Thursday, 3 April 2025 UNECE Regional Forum 2025: a dynamic nexus for equitable and resilient societies

Prof. Dr. Vita Poštuvan, Deputy Head of the Slovene Centre for Suicide Research at UP IAM and lecturer at the Department of Psychology at UP FAMNIT, participated as a speaker at the UNECE Regional Forum 2025, organised by the UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Culture in Europe.

The web event, Education and well-being for learners: a dynamic nexus for equitable and resilient societies, brought together experts in education and mental health to take a holistic approach to mental well-being in education systems.

In the discussion, Prof. Dr. Vita Poštuvan presented good Slovenian practices in the field of integrating mental health into education policies. She highlighted how education systems can contribute to increasing learner resilience, reducing inequalities and promoting inclusive societies. Other speakers were Dr. Anna Mazenod, WHO Academy, and Dr. Edward Duca, Faculty of Education, University of Malta. 

Today’s event highlighted the importance of building resilience and reducing disparities in access to education and the link between education and mental health and introduced participants to effective national strategies in Slovenia and Malta.

The Forum was well attended and contributed to a broader understanding of the importance of mental health in education. Participants highlighted the need for further cooperation and exchange of experiences and good practices between countries.

For more, visit: https://www.unesco.org/en

Monday, 31 March 2025 UP FAMNIT Student group - Mentes Ethicae shared their goals at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Hristina Gelevska, a Conservation Biology student at UP FAMNIT, visited Professor Carolyn Stephens' Environmental Ethics lectures at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine last Friday, March 21, 2025. During her visit, she introduced their student ethics group, called Mentes Ethicae.  

Hristina explained the group's motivations and goals to Professor Stephens's students. Following her presentation, they engaged in several discussions and debates on various topics in Environmental Ethics. Hristina noted that the students showed a strong interest in their group and were eager to share their thoughts. 

After the presentation, they surveyed FAMNIT students to see their interest in a new elective Ethics course.  

"We are very pleased that so many students responded and expressed interest, and we will keep the survey available on our website, which should be fully finished and accessible online by the beginning of April," she summarized.  

Professor Carolyn Stephens is an environmental epidemiologist and ethics expert, holding positions at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University College London, and, since 2024, the University of Primorska. Her research focuses on equity, environment, health, ethics, and human and environmental rights on a global scale. 

In November of last year, Professor Stephens also gave lectures at UP FAMNIT titled "Renewing Our Values Towards the Planet in the Anthropocene Era: Why We Need to Discuss Environmental, Conservation, and Animal Ethics More Than Ever Before." 

Survey > HERE

Monday, 31 March 2025 FTP – Faculty Tournament in Programming

FTP (Faculty Tournament in Programming) is a competition where students have the opportunity to test their programming skills in a fun way. Participants develop a program (Player) that plays a turn-based game on their behalf against other competitors. The goal is to create a program (Player) that responds best to the strategies of other competitors without access to their source code.

We invite all UP FAMNIT students to participate!

• Start: The competition is already ongoing.
• End: 1. 6. 2025  (the official results announcement is expected to take place one week after the competition)
• Finals: TBA

The official website is https://tekmovanje.famnit.upr.si/

     
                                                               FTP competition - 2024

Monday, 31 March 2025 Be-Wooden podcast now in English

LIFE Be-WoodEN launches the English version of its Be-Wooden podcast series available on Spotify. It is authored by Federlegno Arredo, with the editorial coordination by Spazi Inclusi.

Click HERE to listen to all the episodes!

Through experts' insights, the series highlights the benefits and impact of sustainable timber construction on communities and the environment.

Podcast Episodes

• The sustainability of timber construction – Dieter Lechner, Responsible Association of the Austrian Wood Industries.
• The use of wood in the construction and regeneration of buildings and public spaces – Andrew Norton, Director of Renuable.
• Aesthetic qualities and environmental health of wooden buildings – roberto crocetti, Structural Engineer, Professor (co-founder TBS Timber Bridge Specialists AB, and Adj. Professor at Kungliga Tekniska högskolan
• Sequestered Carbon and Timber Construction – Alexander Salenikovich, Professor at the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics - Université Laval (Québec, Canada)
• Design versatility in timber construction – Arch. Ugo Terzi, Head of Assolegno di FederlegnoArredo
• Timber construction and technological innovation – Patrice Godonou, Senior Structural Engineer, Director of Standardisation at @Swedish Wood
• Community engagement and local bioeconomies in the timber supply chain – Giuseppe Caprolu, Specialist in Timber Structural Engineering at Ramboll
• Waste reduction and impact minimization in timber construction – Clive Pinnington, Managing Director, European Panel Federation

We hope you can enjoy the LIFE BE-WoodEN podcast series!

Monday, 31 March 2025 CALL FOR ENROLMENT INTO MASTER'S AND DOCTORAL DEGREE STUDY PROGRAMMES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRIMORSKA IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026

On 27 March 2025 the University of Primorska published the Call for enrolment into master's and doctoral study programmes in the academic year 2025/2026. 

The first application period for all candidates for enrollment in UP master's and doctoral study programs begins on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

The call and instructions for submitting applications are published HERE.

For additional information, you can contact Student Services.

Friday, 28 March 2025 ALUMNI WEEK UP 2025 / 14.–18. APRIL 2025

The Alumni UP Club's favourite week is upon us, Alumni UP Week, which will be from 14 to 18 April 2025 with the main event MeetUP, which will be on 17 April 2025 in the UP FAMNIT lobby (Galgoljaška 8, 6000 Koper), starting at 17.00, where awards and recognitions ceremony will take place.

You are invited to join us for the main event as well as short education and training, which are evaluated accorting to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The short education and training will take place from 27 March to 30 June 2025.

We look forward to meeting you during a week filled with knowledge. Join us!

PROGRAMME BY DAY:

MONDAY, 14. APRIL 2025:

Body composition measurement

Lecturer:  Assist. Špela Bužinel, mag. Ing. preh.

When? 14 April 2025, from 9.00 to 12.00

Where? UP FVZ, Polje 42

Language: slovene

Registration: until 10. 4. 2025, HERE

MORE

Optimization of priorities at the workplace (1 ECTS)

Lecturer:  Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tadej Praprotnik

When? 14 April 2025, from 16.00 to 18.00

Where? UP FHŠ - MAESTRAL 2 (ETAŽA 6)

Language: slovene

Registration: until 13. 4. 2025, HERE

MORE

TUESDAY, 15. APRIL 2025:

Developing successful startup brands (1 ECTS)

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Mitja Ruzzier

When? 15 April 2025, from 12.00 to 13.30

Where? ZOOM

Language: slovene

Registration: until 14. 4. 2025, HERE

MORE

Media literacy (1 ECTS)

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Sandra Bašić Hrvatin

When? 15 April 2025, from 16.00 to 18.30

Where? UP FHŠ, Seminar Room (Mezzanine 5, Library)

Language: slovene

Registration: until 14. 4. 2025, HERE

MORE

Comprehensive development of teaching staff (2 ECTS)

Lecturer: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dejan Hozjan

When? 15 April 2025, from 16.30 to 20.00

Where? zoom

Language: slovene

Registration: until 14. 4. 2025, HERE

MORE

WEDNESDAY, 16. APRIL 2025:

UPGRADE

When? 16 April 2025, from 11.00 to 17.00

Where? Muzejski trg, Koper

You are invited to the postgraduate study fair, UPgrade, on Wednesday, 16 April 2025, from 11.00 to 15.00 at Muzejski trg in Koper. The fair will host tutors, professors, postgraduate students, and staff from the student office and the career center, all available to provide information about 2nd and 3rd cycle study programs. Take this opportunity to have personal conversations with representatives of individual study programs and get firsthand information.

Follow the Facebook event and add it to your calendar.

MORE

THURSDAY, 17. 4. 2025:

MEETUP

When? 17 April 2025, from 17.00 to 20.00

Where? UP Famnit (Glagoljaška 8, Koper)

Join us for the main event as well as short education nad training in the development of micro-credentials. Awards and recognitions, social gathering with a convival get-together with refreshments.

Registration: HERE

MORE

FRIDAY, 18. 4. 2025:

Large language models and semantic information lookup

Lecturer: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Branko Kavšek in Asist. Domen Vake

When? 18 April 2025, from 17.00 to 20.00

Where? UP FAMNIT, RLAB 5

Language: slovene

Registration: until 14. 4. 2025, HERE

MOREThe project is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. The project is implemented in accordance with the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) under the development area Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, component Strengthening competencies, in particular digital competencies and those required by the new professions and the green transition (C3 K5), for the investment measure Investment F. Implementation of pilot projects, the results of which will serve as a basis for the preparation of a roadmap for the reform of higher education for a green and resilient transition to a Society 5.0: project Pilot Projects for the Reform of Higher Education for a Green and Resilient Transition.

Friday, 28 March 2025 CALL FOR ENROLMENT INTO MASTER AND DOCTORAL DEGREE STUDY PROGRAMMES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRIMORSKA IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026

On 27 March 2025, the University of Primorska announces the Call for enrolment into master and doctoral study programmes in the academic year 2025/2026.

In the framework of the Call for Enrolment into master study programmes, the University of Primorska announces the following free enrolment places for 34 study programmes 1.094 enrolment places for citizens of the Republic of Slovenia and EU citizens, of which 959 are for full-time study and 135 for part-time study,

• 56 enrolment places for Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship,
• 136 enrolment places for citizens of Western Balkans countries, with which the Republic of Slovenia has a bilateral agreement in the field of education (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia) 
• 61 enrolment places for foreign citizens of non EU countries.
• For the 1st year of study, there are also 62 enrolment places for candidates for parallel studies.

Master's Study Programmes at UP FAMNIT

• Mathematical Sciences (also available in English)
• Computer Science
• Nature Conservation
• Biopsychology
• Psychology
• Sustainable Built Environments (also available in English)
• Data Science (also available in English)
• Mathematics with Financial Engineering (available again for enrolment in 2025/26)

In the framework of the Call for Enrolment into doctoral study programmes, the University of Primorska announces 171 free enrolment places for 16 study programmes.

• Mathematical Sciences (also available in English)
• Computer Science (also available in English)
• Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments (also available in English)
• Suicidology and Mental Health (also available in English)
• Conservation Biology (also available in English) 

The first-round application period for all candidates opens on Tuesday, 8 April 2025.  The call for enrolment is published on:

• for master study programmes
• for doctoral study programmes

Friday, 28 March 2025 The doctoral thesis defence of Meta Lavrič

Meta Lavrič, student of the doctoral study programe Suicidology and Mental Health (in Slovene) at UP FAMNIT will defend her doctoral thesis Doživljanje pripovedovanja zgodb: razvoj in deljenje pisanih zgodb kot intervencija za krepitev duševnega zdravja pri vratarjih sistema (Experiencing Storytelling: Developing and Sharing Written Stories as an Intervention to Strengthen Mental Health in Gatekeepers), under the mentorship of Prof. Vita Poštuvan, PhD.

The defence will take place on Tuesday, 8 April 2025 at 11:30 in the Conference Room UP FAMNIT (Glagoljaška 8, ground floor).

The doctoral disertation is available in the University Library.

You are kindly invited!

Thursday, 27 March 2025 UP FAMNIT researchers win Best Paper Award at ACM IUI 2025 for innovative vocabulary learning study

Researchers from UP FAMNIT have received the Best Paper Award at the 30th Annual ACM Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (ACM IUI 2025), held from March 24 to 27 in Cagliari, Italy. This prestigious award recognizes groundbreaking research in the field of intelligent user interfaces, highlighting work that is expected to significantly influence the future of computing.

ACM IUI conference serves as a premier platform where experts from artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction converge to discuss advancements at their intersection. The conference is renowned for its rigorous selection process and is classified as an A-rank conference by the International Conference Ranking Exercise (ICORE), placing it among the top 15% of 784 evaluated venues.

About the award-winning paper "Text-to-Image Generation for Vocabulary Learning Using the Keyword Method"

The ‘keyword method’ is an effective technique for learning vocabulary of a foreign language. It involves creating a memorable visual link between what a word means and what its pronunciation in a foreign language sounds like in the learner’s native language. However, these memorable visual links remain implicit in the people’s mind and are not easy to remember for a large number of words. To enhance the memorisation and recall of the vocabulary, researchers developed an application that combines the keyword method with text-to-image generators to externalise the memorable visual links into visuals. These visuals represent additional stimuli during the memorisation process. To explore the effectiveness of this approach researchers first run a pilot study to investigate how difficult it is to externalise the descriptions of mental visualisations of memorable links, by asking participants to write them down. These descriptions were used as prompts for text-to-image generator (DALL-E 2) to convert them into images and participants were asked to select their favourites. Next, different text-to-image generators (DALL-E 2, Midjourney, Stable and Latent Diffusion) were compared to evaluate the perceived quality of the generated images by each. Despite heterogeneous results, participants mostly preferred images generated by DALL-E 2, which was used also for the final study. In this study, researchers investigated whether providing such images enhances the retention of vocabulary being learned, compared to the keyword method alone. The results indicate that people did not encounter difficulties describing their visualisations of memorable links and that providing corresponding images significantly increases memory retention.

