Special commendation is awarded to students of the University of Ljubljana who achieve the most outstanding academic success.
Mile Đurđević Žojan
Proposed by: Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana
Mile Đurđević Žojan has received numerous awards as a soloist and chamber musician in both national and international competitions. Notably, his significant contributions to the creation of new works for the accordion and his collaborations with esteemed composers deserve special recognition. His artistry extends well beyond the standard requirements of his studies, reflecting his growth and development as a professional musician.
Maks Brus
Proposed by: Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana
Currently enrolled in the master's study programme in Wood Science and Technology, he completed his first-cycle studies with distinction, earning the Faculty’s Prešeren Prize for his thesis. He has been an active tutor and coordinator for student tutors, and participated in the international ALLVIEW project as well as a professional student visit to Barcelona.
Dr Aljaž Medič
Proposed by: Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana
Dr Aljaž Medič's doctoral thesis explored the secondary metabolism and allelopathy in walnuts. As part of his research, he developed an innovative LC-MS/MS analytical method for identifying naphthoquinones. His findings have been published in nine scientific papers as the first author, including one in a prestigious category “A” journal.
Maruša Štangar
Proposed by: Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana
Maruša Štangar, a graduate of the master’s study programme in Food Science, stands out for her remarkable academic and research achievements, including the publication of a scientific article. Alongside her studies, she excels as an elite judoka, having achieved impressive results in three World Championships, two Mediterranean Games, and two Olympic Games.
Erik Fabijan
Proposed by: School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana
Erik Fabijan graduated from the University Degree Programme in Business and Economics, specialising in Bank and Financial Management in 2020, achieving an average grade of 9.4. He continued his studies in the graduate programme in Management, which he completed in 2023 with an outstanding average grade of 9.92. His master’s thesis, titled Subjective Valuation of Alternative Flexible Work Arrangements, received the top score of 10 and earned him the Prešeren Prize from the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana.
Pia Gyurica
Proposed by: School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana
Pia Gyurica graduated in 2023 from the undergraduate study programme titled the University Degree Programme in Business and Economics, specialising in Money and Finance, with an outstanding average grade of 9.87. She received commendations for academic excellence in her first, second, and third years, as well as recognition for her overall academic performance throughout her undergraduate studies.
Alenka Krese
Proposed by: School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana
Alenka Krese graduated from the University Degree Programme in Business and Economics, specialising in Accounting and Auditing, in 2020, achieving an impressive average grade of 9.87 and receiving recognition for her overall academic performance throughout her undergraduate studies. She went on to pursue a master’s degree in the same field, completing her studies in 2023 with an average grade of 9.83. Her master’s thesis, titled Challenges in Auditing the Consolidated Balance Sheet of the Republic of Slovenia, earned her the prestigious Prešeren Prize from the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana. She also received recognition for her overall academic performance throughout her master’s studies.
Nejc Perme
Proposed by: School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana
Nejc Perme graduated in 2023 from the undergraduate study programme titled the University Degree Programme in Business and Economics, specialising in Money and Finance, with an impressive average grade of 9.89. His thesis, titled Estimation of the Okun's Law for Slovenia: Validity and Stability, received a top grade of 10. He earned commendations for academic excellence in his first, second, and third years, as well as recognition for his overall academic performance throughout his undergraduate studies.
Pavle Kerkez
Proposed by: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana
Pavle Kerkez graduated from the master’s study programme in Social Informatics with an outstanding average grade of 9.67. During his studies, he completed an internship at the National Institute of Public Health, where he contributed significantly by using the R programming language to automate precision estimates for the European Health Interview Survey.
Nejc Laznik
Proposed by: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana
Nejc Laznik completed the undergraduate programme in Political Science – Studies of Politics and the State with an impressive average grade of 9.4. Throughout his studies, he was actively involved as a member of the student section of the Slovenian Political Science Association, served as a council member in the Student Council of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ljubljana, and also contributed by working as a demonstrator. To date, he has participated in three research projects focused on sustainability and ecology and assisted in organising three summer schools.
Andrej Barachini
Proposed by: Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana
Andrej Barachini completed his master's degree in Electrical Engineering with an impressive average exam grade of 9.93. In addition to his academic achievements, he has also been involved in music. He has played bass guitar and tuba, as well as sung baritone, for the past 10 years in the Wind Orchestra of the Radeče Papermakers. He has also been a baritone singer for six years in the Vocal Group of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana, performing at various protocol events held by the Faculty. During his studies, he was also among the top performers in national mathematics and logic competitions.
