof. Dr. IVAN SVETLIK, Rector
In 2015, the University of Ljubljana recorded notable results in its goal to strengthen its connections with international institutions and in its quality assurance. Measures such as raising awareness among students and employees about the importance of internationalisation, assistance to students in mobility, removing obstacles for the inclusion of foreign students and staff, international evaluation and accreditation, establishment of strategic partnerships with respectable foreign universities, active participation at international fairs and establishment of a network of graduates working in foreign academic environments, led to 13 percent growth in the number of foreign full-time students with respect to 2014, strengthened foreign student exchange by 14 percent with respect to 2014 and saw 54 percent growth in the exchange of staff with foreign academic institutions. The University was also successful in obtaining and implementing research projects financed from European and other foreign resources. With 38 approved projects under the Horizon 2020 programme, the University holds the top spot in the country and is at the top of universities from new EU Member States.
The Quality of the University of Ljubljana project, which was completed in 2015, made a decisive contribution to the establishment of a functioning system for monitoring and providing quality at the University. Upon concluding the circle of planning and reporting, knowledge and experience are shared through consultation visits and employee training seminars are fully booked. We updated and computerised the student survey, further enhanced extracurricular activities, trained students via career centres and kept track of our graduates’ careers. Various forms of tutelage were expanded and new methods to prevent plagiarism were set up. We updated and re-accredited study programmes, adopted tools and recommendations for monitoring employee satisfaction and introduced new didactic approaches in the teaching process, including the introduction of an e-classroom.
Furthermore, we were active in the transfer of knowledge, examining knowledge with development potential, establishing new connections between research groups at the University and with the environment and completing preparations for applying projects from the smart specialisation programme. Together with 22 organisations, we established the Slovenian Innovation Hub, which began operating in 2016 as the host and promoter of research and development teams in the academic and business spheres.
The achievements of the University of Ljubljana again echoed through the international community. They included the discovery of the link between the Zika virus and foetal brain damage, the development of a new bacteria-resistant antibiotic, the victory of mechanical engineering students in a pilot-free flight contest in the USA and the victory of students of law at the United Nations competition in New York.
Year 2015 was concluded in the belief that public funding for higher education and research had reached the bottom and that improvements would continue in the coming years based on updated legislation. Only this way will it be possible to successfully resolve issues and prevent further ones relating to the University and general society. Our priority objectives in the coming year are to increase the number of doctoral students and the number of scientific publications.
Excellence is what drives us. We maintain and upgrade it in all areas of activity and mutual and international cooperation, which are ever more important. In doing so, we firmly believe that our steps will lead to success.
Rector