The paper was co-authored by 12 researchers, including Assist. Prof. Nuwan T. Attygalle, Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Kljun, Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar and Asist. Prof. Maheshya Weerasinghe from UP FAMNIT. The research was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of Luxembourg, CSIRO Data61 (data and digital specialist arm of Australia's national science agency), Coburg University of Applied Sciences, the University of St Andrews and the Nara Institute of Science and Technology.

Thursday, 27 March 2025 Invitation: short training courses as part of the GDI UP project

The Alumni Club of the University of Primorska is launching short education and training, which will be offered within the framework of the Green, Digital and Inclusive University of Primorska (GDI UP) project and and are evaluated accorting to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The short education and training will take place from 27 March to 30 June 2025.

All events will be held in Slovene language.

Assoc. Prof. Branko Kavšek and Asist. Domen Vake from UP FAMNIT will implement three workshops.

Large language models and semantic information lookup (1 ECTS)
When? 18 April 2025, from 17:00 to 20:00
Where? UP FAMNIT, RLAB 5
Language: Slovene
Registration: until 14. 4. 2025, HERE
MORE

Introduction to SEO optmization for Google indexing (1 ECTS)
When? 25 April 2025, from 17:00 to 20:00
Where? UP FAMNIT, RLAB5
Language: Slovene
Registration: until 24. 4. 2025, HERE
MORE

Surveying and interpretation of results using language models (1 ECTS)
When? 30 April 2025, from 17:00 to 20:00
Where? UP FAMNIT, RLAB3
Language: Slovene
Registration: until 29. 4. 2025, HERE
MORE

List of all the events is available here.

Wednesday, 26 March 2025 6 T4EU Teaching Qualification Certificate Nominees at UP

The T4EU Teaching Qualification Certificate aims to recognise academic staff members across the Alliance formally. Nominees were announced, recognizing outstanding teaching and pedagogical innovation across the Transform4Europe Alliance. These exceptional academic staff members have demonstrated a commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and international collaboration, embodying the core values of T4EU.

Nominees were selected based on criteria such as recent teaching experience, professional development engagement, innovative teaching practices, positive student feedback, compliance with T4EU values, teaching excellence, mentorship, collaboration in educational activities, and alignment with institutional priorities

At UP we now have six Teaching Qualification Certificate Nominees: Dr. Ana Zalokar (UP FAMNIT), Dr. Nives Zudič Antonič (UP FHŠ), Dr. Sabina Ličen (UP FVZ), Dr. Aleksandra Brezovec (UP FTŠ Turistica), Dr. Igor Rižnar (UP FM), Dr. Karmen Drljić (UP PEF).

Congratulations to all nominees, and thank you for bearing excellence in the frame of UP and T4EU!

Friday, 21 March 2025 22nd UP Solemn Academy

The University of Primorska celebrates its anniversary every year in the week around March 17, as it was entered in the court register on March 17, 2003. Thus, the UP Week is held every year, and within the framework of this week there is always a Solemn Academy, at which the UP recognizes all those who havecontributed to the reputation, development and success of the University through their work or activities.

The participants were first addressed by the Rector of the University of Primorska, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, who emphasized that:

"The University of Primorska is becoming an increasingly international, intercultural and multilingual community. As a result, at the beginning of 2025, the University of Primorska adopted the Strategy for the Use of the Slovene Language at the University of Primorska for the period 2025-2030, which will further strengthen the development of Slovene as a scientific and professional language, as well as the offer of Slovene as a foreign language courses for all students and employees and their family members. In pursuing these objectives, as well as in fulfilling its commitments to the Italian national community, the resources that the University will be able to obtain in accordance with the provisions on the nationally important tasks set out in the new draft Law on Higher Education, which we hope will be adopted as soon as possible, will certainly be of great help. We will continue to steer our march upwards, UP is already in our name, as we like to remind ourselves, and climb towards the stars that we hope will continue to favour us."

Lana Erjavec, President of the UP Student Council, addressed a special greeting to the students:"

"At this point, I would like to sincerely thank all students who invest their free time and energy into our community. Your contribution is of immeasurable importance, as it is your commitment that drives progress and well-being, ensuring opportunities for long-term development. Without students, a university cannot function. However, the contribution of university staff is equally crucial. They are the ones who provide the foundation and stability and serve as role models. We are grateful to have strong support from both academic and professional staff at the University of Primorska. They recognize our concerns and dilemmas, listen to us, offer guidance, and steer us in the right direction. Over the past year, students have encountered several changes, the most exciting of which was the launch of 24-hour operations at the UP University Library and the introduction of laptop lending services. We trust that student needs will continue to be considered and that together, we will continue to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all."

The solemn speech was given by Dr. Diego de Leo - Head of the Slovenian Center for Suicide Research at UP IAM, who in 2023 hosted one of the most important events in this field, the Congress of the World Alliance for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and this year also received the Research Excellence Award, as his work in the field of suiciology represents an outstanding contribution to the profession both in Slovenia and worldwide on an international level.

The UP prizes for 2024 were awarded:

Recipients of the UP FAMNIT AND UP IAM awards for 2024

2024 Gold medal of the University of Primorska - Prof. Marko Tkalčič, UP FAMNIT and UP IAM

On the proposal of UP FAMNIT and UP IAM, the 2024 Gold Medal of the University of Primorska is awarded to Prof. Marko Tkalčič for his outstanding contribution to the university’s development and visibility, particularly in pioneering new approaches to the advancement of intelligent systems.

Dr. Marko Tkalčič completed his PhD studies at the University of Ljubljana in 2011 and has worked at UP since 2019. His research in user modelling and recommender systems, including psychological models, is internationally recognised and paves the way for advancements in intelligent systems. He has been actively involved in the organisation and management of prestigious international conferences such as UMAP, RecSys and IUI, raising the profile of these research communities. He has made significant contributions to the advancement of academic publishing as a co-author of two key books for researchers, a practitioner in the field and a member of the editorial board of the Springer journal UMUAI. As coordinator of the Master’s programme in Data Science at UP FAMNIT and Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee for Doctoral Studies, he has contributed to the development and high standards of education at the university. His work is an example of excellence for the wider academic community. Known for his ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity, he is a key advocate for integrating psychological insights into recommender systems.

VIDEO

2024 University of Primorska Scientific Excellence Award - Prof. Diego de Leo, UP FAMNIT and UP IAM

On the proposal of UP FAMNIT and UP IAM, the 2024 UP Scientific Excellence Award is presented to Prof. Diego de Leo for his outstanding research in suicidology, his contribution to the destigmatization of suicide and the development of global guidelines for its prevention.

Prof. Diego De Leo, MD, PhD, DSc, FRANZCP, AO, is a world-renowned expert in suicidal behaviour. He holds a degree from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Padua, a PhD from Leiden University, and has dedicated his research to suicidality, cultural influences on suicide, older populations, international trends and national prevention programmes. His bibliography comprises more than 900 works, including 500 peer-reviewed articles, published in the most prestigious journals in psychiatry, medicine and psychology. His h-index in the Scopus database reaches a high value of 90. He is a key player in the promotion of World Suicide Prevention Day and co-founder of the International Academy of Suicide Research. He is the Head and co-founder of the Slovenian Centre for Suicide Research (UP IAM), which focuses on suicide research, suicide prevention interventions and bereavement support. He has received numerous honours, including a knighthood from the Queen of England. His research has contributed to the destigmatization of suicide and the development of global guidelines for the prevention of suicidal behaviour, enhancing the visibility of the University of Primorska and increasing public awareness.

 2024 Srečko Kosovel Award for University of Primorska Students - Andrej Milisavljević, UP FAMNIT

On the proposal of UP FAMNIT, the 2024 Srečko Kosovel Award for UP Students goes to Andrej Milisavljević for his final project paper In silico analysis of the amino acid composition of binding sites on viral proteins under supervisor Assoc. Prof. Marko Jukić and co-supervisor Assoc. Prof. Jure Pražnikar.

Andrej Milisavljević has graduated from the Bioinformatics Bachelor’s programme at UP FAMNIT. His final project paper focused on analysing the binding sites of viral proteins and comparing them with human proteins to better understand the molecular interactions, protein structure and function – an essential foundation for developing new therapeutic agents. He used both the PDB database and the ProBiS-Dock database, developed at UP, which contains structural protein models and predicted binding regions. Notably, while working on his thesis, he developed, validated and applied his own bioinformatics tools and scripts. His contributions led to the development of an automated and parallelised methodology, allowing for the rapid processing of large protein datasets. His final project paper highlights the gaps in the understanding of binding site structure and proposes improvements in identifying binding sites in novel protein systems with unknown functions. This work paves the way for further research and integration into the broader efforts of the UP laboratory. Exceeding the initial objectives of his final project paper, he is already preparing a scientific paper and continuing his research within his supervisor’s group.

2024 Srečko Kosovel Award for University of Primorska Students - Niki Hrovatin, UP FAMNIT and UP IAM

On the proposal of UP FAMNIT and UP IAM, the 2024 Srečko Kosovel Award for UP Students goes to Dr. Niki Hrovatin for his PhD thesis Enabling decentralized privacy preserving data processing in sensor networks under supervisor Assoc. Prof. Jernej Vičič and co-supervisor Prof. Michael Mrissa.

Dr. Niki Hrovatin has completed his PhD in Computer Science at UP FAMNIT. His dissertation presents five contributions to privacy preserving data processing in distributed networks. The innovations explored and presented together form a secure and efficient foundation for autonomous sensor networks. His PhD thesis is structured as a series of scientific papers, while all the presented methods have been implemented in sensor networks that are regularly used and deployed in Koper, across Slovenia and in other countries. The quality and impact of these five papers quantitatively exceed the minimum requirements for a dissertation. Dr. Hrovatin is the first author of all the papers, with the most prominent one published in an A’’ category journal and three others appearing in SCI-listed journals. In addition to his PhD work, he remains highly active in research, with numerous publications in top international journals. Over the past three years, he has published nine original scientific articles, eight of which in SCI-listed journals. Dr. Niki Hrovatin is now continuing his successful research (and teaching) career at UP FAMNIT, UP IAM and InnoRennew CoE.

 2024 University of Primorska Prize for University of Primorska Students - Gabriela Laznik Zalaznik, UP FAMNIT

On the proposal of UP FAMNIT, the 2024 UP Prize for UP Students is awarded to Gabriela Laznik Zalaznik for her dedication and significant contribution to the student community.

Gabriela Laznik Zalaznik, a student in the Psychology programme at UP FAMNIT, has been a member of the UP FAMNIT Student Council since autumn 2021. Serving as its President during the 2023/2024 academic year, she successfully led the organisation of educational and social events, promoted inter-faculty cooperation and represented students at various levels. In the previous academic year, she also took on the role of event manager for the Biopsychology Students Association, which serves students of Biopsychology, Psychology and other UP study programmes. In the current academic year, she is the President of the Association. She has made a significant contribution to raising awareness of biopsychology through her work with the Association and has volunteered for initiatives such as Brain Awareness Week and the Weekend of Holistic Mental Health Care, reflecting her broader social engagement and awareness of the importance of mental health – her professional focus within her chosen field of study. Her involvement in faculty and university committees is always geared towards improving student conditions and building a better community. Her dedication, leadership, organizational skills and clear vision make her an invaluable asset to the university community.

VIDEO

Thursday, 20 March 2025 ONI 2.0 brings employees together also in 2025

Celebrating UP's 20th anniversary on Wednesday, employees wondered how we can be an even better version of ourselves, and UP 2.0 - the desire to progress - makes sense every year, so the name has been kept.

Wednesdays are thus dedicated to events for employees, who this year were also able to attend two events related to anniversaries: a round table and the handover of archival material on the founding of the university to the Koper Regional Archives, and an exhibition on space tourism, which was opened with a lecture in the Armeria Hall on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of UP FTŠ Turistica.

Already on Tuesday, there was a lecture, primarily aimed at researchers, but also useful for students and other employees - Dr. Ana Slavec (UP FAMNIT, InnoRenew CoE) gave an online lecture with some practical tips on "How to find and use research data?".

For those who wanted to relax and have some peace and quiet, the UP Book Club organised a popular silent reading party at the UP University Library (UP UK) - for the first time it was held in the library, so the staff could also get to know the facilities, which are the only ones in Slovenia that are accessible 24/7 for library members. The introduction to the culturally coloured day was the Tuesday concert of the UP PEF Girls' and Boys' Choir under the direction of senior lecturer Andrea Štucin Cergolj and assistant professor Dr. Barbara Kopačin, which took place in the Armerija Hall. 

The employees acquired knowledge and skills at three workshops: at the workshop "How to Communicate Effectively?", Dr Vesna Jug (UP FAMNIT) touched upon communication filters and barriers, various communication skills with both practical demonstrations and exercises. At the Rectorate of UP, the "Interactive workshop for editors of the upr.si website (and other websites with this editor) - master CMS Ngn" took place, where Karin Marinič (Rectorate, SZK), digital content editor, demonstrated practical solutions for editing the site. The third workshop "5 X 5 language tips" (Dr Vladka Tucovič Sturman, UP FHŠ, UP PEF) took place at UP FHŠ, where the most common language slip-ups and their solutions were presented. The workshop activities will continue on Thursday for the student tutors, when they will have the second part of the Social Skills Training, conducted by mag. Urša Rozman (UP PEF).