Selma Vukalić
Proposed by: Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana
Selma Vukalić completed her master’s study in Electrical Engineering in 2024, achieving an impressive average grade of 9.5. In addition to her exemplary academic performance, she has represented the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in various promotional activities, helping to raise the profile of electrical engineering among the younger generation
Neja Fazarinc
Proposed by: Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana
Neja Fazarinc is an exceptional student of the Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana, and a member of the Earthquake Engineering research programme. She has developed a digital learning tool for structural dynamics, authored two original scientific papers, and contributed to European research projects, including seismic hazard analysis for JEK2 and seismic risk analysis of public buildings. In addition, she has achieved notable success in mathematics competitions.
Martin Rafael Gulin
Proposed by: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana
Martin Rafael Gulin completed his master's thesis in Quantum Chemistry as part of the double degree programme in Chemistry/Chemoinformatics at the University of Ljubljana and the University of Strasbourg. He is now successfully putting his expertise in chemoinformatics into practice at Sandoz.
Nina Težak
Proposed by: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana
Nina Težak graduated with distinction in Chemistry, having developed environmentally friendly analytical methods for detecting 20 environmental pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and artificial sweeteners, in rivers and the sea. Her work was also presented at the Cutting Edge 2023 conference. She received a commendation as the best student and participated in an evaluation visit by the Finnish accreditation agency FINEEC to the University of Ljubljana.
Nikiša Plešec
Proposed by: Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana
Nikiša Plešec is a second-year student in the second-cycle degree programme in Physics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana. She has excelled in her studies, achieving a perfect average grade of 10 in her exams so far. Her academic success, research work in biophysics and particle physics, and efforts in communicating science to the public have made her a role model for her fellow students.
Jovana Videnović
Proposed by: Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana
Jovana Videnović completed her studies in Computer and Information Science with an impressive average grade of 9.82, the highest among all first-cycle programme students. She received a perfect grade of 10 for her thesis on computer vision, where she proposed an original method for tracking a selected object in a video.
Domen Vreš
Proposed by: Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana
Domen Vreš graduated with distinction from the undergraduate programme Computer Science and Mathematics, achieving an impressive average grade of 9.89, and his master’s study in Data Science with a grade of 9.63. Since his second year of studies, he has been working as a researcher in the Laboratory for Cognitive Modelling and has successfully published papers in scientific journals.
Larina Griessler
Proposed by: Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
Larina Griessler is an exceptional student, with outstanding academic results that place her at the top of her generation at the University. Her creativity, deep involvement in the student organisation, and compassionate nature make her a true humanist.
Martin Justin
Proposed by: Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
Martin Justin graduated with a master's degree in Philosophy, achieving an outstanding average grade of 10. During his studies, he presented papers at various student and academic conferences and published research in the Slovenian journal Analiza and the international journal INDECS. He also works as a literary critic.
Maja Kukovec
Proposed by: Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
Maja Kukovec is an exceptional student, known for her strong dedication to her studies. She demonstrates remarkable talent, curiosity, and diligence, producing independent, meticulous work that is methodologically and theoretically flawless. Her ability to engage with scientific literature in four foreign languages further highlights her academic commitment.
Nika Vidrih
Proposed by: Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
Nika Vidrih enriches the humanities through her insightful contributions in the classroom, at round tables, and in published articles. Her deep understanding of diverse topics, scientific curiosity, and critical perspective are evident in her work. Throughout her highly successful academic career, she has also received numerous awards for her extracurricular achievements.
Petra Lapajne Povirk
Proposed by: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana
Petra Lapajne Povirk distinguished herself with outstanding achievements during her studies. Her diploma thesis resulted in the publication of a guide entitled Moj prvi fotografski studio (Eng. My First Photographic Studio), and her master’s thesis provides a remarkable exploration of the connection between photography and dramaturgy. Despite her many extracurricular commitments, she completed her studies with a perfect average grade of 10.
Ana Gotvajn
Proposed by: Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana
Ana Gotvajn excelled as a vital link between students and faculty. She served as President of the Student Council at the Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, participated as a member of the Senate and various faculty committees, and was a dedicated editor of the student magazine Ructus. She also contributed to teaching projects. Her academic performance was outstanding, with an overall average grade of 9.54 and a perfect 10 in her final year.