Freshers’ welcome and the official start of the 2024/25 academic year
Nebojša Tejić/STA
Date of publication:
On Tuesday 1 October, the University of Ljubljana and its Student Council held their traditional event on Kongresni trg to welcome new students to the academic community. It was addressed by Professor Gregor Majdič (Rector), Nejc Tacer (Chair of the Student Council) and Assistant Professor Rok Žnidaršič (Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana), who were also joined by the deans of the 23 faculties and three academies that make up the University of Ljubljana, which is the oldest and most successful higher education and academic research institution in the country. An excellent musical atmosphere was created by Leopold I. in Drügi and Dan D.
‘It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all, at the start of this new academic year, to the University of Ljubljana, which is the biggest, oldest and best university in Slovenia,’ said Professor Majdič. ‘I extend a heartfelt welcome to all new students who are joining our large academic community this year, and hope and believe that you will be happy here. You will spend several years with us, and we will make every effort to ensure that you enjoy student life. Of course, you will experience difficult moments, study hard and be disappointed at the occasional academic failure. But for many people, being a student is one of best periods of their life. I believe it will be the same for the majority of you. At the University of Ljubljana we are not just about study. We can offer you a great many other activities, many of which are represented at the stands you see here today. Sports, cultural and other events are available to you. Make use of them to help make your life as a student a happy and fun one. We can also offer you many opportunities to take part in international student exchanges, including for research work. All of this will benefit you in the future, so make use of these opportunities as much as you can!’
Fifty stands were set up in the square to provide the new students with details of the student councils active at the faculties and academies, the specialist services of the Rector’s Office: the Office for Equality and Inclusion, the UL Alumni Club Network, the Centre for Extracurricular Activities, the University Office for Artistic Activities and the University Project Office, which outlined the opportunities provided to students by EUTOPIA, the alliance of ten European universities of which the University of Ljubljana is a member. For the first time, international student ambassadors were on hand to provide details of the support available to international students, and there was an opportunity for freshers to visit stands run by the student societies IAESTE LC Ljubljana, EUSA and the EUSA Institute.
Cultural organisations and institutions provided information on their activities: SNG Drama Ljubljana, the Slovenian Youth Theatre, Glej Theatre, Ljubljana City Theatre, the En-Knap Institute (Španski Borci Cultural Centre), the Kino Šiška Centre for Urban Culture, MGML (Museums and Galleries of Ljubljana), the Natural History Museum, Ljubljana City Library, the City of Women Festival, the France Marolt Academic Folk Dance Group, the Vinko Vodopivec Primorska Academic Choir, the Crystal Queer Choir (which operates under the auspices of ŠKUC), Grex Symphoniacorum (the university’s student symphony orchestra) and the University of Ljubljana Tone Tomšič Academic Choir, which took to the stage to serenade new students with the academic commercium song Gaudeamus Igitur.
Dear freshmen and women, welcome to the University of Ljubljana!