UP FVZ ensured a healthy spirit with a hike along the green paths of Isola - the participants set off from the entrance of the UP FVZ building next to the hospital on an easy two-hour route.

At UP FM, Prof. Dr. Štefan Bojnec (UP FM) presented the important topic "Inclusive University and the Role of Gender" - UP emphasises the importance of an inclusive university, which in a world of diversity and trade-offs between globalisation and de-globalisation represents an element of an open university. The presentation gave different perspectives on diversity and providing an enabling environment of possibilities and opportunities for an inclusive university and gender equality.

In addition, two lectures were held in the framework of traditional events - the book Slovenian Migrations in Socialism was presented in the framework of the Historical Spring at UP FHŠ (Dr. Marina Lukšič Hacin, Dr. Marijanca Ajša Vižintin, Dr. Damir Josipovič, Dr. Aleksej Kalc), and in the framework of  Famnit's trips into the mathematical universe, Dr. Štefko Miklavič presented Some Classical Results in Graph Theory.

The day ended with a protocol event - the inauguration of the new Dean of UP PEF, Dr. Tomaž Grušovnik, who was handed over the deanship by the current Dean, Dr. Mara Cotič.

                                                                The workshop "How to Communicate Effectively?"

Tuesday, 18 March 2025 Seveteen full professors inaugurated at UP

Monday, 17 March 2025 The fourth video, "Famnits' Excursion into the Mathematical Universe," is now available

The fourth lecture in the series titled "Rumours, Epidemics and Economic Crises: Infection Processes in Networks"; was presented by Dr. Miklós Krész from UP FAMNIT, UP IAM, and InnoRenew CoE, in Lecture Hall 3 at UP FAMNIT and via Zoom.

About the lecture:

What are the commonalities between the economic crisis of 2008, the COVID-19 pandemic, and social media campaigns in recent political elections? Why were the dynamics of bankruptcies, epidemic outbreaks, and the spread of misinformation so unexpected? What are the similarities and differences between these processes and how can mathematical models describe them? What specific problems arise in controlling the spread of these types of outbreaks and what mathematical methods can be used to address them? In this lecture, the lecturer took us on a journey through the methodology of computational network analysis to answer the above questions and highlight the main challenges.     

About lecturer:

Miklós Krész received his PhD in Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Szeged, Hungary, in 2005. His main research interests include industrially motivated optimization methods, data driven industrial solutions and the integration of operations research and data science methodologies. He focuses on both fundamental and applied research in these areas. Currently, he is a Professor of Computer Science at UP FAMNIT and UP IAM, and he is the Head of the Information Processing Research Department at the InnoRenew CoE interdisciplinary research center. 

Monday, 17 March 2025 UP published the call for young researchers, generation 2025

UP has published a call for young researchers who will train for the profession of researcher and carry out doctoral studies at UP in the next four years. In 2025, three vacancies are announced under the following mentors, UP faculties/institute and research fields:

• Prof. Bojan Kuzma, PhD, UP IAM and UP FAMNIT (Mathematics),
• Prof. Ademir Hujdurović, PhD, UP IAM and UP FAMNIT (Mathematics),
• Assist. Prof. Žiga Kozinc, PhD, UP FVZ (Healthcare and Medicine).

Candidates who have completed a second-level study program in the last four years and have an average grade in all exams and coursework including the grade of the Master's thesis of at least 8.00, can apply for the call until June 16, 2025.   

One young researcher will be selected for each mentor. UP will enter into a full-time, fixed-term employment contract with the selected young researchers.

Link to the Call: https://www.upr.si/en/about-the-university/open-calls--tenders/call-for-employment/call-for-young-researchers-at-the-university-of-primorska-in-2025

Friday, 14 March 2025 The international mathematics competition Náboj gathered over 150 high school students from all over Slovenia

On today's International Day of Mathematics and Pi Day, March 14, 2025, we at the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Information Technology at the University of Primorska celebrated with the international math competition Náboj.  

This year, the competition was held for the first time in Slovenia and brought together 150 students from across the country. They participated in a two-hour challenge designed to test their mathematical knowledge. 

In addition to fostering imagination and logical thinking, the event emphasized the importance of collaboration and team-building among peers, as highlighted by Assist. Prof. Dr. Ana Zalokar, the organizer and coordinator of the event. 

"Thirty-two teams from across Slovenia participated in the competition, and we consider it a great success. Especially considering it was our first time organising this event in Slovenia and we were uncertain about what to expect. We were very pleased with the turnout; although we had announced 15 spots, 16 teams applied in each category. Our primary goal was to create a competition that was dynamic and team-oriented. The event was indeed dynamic, as teams worked on solving problems and then presented their solutions to evaluators for verification. If their solution was correct, they received a new task; if not, they returned to attempt solving the task again. This setup ensured plenty of action throughout the competition," she explained.

She also announced that the competition will be held again next year. "Based on the initial feedback, we can confidently state that the first edition was a success, and we have already set the date for next year: March 13, 2025," she added. 

During the opening welcome, the competition tasks were presented to the students. The competition occurred in two categories: Junior (1st and 2nd years) and Senior (3rd and 4th years).

In the end, the winning teams were announced.

In the Junior Slovenia category, Gymnasium Bežigrad achieved first place, securing an impressive eighth position internationally out of 785 teams. Gymnasium Celje took second place, while Gymnasium Novo Mesto D claimed third in the same category. 

   
                                              Junior Slovenia category, Gymnasium Bežigrad

In the Senior Slovenia category, Gymnasium Bežigrad secured first place once again, achieving an impressive 35th position at the international level out of 743 teams. The second place went to Gymnasium Koper B, while Gymnasium Nova Gorica claimed third place.

 
                                                Senior Slovenia category, Gymnasium Bežigrad

The winning teams were awarded certificates and a cash prize of €500.  

Since 2005, the Náboj math competition has been held simultaneously across several countries. This format provides students with a unique opportunity to compare their skills and knowledge with peers from different nations. While results are primarily evaluated at the local level, the international comparisons add an extra layer of motivation and competitiveness. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the teams and wish them continued success in the future! 

We sincerely congratulate all the teams and wish them much success in the future!

More about the competition> HERE

Thursday, 13 March 2025 Visit from young computer science enthusiasts

Today, we hosted 38 students from the Computer Technician program at the Šolski center Krško-Sevnica. We prepared a program for them in Koper and Piran.

In Koper, students attended a workshop and presentation of the undergraduate study programme Computer Science. At the workshop 'Full Body Motion Capture', they learned the basics of capturing full-body motion using advanced technology. They learned how to use motion capture systems to animate characters in films, video games and virtual reality. Through practical exercises, they tested various motion capture techniques and gained insight into post-production and the use of data in digital environments. UP FAMNIT students, who are members of the Google Developers Groups, also participated in the presentation of the study programme Computer Science.

In Piran, the students visited the Piran Aquarium through a guided tour in two groups.

Wednesday, 12 March 2025 UP WEEK 2025

 Monday, 17 March 2025    

12.00, Armeria Hall of the University of Primorska, Koper
PROMOTION OF NEW DOCTORS OF SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PRIMORSKA
Promotion of new Doctors of Science at the University of Primorska.

 Tuesday, 18 March 2025   

12.00, Armeria Hall of the University of Primorska, Koper
INAUGURATION OF FULL PROFESSORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRIMORSKA
Inauguration ceremony of full professors of the University of Primorska.

Wednesday, 19 March 2025   

12.00 – 15.00, UP faculties and units
ONI 2.0 - EVENTS FOR UP EMPLOYEES and STUDENTS
All employees are cordially invited to participate in the activities listed below between 12:00 and 15:00 for their professional development, health or knowledge (check the programme below).

Thursday, 20 March 2025    

17.00 – 18.30, St. Francis Hall, Koper
22nd ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRIMORSKA
Solemn Academy with awards and recognitions of the University of Primorska.

 ONI 2.0 - EVENTS FOR UP EMPLOYEES & STUDENTS - 19 March 2025 

>>>APPLICATION<<< 

(the registration form is the same for all events. We recommend that you first check the list of activities and then fill in the registration form - mark the activities in which you will participate)

 CULTURAL - SOCIAL   

• EVENT FOR THE HANDOVER OF THE ARCHIVE AND PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK SCRIPTA MANENT IN THE REGIONAL ARCHIVE OF KOPER [the main event of the day]

11.00-12.00, Koper Regional Archives (Kapodistriasov trg 1, Koper) 

The welcome will be followed by a round table discussion with the following speakers: Prof. Dr. Lucija Čok, editor of the book; Prof. Dr. Štefko Miklavič, Vice-Rector of the UP; Alja Polanec, UP PEF student (one of the founding members of the UP); followed by the ceremonial handover of the material. Guests will get a free copy of the book.

• A JOURNEY BEYOND THE HORIZONS: EARTH AND SPACE (UP FTŠ Turistica) [exhibition opening with a lecture]

13.00-14.00, UP Armeria Hall (Titov trg 4)13.00-14.00, UP Armeria Hall (Titov trg 4)

Space has always captured the human imagination and inspired explorers, scientists and travellers. This year, on the occasion of our 30th anniversary, we go one step further and invite you to a photo exhibition in which we raise questions about tourism of the future, space exploration and a sustainable approach to the development of space tourism. In collaboration with the international college network T4EU, we have invited national and international photographers to show through their lens how far the boundaries of human curiosity reach - What will tourism look like in the future? Will space really become a new travel destination? At the opening of the exhibition, we will explore together how tourism and space intertwine their stories. The keynote speaker will be Mr. Matevž Frangež, State Secretary at the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism. Admission is free. You are cordially invited! More

• SILENT READING IN THE LIBRARY (UP Book Club)

12.00, University Library (UP UK), Room 2

In the crazy rhythm of life, the noise around us and the search for corners for at least a moment of silence, we invite you to an hour of silence in the UP Book Club. Join us for an hour of silent reading where no distracting noises are allowed. Bring your own reading material or borrow it from us on the way to the reading room. We will provide you with an hour of peace and quiet.

 WORKSHOP   

• HOW TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY (UP FAMNIT)

12.00-12.45, UP FAMNIT, large lecture hall 3 (Glagoljaška 8, Koper, 2nd floor of the building)

With Dr. Vesna Jug we will discuss communication filters and barriers, different communication skills (positions in communication, forms of communication, active listening, checking understanding, asking questions and strong questions), assertiveness. The topics will be linked to practical demonstrations and exercises.

• INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP FOR UPR.SI WEBSITE ADMINISTRATORS- Master CMS Ngn

13.30-14.30, lecture room B2 - 2nd floor (Square Brolo 12, Koper)

Karin Marinič, UP Digital Content Editor, has prepared an interactive workshop for all editors of web content (categories) on upr.si. In a transparent and quick way, you will refresh your knowledge of all the functionalities of the content management system (CMS Ngn).

• 5 X 5 LANGUAGE TIPS - for the third time (UP FHŠ, UP PEF)

13.30-15.00, Maestral Lecture Room 1 (UP FHŠ)

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vladka Tucovič Sturman will lead a workshop in which she will practically present the most frequently observed linguistic errors that need to be corrected.

 LECTURES    

INCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY AND THE ROLE OF GENDER (Prof. dr. Štefan Bojnec)

13.30-14.30, UP FM, P11

UP underlines the importance of an inclusive university, which is an element of the open university in a world of diversity and contrasts between globalization and de-globalization. The presentation covers various aspects of diversity and providing an enabling environment with possibilities and opportunities for an inclusive college and gender equality.

SPORT   

• WALK ON THE GREEN TRAILS OF IZOLA 

19 March 2025, 11.00-13.30, UP FVZ, Polje 42, Izola | Hike organized by UP FVZ, meeting point at 11.00 in front of the main entrance of UP FVZ (next to the Hospital of Izola). The route is easy, about 2.5 hours walking time.

 ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMME   

• HOW TO FIND AND USE RESEARCH DATA? 

   (dr. Ana Slavec, an assistant professor at UP FAMNIT and a researcher at InnoRenew CoE, where she advises researchers on topics related to data collection, processing, analysis and reporting)

18 March, 9.00-10.30 | online - ZOOM > https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/94275348212

We call data the oil of the 21st century because it is the basis for innovation and progress. The search for existing data is an important part of the research process, not only in science but also in many other areas, from public administration to business. In this workshop, we will look at effective strategies for searching for research data in different sources and learn how to check its quality and use it wisely for different purposes. We will learn about the benefits of using secondary data compared to primary data collection and identify potential challenges and pitfalls. Finally, we will look at what we can do ourselves to make data more reusable. For researchers, students and anyone who wants to improve their skills in searching, analyzing and reusing data. Dr. Ana Slavec is an assistant professor at UP FAMNIT and a researcher at InnoRenew CoE, where she advises researchers on topics related to data collection, processing, analysis and reporting.

• PERFORMANCE BY THE GIRLS' AND BOYS' CHOIRS OF THE UP PEF 

18 March 2025, 17.00-20.00, Armerija Hall | Performance by the UP PEF Girls' and Boys' Choir under the direction of Senior Lecturer Andrea Štucin Cergolj and Associate Professor Barbara Kopačin. The event offers a varied musical program performed by students.

