Academician Professor Dr Ivan Bratko receives the Golden Order of Merit
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA
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At the conclusion of the 6th Presidential Forum on Artificial Intelligence on 7 May 2026, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, presented the Golden Order of Merit to Academician Professor Dr Ivan Bratko in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the establishment and development of artificial intelligence in Slovenia, his pioneering and internationally acclaimed contribution to the development of machine learning and logic programming, and his lasting impact on the international recognition of Slovenian science.
Academician Professor Dr Ivan Bratko of the UL Faculty of Computer and Information Science is regarded as the founder of artificial intelligence in Slovenia and one of the country’s most distinguished scientists in this field. Through his research and teaching work, he has played a major role in shaping the development of artificial intelligence internationally since the 1970s and laid the foundations for a research tradition that has firmly established Slovenia as among the leading countries in this field. More information about his achievements and contributions is available in the official explanation accompanying the state decoration awarded to Dr Ivan Bratko.
In her address at the award ceremony, President Nataša Pirc Musar emphasised that, through his pioneering work, scientific vision and dedication to research, Academician Professor Dr Ivan Bratko has decisively shaped the development of artificial intelligence in Slovenia and made a significant contribution to the international reputation of Slovenian science. She also highlighted his lasting influence on generations of researchers and the development of a research environment in which artificial intelligence now represents one of the most successful and internationally recognised fields of Slovenian science.