• A HISTORICAL LESSON - SLOVENIAN MIGRATIONS IN SOCIALISM, book presentation 

19. 3. 2025, 13.00, Levant 1, UP FHŠ / Marina Lukšič Hacin, Marijanca Ajša Vižintin, Damir Josipovič, Aleksej Kalc | More

• INAUGURATION OF THE NEW DEAN OF UP PEF 

19 March 2025, 17.00-20.00, Armerija Hall | Ceremonial event to mark the start of the new term of office of the faculty leadership. APPLY HERE

• WORKSHOP FOR STUDENT TUTORS: SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING II.   

20 March 2025, 9.30-12.00, INNOlab UP FM | The workshop will be led by Urša Rozman from the Department of Social Pedagogy at UP PEF.

• WATER FOR HEALTH: from quality to taste (International Water Day event)

24 March 2025, 16.00-18.30, Large Lecture Hall 6 UP FM | Water is an important part of everyday human life. To celebrate Water Day, we will explore the importance of water and its quality to our health, how and where we get it, how to understand how to read water analysis, and how we can improve its quality ourselves by maintaining our household plumbing. We will end the event with a sensory experience - a water tasting combined with Mediterranean herbs and food. The number of places is limited to 30! PROGRAMME | APPLY HERE | FB post | FB event

Wednesday, 12 March 2025 UP succeeds in acquiring a supercomputer as part of a consortium

Slovenia has won a European tender for a high-performance supercomputer. It achieved the highest score among the applicants and the project was widely praised. IZUM Director Aleš Bošnjak believes that Slovenia's success in the tender is because Slovenia was the first of the eight applicants in the tender to set up a supercomputer in 2021. He also believes that the competencies and synergies of the project partners were an important factor. The application for the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking tender for a high-performance supercomputer with an artificial intelligence factory was submitted by the Maribor-based Institute of Information Sciences (Izum) with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation on behalf of a consortium of organizations including the Jožef Stefan Institute, Arnes, the University of Maribor, the University of Ljubljana, the University of Nova Gorica, the University of Primorska, the Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto, the Ljubljana Technology Park and the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On behalf of the University of Primorska, the project was prepared by UP IAM and UP FAMNIT employees, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jernej Vičič and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Tošić.

Dr. Tošić said on the occasion of the success: »The acquisition of the project is of great importance for the development of Slovenian science, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. The UP Department of Information Science and Technology will now have access to hardware for complex calculations that we are currently unable to perform. VEGA 2 is now allowing Slovenian researchers to conduct more extensive research and the development of their own GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformers) models, which has not been possible so far. In addition to scientific research, the project will provide an important link with industry by enabling wider use of supercomputing capabilities.«

Ksenija Klampfer, Minister for Digital Transformation, explained at the press conference that the new supercomputer will act as a central platform for advanced research and applications, supporting both economic and academic partners. The new supercomputer will be about 16 times more powerful than the existing supercomputer and will be fully adapted to artificial intelligence services and solutions. The project is worth €150 million, of which up to €75 million is to be co-funded by the EU and the rest by the Republic of Slovenia, as the funds are already foreseen in the Ministry's budget. The management, maintenance and administration of the new supercomputer will be carried out by Izum with the support of Arnes and the Jožef Stefan Institute.

Monday, 10 March 2025 The International Day of Mathematics (Pi Day) is approaching

At UP FAMNIT, we will celebrate this year's International Day of Mathematics - Pi Day on March 14, 2025, with the international mathematics competition Náboj for high school students. This year marks the first time the competition will be held in Slovenia. Around 150 students from across the country will have the opportunity to compete in a two-hour mathematics challenge.

The competition will start at 11:30 AM and conclude at 2:00 PM with the announcement of the winners.

Pi Day is an annual celebration held on March 14 to honor the mathematical constant π (pi), which is also recognized as International Day of Mathematics. In the American date format, March 14 is written as 3/14, representing the first three digits of pi. Events worldwide, mainly competitions involving the memorization of pi’s decimal places, take place on this day. Piphilology includes various mnemonic techniques that help people memorize as many decimal places of pi as possible.

On Pi Day, UNESCO, IDM, and IMU will also host a webinar titled "Mathematics and Creativity in Art and Education" from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Registration is required to attend. The webinar will explore various ways in which art and mathematics intertwine and how both contribute to creativity.

Ingrid Daubechies will give a 15-minute lecture titled "Mathematics Helping Art Conservation." The event will feature videos of dancer Sadeck Berrabah, pianist Filippo Gorini, and sculptor Theo Jansen. Additionally, there will be several short five-minute presentations from mathematicians contributing to art and artists incorporating mathematics into their work.

Wednesday, 5 March 2025 Botanical Research by Biodiversity Department Leads to the Discovery of a New Plant Genus and Species

An international team of researchers from China, Croatia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia and Spain has announced the discovery and description of a new plant genus and species – Petrolamium crnojevicii Dragićević, Vuksanović & Surina – found in a remote and inaccessible area of Montenegro. The research also involved two members of the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT, Assoc. Prof. Boštjan Surina, who led the study, and Assist. Prof. Peter Glasnović. Modern molecular-genetic, cytogenetic, and classical methods have clearly defined the phylogenetic position and evolutionary history of this new taxon.

The discovery of new species is not uncommon, especially with the use of modern research methods. However, the discovery of a new genus is a significantly rarer event. The identification and description of the new plant genus and species Petrolamium crnojevicii in the rugged karst terrain of Montenegro represent one of the most significant – if not the greatest discoveries in the last 200 years of plant diversity and evolution research. The discovery is particularly notable as the plant belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae), one of the most extensively studied plant families due to its medicinal properties and versatile uses.

The newly discovered plant has its closest living relatives in the high-altitude scree slopes of the Himalayas. It thrives in the crevices of limestone cliffs within a very limited area of Montenegro, between Cetinje and Podgorica. Due to its extremely restricted distribution and numerous potential threats, the species has been proposed for inclusion on the Red List as critically endangered. A specimen of the new genus and species Petrolamium crnojevicii (isotype) has also been preserved in the Herbarium of the University of Primorska (KP). The research findings were published in February this year in the international scientific journal TAXON: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tax.13313

Friday, 28 February 2025 Invitation to the defense of the diploma thesis – Pavel Jolakoski (Computer Science, 1st cycle)

Pavel Jolakoski, a student of the study program of Computer Science, 1st cycle, will present the diploma thesis entitled Teaching Shortest Path Algorithms with a Physical Robot on Tuesday, 8 April 2025 at 09:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP3.

You are all kindly invited!

Friday, 21 February 2025 Research visit from the University of Cagliari

Today, we spoke with Gianmarco Cherchi, a Computer Science Researcher at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Cagliari (Italy), and a Professor of "Data Visualization" and "Web Programming," who visited us as part of a research visit.

Prof. Cherchi arrived as part of a short-term visit and was hosted by Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Klen and Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies.

During his stay, he lectured at the Monday RIN seminar, where he presented his research field. A few days later, he also lectured Master's students in an intensive course on data visualization. Before returning to Cagliari, he reflected on his stay here in Koper: "This is my first visit to Koper, and I find it to be a beautiful city. My hosts, Matjaž and Klen, have been incredibly kind and welcoming, which has made my stay even more enjoyable. I’ve also had the pleasure of connecting with their PhD students and all the members of their group. I delivered a lecture on Monday at the seminar about my research area, which was an exciting experience. Today, I also had a great experience working with Master's students during the intensive course on data visualization."

He also explained data visualisation and why it is important nowadays. "Data visualisation is a subfield of computer science that focuses on effectively representing data. With the rise of AI and big data, we now generate vast amounts of information, making it essential to have the right tools for visualisation. Therefore it is crucial to present data in a way that is understandable to everyone and conveys the correct message," he adds. 

Tuesday, 18 February 2025 Citizen science serves as an effective tool for monitoring invasive species

Invasive species threaten biodiversity, the economy, and human health. Therefore, their detection is critical for their management, which requires extensive monitoring that often exceeds the capacity of professional scientists.

Individuals can significantly contribute by reporting new sightings using applications like eBird, Pl@ntNet, iNaturalist, and ArtPortalen and participating in citizen science initiatives.

An international study involving 30 researchers, part of the COST Alien CSI initiative—of which Assoc. Prof. Dr. Živa Fišer was a part—has demonstrated the crucial role of citizen science in the early detection of invasive species. Published in People and Nature, the study analyzed 600 official reports from 30 countries and compared them to over 220 million public-platform records.

This is the first study to measure the impact of citizen science on the early detection of invasive species. The findings revealed that citizen science platforms are highly effective. Official programs tend to detect European-regulated species, whereas the public is quicker to identify species already present in neighbouring countries or those that can be recognized without expert knowledge. For vertebrates (such as birds and mammals), the public is more likely to notice them before official monitoring does.

Based on these results, future recommendations suggest a holistic approach that combines professional monitoring with increased public involvement through citizen science. By working closely with platforms for reporting sightings and supporting their development, governments could create a more effective system for monitoring invasive species in the future.

However, citizen science is a crucial component of the solution for the early detection and effective management of invasive species.

Read more: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com 

Monday, 17 February 2025 Students Visit Novartis as Part of the ImmBIO Project

As part of the ImmBIO project, students from UP FAMNIT and UL FMF, along with their academic mentors, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Karla Ferjančič (project leader at UP FAMNIT) and Prof. Dr. Emil Žagar (UL FMF), recently visited Novartis in Mengeš.

During their visit, they were welcomed by work mentors Dr. Andrej Pohar and Ms. Andreja Pirnat, who, along with their colleagues, guided the students through the laboratories of the "upstream" department. This is where the initial phase of development—planning and cultivating microorganisms or cells that produce desired biological substances—occurs. They also toured the "downstream" department, where medicinal biological ingredients' development, planning, testing, and purification occur.

As part of the project, the students are tackling current challenges at the company to develop and test mathematical models of bioreactors. In addition to their regular weekly remote meetings, this visit provided an excellent opportunity for the students to gain better insight into the development process and a more comprehensive understanding of Novartis's work in developing biological medicines.

Saturday, 15 February 2025 Successful Implementation of INFO DAYS in Koper and Izola

On Friday and Saturday, February 14 and 15, INFO DAYS for prospective students took place across Slovenia. At UP FAMNIT, we hosted our events at two locations this year and recorded significant interest in our undergraduate study programmes.

In Koper, at the faculty headquarters, students were welcomed by the Dean, Prof. Ademir Hujdurović, before the presentations began. Meanwhile, in Izola (Livade 1.0), where some study programmess are conducted, students were greeted by Assoc. Prof. Živa Fišer, Head of the Department of Biodiversity, and Assoc. Prof. Sara Zupan, Deputy Coordinator of the Conservation Biology study programme.

In Koper, prospective students received information about Mathematics, Mathematics in Economics and Finance, Computer Science and Biopsychology. In Izola, they were introduced to Bioinformatics, Agronomy and Conservation Biology.

After the presentations, attendees had the opportunity to visit FAMNIT’s information fair, where they met student tutors and members of the Student Council.

In Izola, prospective students were given tours of the laboratories and practice rooms equipped with high-end technology, primarily used for research in applied natural sciences, biodiversity, bioinformatics, food, nutrition, health, urban planning, ergonomics and kinesiology, olive growing, gastronomy and wine culture, mediterranean studies, environmental technologies, and renewable material usage.

The Saturday afternoon session was dedicated to English-language presentations via ZOOM for international students interested in Mathematics, Computer Science and Bioinformatics study programmes, which are also offered in English at our faculty.

In addition to program content, multiple sessions via Zoom provided information about student housing and the application and enrolment process .

An additional online presentation on the application and enrolment process for undergraduate studies is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Zoom link: https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/98521649402?pwd=6ACPQuaenQTZk148AzQe

For questions related to the application and enrolment process, students can contact the Student Services Office (vpis@upr.si) and the UP Admission Office (vpis@upr.si).

Wednesday, 12 February 2025 Presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation - Vanja Gomboc

We invite you to the presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation Journalists' Psychological Processes When Reporting on Suicide: Mixed Methods Analysis of the student Vanja Gomboc, enrolled in the doctoral study programme Suicidology and Mental Health.

The presentation will take place on Thursday, 20 February 2025 at 9.00 via Zoom on link:
https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/93692229993

Wednesday, 12 February 2025 Famnits' Excursion into the mathematical universe: Rumors, epidemics and economic crises: infection processes in networks

You are invited to the 4th lecture in the series titled

“Rumors, epidemics and economic crises: infection processes in networks,”

which will take place on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 16:00, in Lecture Hall 3, UP FAMNIT, and via ZOOM.

The lecture will be presented by Dr. Miklós Krész UP FAMNIT, UP IAM, and InnoRenew CoE.

What are the commonalities between the economic crisis of 2008, the COVID-19 pandemic, and social media campaigns in recent political elections? Why were the dynamics of bankruptcies, epidemic outbreaks, and the spread of misinformation so unexpected? What are the similarities and differences between these processes and how can mathematical models describe them? What specific problems arise in controlling the spread of these types of outbreaks and what mathematical methods can be used to address them? In this lecture, we will take a journey through the methodology of computational network analysis to answer the above questions and to highlight the main challenges.

Miklós Krész received his PhD in Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Szeged, Hungary, in 2005. His main research interests include industrially motivated optimization methods, data driven industrial solutions and the integration of operations research and data science methodologies. He focuses on both fundamental and applied research in these areas. Currently, he is a Professor of Computer Science at UP FAMNIT and UP IAM, and he is the Head of the Information Processing Research Department at the InnoRenew CoE interdisciplinary research center. 

Wednesday, 12 February 2025 Public Call for Applications for Scholarships 2025/2026

The University of Primorska invites all students of the following faculties: UP Faculty of Humanities, UP Faculty of Management, UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, UP Faculty of Education, UP Faculty of Tourism Studies - Turistica, UP Faculty of Health Sciences, who are eligible, to apply for the Public call to obtain scholarships from the Scholarship Fund of University of Primorska in the academic year 2025/2026.

The Scholarship Fund of the University of Primorska is based on a partnership between the University of Primorska, municipalities, and the private sector. It aims to reward and encourage the best students of UP, offer their knowledge to potential employers during their study process, and provide opportunities for employment to these students as soon as they finish their studies. The objective of the Fund is at the same time to support all UP students in achieving the best possible results in their studies.

With this Public Call, the University of Primorska invites all:

• candidates for enrolment in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd cycle study programmes of UP and
• students who, in the academic year of 2025/2026, will be enrolled in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd cycle study programmes of UP,
• to apply for this public call, and thus express their interest in joining the Fund.

The amount of the scholarship for the academic year 2025/2026 is at least 2.200,00 EUR.

In the case when the scholarships are awarded via UP, the scholarship amount is 2.200,00 EUR per academic year. In certain cases, a higher scholarship can also be awarded, namely:

• for students enrolled in the 1st and 2^nd cycle, who score from 80 to 89 points, the scholarship can be as high as 330,00 EU per month, respectively as high as 3.300,00 EU per academic year;
• for students enrolled in the 1st and 2^nd cycle, who score from 90 to 100 points, the scholarship can be as high as 550,00 EU per month, respectively as high as 5.500,00 EU per academic year;
• for students enrolled in the 3^rd cycle, the scholarship can be as high as 1.200,00 EU per month, respectively as high as 12.000,00 EU per academic year.

Scholarship contracts will be concluded between UP, Fund partners (employers), and students with whom there is a mutual interest in the conclusion of the contract. By signing the scholarship contract, the student agrees that in the case that they are offered employment by a partner of the fund (employer) they will accept the offer and, after completing their studies, work for the partner of the fund for at least as long as they received the scholarship.

Application deadline: September 15th, 2025. The application is submitted in due time if it is submitted between February 11th, 2025 to September 15th, 2025.

On the website of the Career Center of the University of Primorska (KC UP) you will find all the details and the public call: UP Scholarship Fund 2025/2026 - PUBLIC CALL!

Contacts: Career Center of the University of Primorska, Center for Lifelong Learning and Career Orientation

Address: Titov trg 4, 6000 Koper, Slovenija   

Phone: +386 5 611 75 60   

E-mail: kariernicenter@upr.si. 

Public call UP Scholarship Fund - 2025/2026

JP za pridobitev stipendije na UP za leto 2025-2026.pdf (301kb)

Public call UP Scholarship Fund 2025-2026.pdf (268kb)

Monday, 10 February 2025 Invitation to the defense of the diploma thesis – Elsa Morina (Computer Science, 1st cycle)

Elsa Morina, a student of the study program of Computer Science, 1st cycle, will present the diploma thesis entitled Analyzing Fluctuations in Temperature on Portoroˇz Airport using Time Series on Thursday, 13 February 2025 at 11:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP6.

You are all kindly invited!

Monday, 10 February 2025 Great interest in the EVMC 2025 conference

The Faculty of Environmental Protection together with partner organisations (UP FAMNIT, UL Biotechnical Faculty, Julius Kühn Institute, Hunting Association of Slovenia and the Slovenian Forestry Institute) is organising the 14th European Conference on Vertebrate Management, which will take place in Ankaran, Slovenia, between 12th and 16th May 2025.

The conference continues the tradition of previous meetings known as EVPMC, but with an expanded focus on the inclusion of all vertebrate species and various management approaches, including ecology, monitoring, and species conservation.

The main sections of the conference, covering the latest and most intriguing topics across a wide range of disciplines, include:

• ecology, physiology and behaviour;
• taxonomy and genetics;
• population monitoring and management;
• human-animal conflicts and social dimension;
• (invasive) alien vertebrates;
• crop and urban systems;
• health, zoonotic pathogens and parasites;
• rodenticide resistance;
• new tools and methods.

With over 200 research contributions from more than 40 countries, EVMC 2025 will bring together a diverse international community of experts to share experiences, present new discoveries, and foster collaborations that will shape the future of vertebrate management.

We are particularly pleased to welcome distinguished keynote speakers:

• Ancuta Fedorca, National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry ˝Marin Dracea˝, Romania;
• Atle Mysterud, University of Oslo, Norway;
• Heidi C. Hauffe, Fondazione Edmund Mach; National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Italy;
• Joaquin Vicente Baños, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, Spain;
• László Kövér, University of Debrecen, Hungary;
• Sabine Begall, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany;
• Boris Kryštufek, Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Slovenia;
• Nikica Šprem, University of Zagreb, Croatia.

For more information and registration, visit: www.evmc.online

Wednesday, 5 February 2025 5th Biological Evening: Ethnobiology of Wartime: The Role of Wild Plants in Food Security

You are invited to the 5th Biological Evening titled "Ethnobiology of Wartime: The Role of Wild Plants in Food Security."

The lecture will be given by Naji Sulaiman, Assistant Professor of Environmental and Applied Botany at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy.

The event will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, February 12.

About the lecture: Wild food plants (WFPs) have been an important source of human nutrition since ancient times, and they particularly revive when conventional food is not available due to emergencies, such as natural disasters and conflicts. Nearly 60% of the Syrian population (12.4 million people) are food insecure due to the current war. The presentation focuses on the conflict’s effect on the use of WFPs and on what species are consumed by local people during the current crisis. The study documents 75 wild food plant species used for food and drink.

About the lecturer: Naji Sulaiman is an Assistant Professor of environmental and applied botany at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy. As an ethnobotanist, his research primarily focuses on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East regions. He has a PhD in Tropical Agrobiology and Bioresources Management from the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, where he also earned his Master’s degree in Tropical Crop Management and Ecology. He completed his Bachelor’s studies in Agricultural Engineering at Tishreen University in Latakia, Syria. In recent years, his research concentrated on the relationship between people and wild plants under turbulent and warfare conditions.

Friday, 31 January 2025 The 7th Slovenian Entomological Symposium gathered enthusiasts and experts in the field

From January 31 to February 1, 2025, the 7th Entomological Symposium with International Attendance (SES7) took place in Izola, at Livade 1.0, bringing together 69 experts, researchers, and entomology enthusiasts from Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia.

The two-day event was organized by entomologists from the Department of Biodiversity at UP Famnit and the Slovenian Entomological Society Štefan Michieli. During the symposium, participants exchanged knowledge, achievements, results, and visions across various fields of entomology, including insect taxonomy and phylogeny, forestry and agricultural entomology, conservation entomology, insect diversity, and entomological methodology.

The attendees were welcomed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Živa Fišer, Head of the Department of Biodiversity, Andrej Kapla, President of the Slovenian Entomological Society Štefan Michieli, and Prof. Dr. Vladimir Ivović, the organizer.

The symposium’s keynote speakers were Alenka Žunič Kosi and Tatjana Čelik, who presented their latest findings in entomology.

Dr. Žunič Kosi, a researcher at the National Institute of Biology, also shared her impressions of the event:

"I believe that meetings with other entomologists are crucial, as they allow us to exchange knowledge and experiences while staying updated on the latest developments in the field. Slovenia may be a small country, but such events foster valuable connections. I look forward to future lectures and discussions with colleagues, and I sincerely thank the organizers for this excellent experience," she stated.

   
                                                                Dr. Alenka Žunič Kosi 

She also highlighted a study on cricket communication that she presented in the opening lecture: "We discovered that, in addition to acoustic signals, crickets also communicate through vibrations transmitted via solid surfaces such as plants or the ground. This finding is significant, as it suggests that the combination of sound and vibrations plays an important role in attracting females," she explained.

A total of 31 scientific contributions were presented at the symposium. 

Before the official start of the symposium, two interactive workshops were held. The Bio-Creative Workshop "From Knowledge to Story," led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katarina Šoln from the Department of Biodiversity UP Famnit; and "Preparation and Importance of Entomological Collections," led by Andrej Kapla, President of the Slovenian Entomological Society Štefan Michieli, Matic Gabor from the National Institute of Biology and Jurij Rekelj from the Prirodoslovni Museum of Slovenia.

     
                                                                 The Bio-Creative Workshop

During the morning workshops, participants learned how to write a children's story with biological content and how to present scientific discoveries simply and understandably to the general public. They also gained insights into the importance of entomological collections and sample preparation procedures. Such collections are essential for research and preserving insect data, as they hold historical value, provide insights into extinct species, and serve as a crucial source of information at the national level.

    
                                         Preparation and Importance of Entomological Collections

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katja Adam from the Department of Biodiversity and a symposium organizer expressed satisfaction with the attendance and positive feedback from participants: "The initial impressions are excellent, as we have recorded high participation this year—around 70 attendees, including international participants. The attendees are pleased, and an essential part of these gatherings is networking, where we discuss ongoing and future projects as well as joint research. Personally, I have learned a lot about insects and met new experts," she added.

The symposium was organized as part of the E-NAT2CARE project (Strengthening Cross-Border Links for the Conservation and Restoration of Natura 2000 Areas in the Wider Border Region).

Book of abstract.

Friday, 31 January 2025 Call for Enrolment in Undergraduate Study Programmes of the University of Primorska in the Academic Year 2025/2026

In the framework of the Call for Enrolment in undergraduate and unified master's study programmes in the academic year 2025/2026, the University of Primorska announces the following free enrolment places for 30 undergraduate study programmes (7 higher professional and 23 academic study programmes):

• 545 enrolment places for Slovenian citizens and EU citizens, of which 1.225 are for full-time study and 320 for part-time study,
• 76 enrolment places for Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship, of which 60 are for full-time and 16 for part-time study,
• 207 enrolment places for citizens of Western Balkans countries, with which the Republic of Slovenia has a bilateral agreement in the field of education (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia), of which 185 are for full-time and 22 for part-time study,
• 76 enrolment places for foreign citizens of non EU countries, of which 64 are for full-time and 12 for part-time study.

For the 1st year of study, there are also 100 enrolment places for candidates for parallel studies.

The list of undergraduate study programmes in English language at UP FAMNIT that are announced in the Call for enrolment 2025/2026:

• Bioinformatics, academic (UP FAMNIT)
• Computer Science, academic (UP FAMNIT)
• Mathematics, academic (UP FAMNIT)

The application for enrolment is entirely electronic on the eVŠ web portal. The candidate applies with a means of electronic identification of at least a medium level of reliability (with a qualified digital certificate, smsPASS, e-identity card) or with an AAI account (account of the authentication and authorisation infrastructure) or with a username and password via the system SI-PASS, which operates within the framework of the Trust Service Authority of Slovenia.

Each candidate can submit one application for enrolment, in which they select a maximum of three study programmes in the order of priority in which they wish to enrol and for which they meet or will meet the conditions for enrolment by the deadline. The order of the selected study programmes is important, as the candidate will be ranked in the first study programme for which they will meet all the conditions.

 The first application period  for enrolment will be:

• for Slovenian citizens, citizens of the EU Member States and Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship from 18 February to 18 March 2025,
• for foreign citizens from non-EU countries from 18 February to 30 June 2025.

Wednesday, 29 January 2025 Invitation to the defense of the diploma thesis – Sara Pachemska (Computer Science, 1st cycle)

Sara Pachemska, a student of the study program of Computer Science, 1st cycle, will present the diploma thesis entitled Nonlinear EEG signal autoregression for improved brain functional connectivity analysis on Monday, 3 February 2025 at 11:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP3.

You are all kindly invited!

Wednesday, 29 January 2025 INFO DAYS 2025

14 and 15 February 2024, from 9.00 am

You are invited to join our main informative events, which will be held live and via ZOOM on 14 and 15 February 2025. Event schedule and ZOOM links are available on the link below. Some general presentations and presentations of study programmes will be held in Slovene, however, for study programmes that are also implemented in English, presentations will be held in English via ZOOM as well (15 February, 15:00–16:30). Besides that, online presenatations of the application and enrolment procedures will be held in English (15 February, 14:00–15:00 and 5 March, 14:00–15:00).

More information about Info day > HERE

Information about enrolment > HERE

Wednesday, 29 January 2025 Landmark genetic study: positive glimmers amid general decline in genetic diversity

In the most comprehensive global analysis of genetic diversity ever undertaken, an international team of scientists has found that the genetic diversity is being lost across the globe but that conservation efforts are helping to safeguard species.

The landmark study, published in the pre-eminent scientific journal Nature, was led by Assoc. Prof. Catherine Grueber from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and a team of researchers from different countries including prof. Elena Bužan from the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT.

The data spans more than three decades (from 1985-2019) and looks at 628 species of animals, plants and fungi across all terrestrial and most maritime realms on earth.

Two-thirds of the populations analysed are declining in genetic diversity but conservation efforts designed to improve environmental conditions, grow populations and introduce new individuals for breeding – for example habitat restoration and animal translocations – are sustaining, and in some cases increasing, genetic diversity in populations.

Assoc. Prof. Grueber said: »There is no getting around the fact that biodiversity is declining at unprecedented rates across the globe – but there are glimmers of hope. The action of conservationists is reversing these losses and helping to create genetically diverse populations that can better meet the challenges of the future.«

The team of scientists used innovations in genetic analysis to gain new insights from studies carried out decades ago. Creating a common measurement scale, they were able to make comparisons between studies, even when they used different methodologies and collected genetic data in different ways.

»This kind of comprehensive global study would not have been possible even 10 years ago. Advances in genetics and statistics have given us new tools that mean we can continue to learn from studies long after they were carried out – a huge benefit when we are looking at populations and trends on a global scale,« added Assoc. Prof. Grueber.

Prof. Elena Bužan (UP FAMNIT) emphasized the importance of modern methods of assessing genetic variability: »We have been striving for effective management using molecular methods in our molecular ecology group. For many years, with the help of modern methods of assessing genetic variability, we have been helping various stakeholders in making decisions and formulating guidelines for species conservation. As this study also showed, only comprehensive data on genetic diversity can assess the adaptive capacity of populations to environmental changes – both those occurring today, such as habitat fragmentation and loss, as well as those that will result from future climate change.«

Successful cases identified by the study include the release of arctic foxes from captive breeding programs in Scandinavia, translocation of greater prairie chickens into existing populations in North America, and the effective treatment of disease within black-tailed prairie dog populations, which has improved the health of colonies in north-central Montana in the US.

The authors hope the findings will encourage more conservation efforts and lead to increased protections for populations that are currently not managed.

Full article is available at this link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08458-x

Tuesday, 28 January 2025 Nature enthusiasts, join us for educational lectures within the 7th Slovenian Entomological Symposium with international attendance (SES7) in Izola!

Did you know that male butterflies can detect a single molecule of a female’s pheromone from several kilometres away? In the lecture How insects communicate: The diversity of signals and their role in maintaining biodiversity, we will explore the fascinating world of insect communication, including chemical signals, pheromones, vibrations, sounds, colours, and patterns. You will learn how these modalities play a crucial role in survival, reproduction, and biodiversity conservation. 

Lecturer: Alenka Žunič Kosi , National Institute of Biology 

• When: Friday, January 31, at 13:15 h 
• Where: Livade Campus, Livade 4, Izola, Lecture Hall SIGMA 
• Language: The lecture will be held in English. 

We will also present the E-NAT2CARE project (Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia 2021–2027), which investigates innovative pheromone-based methods for monitoring endangered species populations and enhancing conservation strategies. 

Join us if you are curious about natural sciences, ecology, and the incredible world of insects! 

*The E-Nat2Care project is financed by the Interreg VI-A Italija-Slovenija 2021-2027 program 

***

Join us for a lecture First reintroduction of an endangered species of butterfly (Coenonympha oedippus) in Slovenia: approach, results, perspectives, on the story of the marsh ecotype of the endangered butterfly Coenonympha oedippus, which has been brought to the brink of extinction due to habitat destruction. As part of the PoLJUBA project (2018–2022), we successfully achieved promising results through ex-situ breeding, reintroduction, and population reinforcement.  

Presenter: Tatjana Čelik, ZRC SAZU, Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology 

• When: Friday, January 31, at 1:50 PM 
• Where: Livade Campus, Livade 4, Izola, Lecture Hall SIGMA 
• Language: The lecture will be held in English. 

We will discuss the project’s key approaches, such as habitat restoration, genetic monitoring, and breeding individuals for reintroduction, as well as long-term plans to conserve this species in the Ljubljana Marshes. 

Nature enthusiasts, students, and researchers are all welcome! 

**The E-Nat2Care project is financed by the Interreg VI-A Italija-Slovenija 2021-2027 program 

About SES7

The 7th Slovenian Entomological Symposium with international attendance (SES7) will provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions on the latest discoveries, innovations, and challenges in the insect world, as well as a space for sharing ideas, networking, and collaboration. 

This unique scientific meeting will take place from January 31 to February 1, 2025, in picturesque Izola. It will bring together leading experts, researchers, and enthusiasts of entomology.

The organisers of the symposiums are the Department of Biodiversity and the Slovenian Entomological Society of Štefan Michieli.    

Friday, 24 January 2025 What is citizen science?

Citizen science is the English translation of the Slovenian term "Državljanska znanost", which means the active participation of the public in scientific research projects. The basic aim of citizen science is to offer every citizen the opportunity to participate in the various phases of the research process actively. In Slovenia, the following translations are commonly used: ljubiteljska znanost, občanska znanost, skupnostna znanost, ljubiteljska znanost ter participativna znanost. (source: https://citizenscience.si/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Brosura_online.pdf).

Citizen science is one approach that has emerged from the participatory turn in research and innovation. This turn is usually motivated by pursuing various objectives, such as promoting democratisation and public participation in science and innovation, fostering scientific literacy, raising public awareness of scientific and technological issues or conducting research programmes with patterns and geographical scales that professional researchers alone could not achieve.

By participating in the scientific process as amateur scientists, amateurs have access to all the basic mechanisms of scientific knowledge, including those previously reserved for professional scientists, such as identifying research needs, developing research projects, formulating hypotheses, collecting data, interpreting research results and defining their scientific applications.

The socialisation of science

A key element defining citizen science as a potential tool for the socialisation of science arises from its basis in an observable social phenomenon, reflected to some extent in the willingness of the lay public to participate in the scientific process as stakeholders about particular social or economic issues. This is usually due to a personal interest in certain topics (e.g. a love of nature and the observation of natural processes) or simply a love of science. Although there is a long tradition of lay participation in science (e.g. in disciplines such as astronomy or zoology), this trend is also spreading to other areas of science and is increasingly linked to tackling major societal challenges such as climate change, the transition to renewable energy and social inequality.

Scientific and educational value

Collaboration with amateur scientists enables researchers to collect extensive or hard-to-access data and to access traditional knowledge preserved by individual communities. It also provides the opportunity to interpret the results on this basis. In addition, citizen science has an important educational value, as it helps to increase participants' knowledge and interest in science while improving their skills such as responsibility, critical thinking and socio-economic problem-solving (source: https://citizenscience.si/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Brosura_online.pdf).

10 principles of Citizen science

In 2015, the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) adopted the 10 principles of citizen science.

These principles were endorsed by Science Europe, thus confirming the credibility of the principles and of citizen science as a legitimate process in scientific research. (Source: https://citizenscience.si/obcanska-znanost/10-nacel-obcanske-znanosti/ )

Beginning of the path

The Step Change Citizen Science Navigator is a guide for researchers who want to involve the public or amateur scientists in the scientific research process. It builds on the experience of the Step Change project and aims to generalise and extend its findings to benefit researchers embarking on the citizen science pathway. (https://cs-navigator.stepchangeproject.eu/)

At the national level, the Citizen Science Network in Slovenia brings together organisations, institutions and stakeholders active in the field of citizen science.

Important organisations for the promotion of citizen science in Europe:

• European Citizen Science Association (ECSA)
• Citizen Science Network Austria
• Society for Citizen Science (Gesellschaft für Bürgerwissenschaften) - Nemčija
• British Science Association (BSA) - Združeno kraljestvo
• Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) - Združeno kraljestvo
• Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)
• CITIZEN SCIENCE.IT - Italija
• Citizen Cyberlab - Švica
• Dutch Citizen Science Network - Nizozemska
• Tekiu - Norveška
• Stickydot

International citizen science projects in which the University of Primorska is involved: 

• Step Change: Science Transformation in EuroPe through Citizens involvement in HeAlth, coNservation and enerGy rEsearch
• PRO-COAST: A PROactive approach for COmmunities to enAble Societal Transformation
• BGE: Biodiversity Genomics Europe
• BEPREP: Identification of best practices for biodiversity recovery and public health
• Biodiversa+ projekt BIG PICTURE

Citizen Science Initiative

SEARCH FOR NON-NATIVE FLATWORMS IN SLOVENIA (download)

(Dr. Živa Fišer, Dr. Katja Adam, Dr. Sara Zupan, and Dr. Martina Lužnik / Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT)

Have you noticed unusual elongated animals in your garden that look like earthworms, leeches or slugs while gardening or tidying up?

Perhaps you have already had an encounter with flatworms from the group Turbellaria. These animals are not native to our country, but are becoming increasingly common in Europe. In neighbouring Italy, over 15 different species have been found in recent years with the help of residents. They also exist in Slovenia, but we have very little information about them. We invite you to help us in the search for non-native flatworms.

• What are non-native flatworms?

Flatworms are predators that feed on earthworms and other soil organisms. They have a long, flattened body that is between a few centimetres and 30 cm or more in length. Some species have a hammer-shaped head. All flatworms excrete mucus, which gives them a shiny, moist appearance. Some have a distinctive striped pattern across the body or are brightly coloured.

• Where can you find them?

They are usually found in moist soil, under pots or in the base of ornamental plants, under stones and between wood. They are thought to be found in greenhouses, where they may have been introduced by imported plants. In Europe, they have been observed most frequently in May/June and in September/October, after rainfall.

• Are they dangerous?

Some flatworms can excrete toxins, so you should not touch them with your bare hands. They could disturb the natural balance in the soil if they occur in large numbers because they are eaten by earthworms and other soil organisms.

• What to do if you discover them?

• Don't touch them with your hands, but pick them up with small sticks - some flatworms can excrete toxins.
• Document the sighting - photograph the animals and, if possible, capture them in a sealed plastic or glass container. Place a few layers of moistened paper towels in the container and store it in the refrigerator.
• Report your observation in one of the following ways.

***

- by email to ploskicrvi@upr.si
- on the Facebook group "Alien Foreigners flatworms in Slovenia"
- via the form > here 
- by phone (+386 5 663 58 07; on weekdays)

We would be very pleased to receive your saved samples - we will discuss the shipping method with you personally. Your cooperation is crucial for understanding the distribution of these little-known non-native species.

Thank you for helping us with our research.

Friday, 24 January 2025 UP FAMNIT welcomed a group of 200 high school students: Successful implementation of Mathematics Day

On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, and Friday, January 24, 2025, the Department of Mathematics UP FAMNIT organized the traditional Mathematics Day for students from Gymnasium Koper and Gymnasium Piran. Over two days, around 200 students gathered to attend lectures on the practical use of mathematics in everyday life.

On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, the students were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Marko Orel, Prof. Dr. Ademir Hujdurović, the Dean of UP FAMNIT, and Prof. Dr. Bojan Kuzma, the Head of the Department of Mathematics.

The diverse program offered a wide range of topics that the lecturers presented to the students interactively. The students were first divided into three groups, in which they attended the lectures and then participated in interactive workshops.

At the lecture titled Classical Winning Techniques in Mind Games, presented by Asst. Prof. Dr. Peter Muršič from the Department of Mathematics, the students learned about combinatorial games – turn-based strategy games between players, where the moves are predetermined and there is no randomness involved.

The lecture From Data to Information: Statistical Thinking in Everyday Life was given by Prof. Dr. Lara Lusa (UP FAMNIT and UL MF). She spoke about the vast amount of data generated today and emphasized that it must be properly collected and organized for data to become useful information. In the lecture, she presented examples where statistical thinking helps individuals convert data into meaningful information and better understand the world around them.

The lecture Games in Nature was conducted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barbara Boldin. The students learned that the decision-making of animals in different situations can be represented as mathematical games and discovered the basic ideas of game theory.

After a short break, workshops by Aljaž Kosmač (UP IAM) followed, who led the workshop Where is the Zero of a Function, in which students explored various types of functions (polynomials, exponential, logarithmic, etc.) and used the computer tool GeoGebra.

Ajla Šehović (UP IAM) took the students into the world of cryptography with the workshop Mastering Codes: Unveiling the Secrets, where the young participants learned the basics of encryption.

In the workshop Mathematics of Everyday Social Decisions, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Kenny Bešter Štorgel (UP FAMNIT), the students analyzed real-life decision-making examples. Together, they made decisions based on available information and analyzed them from a mathematical perspective.

Two days later, on Friday, January 24, 2025, we divided the students into two groups as part of Mathematics Day. They were welcomed by Dr. Ademir Hujdurović, Dean of UP FAMNIT, and Dr. Bojan Kuzma, Head of the Department of Mathematics at UP FAMNIT.

The students first attended the lectures From Data to Information: Statistical Thinking in Everyday Life, presented by Prof. Dr. Lara Lusa (UP FAMNIT and UL MF), and Classical Winning Techniques in Mind Games, presented by Asst. Prof. Dr. Peter Muršič (UP FAMNIT).

After a short break, the workshops Where is the Zero of a Function and Mastering Codes: Unveiling the Secrets followed, during which the students gained new knowledge and practical experience.

We have been organizing Mathematics Days at UP FAMNIT since 2013 to popularize natural sciences, particularly mathematics, among young people. The Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Information Technologies at the University of Primorska offers seven undergraduate study programs, including Mathematics and Mathematics in Economics and Finance. Students can learn more about the study programs and life at FAMNIT at the upcoming Informative Days, which will take place on February 14 and 15, 2025.

We thank the students and their teachers for attending and inviting them to our future events!

Wednesday, 22 January 2025 Exhibition of portraits of Zois Prize winners in Ljubljana

On Wednesday, 21 January 2025, an exhibition of portraits of the recipients of the Zois Prizes and awards for outstanding achievements in the field of scientific research and development for the year 2024 was opened at the Krakovski embankment in Ljubljana - among them are three UP employees: prof. dr. Tomaž Grušovnik and prof. dr. Vito Vitrih received the Zois Prize, and prof. dr. Igor Klep received the Zois Award. 

The exhibition was organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in cooperation with Tourism Ljubljana. The exhibition will be on display from 21 January to 24 February 2025 at the Krakovski nasip in Ljubljana and will give the general public an insight into the achievements that contribute to the development of science and innovation in our society.

We invite you to visit Ljubljana to see the exhibition and the important achievements - and we congratulate the UP recipients once again!

                                                                 Prof. dr. Vito Vitrih

                                                                Prof. dr. Tomaž Grušovnik

                                                                Prof. dr. Igor Klep

Wednesday, 22 January 2025 Call for Applications for the year 2025 – Jožef Stefan Golden Emblem

The Jožef Stefan Institute has launched a public call for applications for the award “zlati znak Jožefa Stefana” (Jožef Stefan Golden Emblem), which recognises the most outstanding doctorates awarded to young researchers in the Republic of Slovenia in the last three years in the fields of Natural, Mathematical, Technical, and Life Sciences.

Eligibility Criteria

• Successful defence of the doctoral thesis in Slovenia after 1 October 2021.
• Applicants must be under 32 years of age at the time of the defence, or 33 years of age for the field of Medicine.
• The work comprising the doctoral thesis must have been carried out entirely or predominantly in Slovenia.

Application procedure and Deadline

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, 12 February 2025 at 15.00.

Application procedure and documentation at the link > HERE <

The Institute awards a maximum of three “zlati znak Jožefa Stefana” awards each year. All recipients for the year 2025 will be invited to present their work at lectures to be organised at the "Jožef Stefan" Institute.

Wednesday, 22 January 2025 UP at the 16th Informativa

The University of Primorska also participated in the 16th Informativa, the largest nationwide pre-information day, which took place on 17 and 18 January 2025 at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre.  UP has presented 30 undergraduate, 34 postgraduate and 16 doctoral study programmes in one place to pupils, students, parents and other participants. 

More than 25,000 visitors attended the two-day event. All six members of the University of Primorska had the opportunity to present their activities to the participants and answer all their questions about studying at UP, extracurricular activities, student life, enrolment procedures and other topics in a relaxed chat. A special UP workshop entitled "Little secrets of great students" gave students great tools for their studies, regardless of their choice of faculty or course of study.

Traditionally, the event took place four weeks before the official information days, on 14 and 15 February 2025, when the UP faculties will also open their doors to students and others and give them the opportunity to get to know more about studying at UP. In order to enable as many students as possible to participate in the information days, the University of Primorska will organise a free bus for students from Murska Sobota, Maribor, Celje, Ljubljana and Postojna.

More information on other information events is also available on the subpage.

Friday, 10 January 2025 OPEN CALL FOR AWARDS AND RECOGNITONS OF THE ALUMNI UP CLUB IN 2025

The Alumni Club of the University of Primorska (hereinafter referred to as Alumni UP) is a network of Alumni Clubs of individual faculties of the University of Primorska, whose purpose is to maintain contact with and among alumni, to organize educational, scientific, and other professional events, to support excellence in research, and to strengthen the identity and sense of belonging of the University of Primorska graduate community.

The University of Primorska issues an Open call for awards and recognitions of the Alumni UP club to strengthen the identity and sense of belonging of the Alumni UP community. The following describes in more detail the types of recognitions and awards, the procedure for submitting applications and the conditions for the award, the selection process, and the awarding of recognitions and awards.

TYPES OF AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Alumni UP Award for Excellence

The Alumni UP Award for Excellence is awarded to a graduate of the University of Primorska (hereinafter referred to as UP); a member of the Alumni UP, for outstanding career achievements or outstanding philanthropic activity or achievements in the cultural, sporting field, or the candidate has otherwise established himself/herself as a leader or role model in one or more areas of his/her activity. In all of the above cases, the candidate has contributed to the reputation and visibility of UP through his/her work and achievements.

Alumni UP Award for outstanding achievements in the professional field

The UP Alumni Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement is awarded to a UP graduate, a member of the UP Alumni, who has achieved outstanding success in his/her professional community and/or has made a significant contribution to the development of the profession through his/her work. The candidate has contributed to the reputation and visibility of UP through his/her work and achievements.

Alumni UP Award "Young UP"

The UP Alumni Award "Young UP" is awarded to a UP graduate, a member of the UP Alumni, who has completed his/her studies at UP within the past five (5) years and has demonstrated special acumen in his/her professional field and/or has demonstrated dedication to community service, public service, or philanthropy, and who has achieved significant career, scientific research, or other professional accomplishments during this period. The candidate has contributed to the reputation and visibility of UP through his/her work and achievements.

"Patron of Alumni UP" recognition

The "Patron of Alumni UP" award is given to a supporter of Alumni UP for a significant contribution to the development and activities of the Alumni UP community. The award is not linked to membership in Alumni UP and can be awarded to legal or natural persons.

PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING NOMINATIONS AND CONDITIONS FOR AWARDING THE RECOGNITIONS

Candidates for awards may be proposed by:

• - Alumni UP bodies;
• - a member or a group of members of Alumni UP.

On behalf of a group of members, the proposal should be submitted by a representative of the group.

Candidates for recognition may be proposed by:

• - Alumni UP bodies;
• - a member or a group of members of Alumni UP;
• - the deans of the UP faculties, the directors of the UP members, and the UP management.

On behalf of a group of members, the proposal should be submitted by a representative of the group.

An individual may not nominate himself/herself. The President of the UP Alumni, as a voting member of the Commission, cannot propose candidates. Voting members of the Commission cannot propose candidates in the year of the award.

Candidates for the awards must meet the following conditions:

• - have completed a postgraduate or undergraduate degree at UP or an advanced study program at UP; and
• - membership of the Alumni UP.

How to submit your proposal: via the e-form HERE.

The following information must be entered in the e-form:

• -  Type of award or recognition,
• - the name, last name, and email of the proposer or representative of the group;
• - the name, last name and email of the award nominee,
• - the name of the organization and the name and last name of the person responsible in the case of a candidate for an award,
• - the consent of the nominee (sample available on the webpage).

A justification of the proposal stating the reason for nominating the candidate (up to 400 words), a brief description of the candidate's achievements, and relevant supporting evidence (e.g., references, list of published works, or other documents demonstrating the candidate's achievements and contributions).

Deadline for submission: 2.3.2025.

 Date for the selection of candidates: 17.3.2025

SELECTION PROCEDURE

The Selection Committee for awards and recognitions (hereinafter: the Committee), appointed by the Rector on the proposal of the UP members, reviews and considers all proposals for awards and recognitions received within the call for applications. If the Commission finds that a proposal for an award or recognition is formally incomplete or inadequately drafted, it shall invite the proposer to complete the documentation within three (3) days.

The Commission shall adopt the Criteria for the Selection of the Recipients of the Alumni UP Awards and Recognitions at the time of the annual public call for applications. The Commission may request an additional opinion from a relevant expert in the field, employed at UP, or from a practitioner.

The Commission reserves the right to change the type of award, with the agreement of the candidate, if the Commission considers that another type of award or recognition, as defined in Article 2 of these Regulations, is more appropriate for the proposed candidate. The Commission shall forward the selection of the candidates for the awards and recognitions to the Rector of UP for approval.

AWARDING

Awards and recognitions shall be awarded once a year. The Alumni UP may award a maximum of one award of each type and a maximum of three recognitions per year. Exceptionally, in a given year, no specific award or recognitions shall be awarded, or fewer than the number of awards and recognitions provided for, if no proposals are submitted or if the proposals submitted do not meet the requirements.

Legal or natural persons may only receive an award or recognition once for the same species.

The awards and recognitions will be presented by the President of the Alumni UP at the main event of Alumni UP Week in 2025, the award ceremony will take place on 17 April 2025 at the premises of the University of Primorska in Koper.

More information:

ALUMNI UP OFFICE

E-mail: alumni@upr.si

Tel.: +386 (0)5 611 75 63

CALL FOR AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

CONSENT FORM SAMPLE

The project is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. The project is implemented in accordance with the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) under the development area Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, component Strengthening competencies, in particular digital competencies and those required by the new professions and the green transition (C3 K5), for the investment measure Investment F. Implementation of pilot projects, the results of which will serve as a basis for the preparation of a roadmap for the reform of higher education for a green and resilient transition to a Society 5.0: project Pilot Projects for the Reform of Higher Education for a Green and Resilient Transition.

Tuesday, 7 January 2025 T4EU international call for applications for the science advisers

Transform4Europe (T4EU) announces a vacancy for a Grant Manager.

The successful candidate will be based in Lisbon, Portugal, under the auspices of the Portuguese Catholic University, and will be responsible for project coordination and project fundraising for the Alliance.

More information is available in the document below and you can also contact transform4europe@upr.si.

 >> INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR ONE VACANCY OF SCIENCE OFFICER TO PERFORM DUTIES OF SCIENCE MANAGEMENT <<

Monday, 23 December 2024 Let the New Year bring you an abundance of health and happiness!

As we step into the New Year, we hope it brings you not only wonderful opportunities but also the challenges that inspire and help you grow on your journey. Remember, each experience contributes to your unique story. 

Wishing you a joyful and magical holiday! 

Friday, 20 December 2024 December at UP also rich in acquired projects

The end of the year brought a good start to the year ahead, with a wealth of projects - especially at the international level, with the prospect of successful international cooperation. The month is not yet over, so we may be able to report on projects won in the transition year.

At UP FAMNIT and UP IAM, we have acquired the following projects: 

ARIS - (CO-)FINANCING OF EU FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME PROJECTS - ERC PERSPECTIVE PROJECTS

• Association Schemes, Automata and Incidence Structures, leading partner, leader at UP dr. Giusy Monzillo, UP FAMNIT

The core of the project are the schemes arising from distance regular graphs. In this project, the view of the objects will be from other theories through the lens of association schemes. More precisely, the project concerns the concepts of synchronization and separation for association schemes. These extend those defined for permutation groups which in turn developed from the theory of synchronization in finite automata. One of the more ambitious goals is to extend further concepts from group theory into the language of association schemes, starting from the case of schemes arising from distance-regular graphs.

• Bridging genotype and phenotype to decipher the synthesis pathways of bioactive compounds in Helichrysum italicum, leading partner, leader at UP dr. Alenka Baruca Arbeiter, UP FAMNIT

Medicinal plants are valuable sources of bioactive compounds, making them desirable for cultivation. Through agronomic research, their quality, sustainability, and profitability can be significantly enhanced. Immortelle or curry plant (Helichrysum italicum) is one of the most remarkable and iconic medicinal plants of the Mediterranean area and represents an outstanding reservoir of bioactive compounds with unique biological properties. The major objective of the proposed project is to comprehensively discover the main genetic factors that direct the synthesis of bioactive compounds in H. italicum which represents the first such approach in the study of H. italicum.

• Integer flow through vertex-transitive graphs: A study of symmetry in graphs, leading partner, leader at UP dr. Milad Ahanjideh, UP FAMNIT

The exploration of graph symmetry is important in graph theory and affects many areas. By understanding the symmetries, we can learn more aboutthe graph structures. Graphs with a high degree of symmetry, especially those like vertex-transitive graphs (e.g., Cayley graphs), typically displayregular patterns and recurrent structures, presenting opportunities for problem-solving strategies related to graph theory. This project ambitiouslyseeks not only to explore the structure and parameters of graphs exhibiting a certain degree of symmetry but also to pioneer innovativemethodologies and insights that could redefine our understanding and application of graph symmetries.

HORIZON WIDERA

LETSGROW -  Bridging Academia and Industry for Sustainable Agri-Food, partner, leading partner Universidade Catolica Portuguesa – UCP, member at T4EU, leader at UP dr. Michael Mrissa, UP FAMNIT

ARIS PARTNER PROJECTS 

• Personalised medicine of IgA vasculitis, basic project, leading organization UL UKC, leader at UP dr. Matjaž Hladnik, UP FAMNIT
• Integration of two indigenous breeds of small livestock into a mixed grazing system; ethology, genomics, productivity and biodiversity of grasslands, basic project, lead organisation UM, UP lead Dr. Elena Bužan, UP FAMNIT
• Insects and microalgae: a functional feed substitute for breeding grayling for improved reproduction and resistance, basic project, lead organisation UL, UP lead Dr Elena Bužan, UP FAMNIT

​ARIS – BILATREAL COOPERATION PROJECTS

• Distance-regularized graphs, Terwilliger algebras, linear codes and combinatorial structures, dr. Blas Fernandez, UP FAMNIT

The purpose of the project is to investigate 2-Y-homogeneous properties of distance-polynomial regular graphs and classify all 2-Y-homogeneous distance-biregular graphs. The outcomes of the research will not only be applicable in graph theory but also in other areas of mathematics such as algebraic combinatorics and combinatorial designs.

• Directed graphs in commutative association schemes and associated codes, dr. Safet Penjič, UP IAM

In this project, we plan to construct codes from the structure of a graph that is living in a commutative association scheme. In the paper Monzillo and Penjić introduce directed distance-regular graphs, giving a definition of the P-polynomial commutative association scheme in the sense of equitable partition of a graph. We plan to obtain codes from this equitable partition in similar meaner as was done by project leader from Croatian side.

NEW PROJECTS OF BILATERAL RESEARCH COOPERATION WITH VILNIUS TECH UNIVERSITY

• Fungal Melanin: Enemy or Friend? Evaluating its Role in Human Health and Antimicrobial Properties, leader at UP asist. dr. Anja Černoša, UP IAM

Fungal melanin, a complex biopolymer produced by many fungi, has attracted considerable attention due to its role in evading the immune system and its unclear link to virulence. While it is known that melanized fungal cells exhibit increased resistance to the body's immune defenses, it remains uncertain whether melanin directly threatens human health. Conflicting findings on its involvement in virulence emphasizes the need for further investigation.

Friday, 20 December 2024 Presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation - Jordan Aiko Deja

We invite you to the presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation Designing Augmented Reality Training Systems for Piano and Jazz Improvisation of the student Jordan Aiko Deja, enrolled in the doctoral study programme Computer Science.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday, 8 January 2025 at 11.00 in the classroom FAMNIT-MP6 and via Zoom on link:

https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/297328207?pwd=S3Zpdk1VR3pjckNtWkQwKzlvcDR5UT09

Friday, 20 December 2024 The Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT hosted 11 organisations from practices

The Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT hosted an event titled "Practical Training for Students – Exchange of Opinions and Experiences" on Monday, December 16, 2024.

The event aimed to strengthen collaboration and present organizations and opportunities for students to gain work experience during their studies, particularly through internships and other forms of cooperation. Completing mandatory internships in a professional environment is a key requirement in the study programs Conservation Biology (bachelor's) and Nature Conservation (master's).

A total of 11 organizations attended the event, held at the 1.0 Building (Livade), with presentations delivered both in person and via Zoom.

"This marks the fourth year we've organized this event. Each year, I am impressed by the strong interest and openness of the organizations that participate. Collaboration with our students is a priority for them. I observe that organizations are eager to establish contact with students even before they enter the job market. We initiated these events to enhance the quality of internships and facilitate initial connections with organizations that are interested in collaborating with us and our students. This goal has been successfully achieved. Additionally, events like this offer students an invaluable first insight into the work and missions of various organizations in the fields of conservation, biology, education, and research. After all, these organizations could be their future employers," summarized Martin Senič, the internship coordinator and assistant at the Department of Biodiversity, UP FAMNIT.

We extend our gratitude to all participants and collaborators:

• Škocjan Caves Park, Slovenia
• Škocjanski Zatok Nature Reserve
• Triglav National Park
• Debeli Rtič Landscape Park
• G.R. Carli High School – Ginnasio Koper-Capodistria
• National Institute of Biology
• Piran Aquarium
• Morigenos – Slovenian Marine Mammal Society
• Kozjansko Park
• REVIVO – Institute for ichthyological and ecological research
• The Faculty of Environmental Protection, Velenje

Tuesday, 17 December 2024 Invitation to the defense of the diploma thesis – Olga Pugacheva (Bioinformatics, 1st cycle)

Olga Pugacheva, a student of the study program of Bioinformatics, 1st cycle, will present the diploma thesis entitled Prediction of protein temperature factor using neural networks on Thursday, 19 December 2024 at 12:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP5.

You are all kindly invited!

Tuesday, 10 December 2024 Invitation to the defense of the Master’s Thesis - Tina Mezeg (Psychology, 2nd cycle)

On Monday, 16 December 2024, at 12:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP6, Tina Mezeg, a student of the master's study program Psychology, 2nd cycle, will present her Master's Thesis entitled Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Interoceptive Awareness in the Context of Addiction Treatment.

You are all kindly invited!

Tuesday, 10 December 2024 Invitation to the defense of the Master’s Thesis - Adisa Hodžić (Mathematical Sciences, 2nd cycle)

On Tuesday, 17 December 2024, at 10:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP1, Adisa Hodžić, a student of the master's study program Mathematical Sciences, 2nd cycle, will present her Master's Thesis entitled Partial geometries with regular automorphism groups.

You are all kindly invited!

Friday, 6 December 2024 14th European Vertebrate Management Conference in Slovenia

The Faculty of Environmental Protection together with partner organisations (University of Primorska: The Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies; University of Ljubljana: Biotechnical Faculty; The Julius Kühn Institute; Hunting Association of Slovenia; and the Slovenian Forestry Institute) is organising the 14th European Conference on Vertebrate Management, which will take place in Ankaran, Slovenia, between 12th and 16th May 2025.

Building on tradition with a new vision

The conference is the next step in a chain of previous meetings known as EVPMCs, but this time with an added focus oninclusivity to all vertebrate species as well as different management issues, including ecology, monitoring and conservation. EVMC 2025 will serve as a progressive platform to present insights into recent findings on vertebrate ecology, ecosystem role/value of different species, hunting, behaviour, intra- and interspecific interactions, human-wildlife coexistence, conflicts, and population management.

Expanding knowledge frontiers in vertebrate ecology

The conference will focus on the latest and the most exciting topics covering a wide range of disciplines and taxa including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals, lagomorphs, ungulates, mesocarnivores, and large predators.

Topics

• Ecology, physiology and behaviour
• Taxonomy and genetics
• Population monitoring and management
• Human-animal conflicts and social dimension
• (Invasive) alien vertebrates
• Crop and urban systems
• Health, zoonotic pathogens and parasites
• Rodenticide resistance
• New tools and methods

Connecting a global community

EVMC 2025 will bring together a diverse international community of experts and researchers to share experiences, present new findings and initiate collaborations that will shape the future of vertebrate management. Alongside stimulating scientific exchanges, the conference also offers an excellent opportunity to foster friendships and strengthen global networks in the beautiful setting of Slovenia’s Adriatic coast.

For more information and registration visit: www.evmc.online

Wednesday, 4 December 2024 Together we are stepping UP for the fridge of Good Heart

The cooperation between UP and Radio Capris has been going on successfully for many years, with UP being particularly associated with them at events for students (such as Orientation Days or StartUP). The campaign they run in December connects the wider community, which is why UP responded to the invitation to participate in the campaign both last year and this year. Radio Capris traditionally organises the December charity campaign "Fridge of a Warm Heart", which helps families in need in our region.

Last year, over 10 tons of supplies and €75,900 in financial donations were collected, brightening the holidays for as many as 940 children from the local community.

The amount of goods collected is not important - every donation is precious. 

• food products with a longer expiry date (pasta, rice, oil, sugar, breakfast cereals, etc.)
• treats for the festive season (chocolates, panettone, biscuits, jam, chocolate spread),
• personal care and hygiene products (shampoos, shower gels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap); and
• cleaning products.

They do not accept used toys or clothes.

The collection boxes are located in the Famnit lobby, accompanied by our joyfully decorated tree. 

Thank you for stepping up. We wish you a warm and colourful December! 

Monday, 2 December 2024 Overview of Projects Acquired in November

At the end of October, the Targeted Research Projects (CRPs) were confirmed, the parent ones had already been reported, and then we were delighted to have two more. In November, important projects were also acquired both for student research (PUŠ projects) and to continue the work of our researchers (ARIS). 

UP FAMNIT received two ARIS projects, while UP IAM received one; all are described below.

ARIS PROJECTS

The emergence and nature of compositional thought through predictive processing

Project lead: dr. Danaja Rutar

Project type: basic project

Lead organization: UP FAMNIT

ABOUT THE PROJECT: Humans are unique in their ability to think infinitely many thoughts by re-combining concepts – ability that relies on compositional representations. Compositionality means that a limited number of primitives (key operations or functions that underlie understanding of concepts) can be flexibly re-combined to produce more complex thoughts according to some combinatorial rules. Whilst a key feature of human higher cognition, interestingly, young children do not possess compositional representations. Our project aims to establish the theoretical and empirical foundations for understanding the emergence and the structure of logical compositional representations in predictive processing (PP). We will address this aim through investigating two developmental and a PP objective. Our first objective: is to examine what the structure of such pre-compositional representations is and how they develop into compositional representations. The second objective is to investigate what set of primitives and compositional rules underlies compositional representations and whether this set efficiently minimises prediction error. The third objective is to cast the findings from the first two objectives in terms of the PP mechanisms. PP is a unifying theory of cognition, perception, and action, explaining them through a single set of core mechanisms, thus promising a great explanatory power (Clark, 2013).

Linear codes through special classes of functions–relationship and design

Project lead: dr. Enes Pasalic

Project type: basic project

Lead organization: UP IAM

ABOUT THE PROJECT: The main goal of this project is to refine our understanding of certain combinatorial objects (mainly some specific classes of (vectorial) Boolean functions) and the design of linear codes that are characterized with some additional properties that are proved useful in certain cryptographic applications. To name a few, these applications may concern implementation of secret sharing schemes (using minimal linear codes) or error-correcting codes in the context of postquantum cryptography (via self-orthogonal codes). The proposed project aims at finding further connections between certain important discrete structures which may increase our knowledge about their structural behaviour.

Exploring the analgesic potential of herkinorin: an integrated approach to safer opioids

Project lead: dr. Samo Lešnik

Project type: basic project

Lead organization: UM FKKT

UP partner: UP FAMNIT

ABOUT THE PROJECT: in the acquisition of information

PUŠ in the Workplace 2024–2027

On November 15, the UP received confirmation of funding for projects under the call for Problem-Based Learning for Students in the Workplace: Business, Non-Business, and Nonprofit Sectors in the Local/Regional Environment 2024–2027, abbreviated as PUŠ in the Workplace 2024–2027. Thanks to this funding, we will implement 20 projects next year, 14 in collaboration with business entities and 7 in partnership with nonprofit organizations or institutions. > MORE

More about all UP projects > HERE

Friday, 29 November 2024 Zois Prizes awarded

On Thursday, November 28, 2024, this year's Zois Prizes and Recognitions, the highest national awards for achievements in the field of scientific research and development in the Republic of Slovenia, and the Puh Prizes and Recognitions, the highest national awards for inventions, technological and non-technological developments and the application of scientific knowledge in all fields of science in the introduction of innovations into economic and social practice, were awarded at a gala event in the Gallus Hall of the Cankarjev dom. They are awarded to researchers and innovators whose achievements have made a lasting contribution to the development of scientific research, development and innovation in the Republic of Slovenia.

This year, three UP employees are among the recipients announced in October at the event organized by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, which also awards the prizes.

This year, three UP employees Prof. Dr. Tomaž Grušovnik and Prof. Dr. Vito Vitrih received the Zois Acknowledgment, and Prof. Dr. Igor Klep received the Zois Award - we would like to congratulate them all on this award.

Among the recipients of the Zois Prize for significant scientific and research achievements in the field of cardiovascular medicine is also Prof. Dr. Mitja Lainščak, who participates in the study process at UP FVZ as a lecturer and whom we also congratulate!

The prize, named after the Slovenian researcher Žiga Zois, has been awarded in Slovenia since 1998 to all outstanding researchers whose work has had a lasting impact on scientific research and development in the Republic of Slovenia and has made a significant contribution to its development.

Foto: Peter Irman (for MVZI)

The Zois Acknowledgment for significant achievements in the field of numerical mathematics will be awarded to Prof. Dr. Vito Vitrih, UP IAM, UP FAMNIT.

Prof. Dr Vito Vitrih's research in numerical mathematics and computer-aided geometric design has contributed significantly to more efficient solutions to engineering challenges and to advances in robotics, computer graphics and animation. His contribution to isogeometric analysis is particularly valuable as it helps improve technological processes and the design of industrial products. By developing new mathematical tools, he strengthens the link between theoretical knowledge and industrial application.

The Zois Award for outstanding achievements in the field of algebra and its applications will be awarded to Prof. Dr. Igor Klep, UP FAMNIT, UL FMF.

Prof. Dr Igor Klep is one of the most incisive and internationally renowned Slovenian mathematicians, especially in the application of algebra to quantum physics, functional analysis and computational mathematics. He has solved one of the key problems in matrix theory, which had remained unsolved for almost 40 years, and together with his colleagues he has proved important properties of matrix bundles, opening up new areas of research in algebra. His work also includes the application of mathematical theories to quantum physics, where he and his colleagues have contributed to a better understanding of quantum networks. 

The Zois Acknowledgment, for outstanding achievements in the field of environmental and animal ethics goes to Prof. Dr. Tomaž Grušovnik, UP PEF.

Friday, 29 November 2024 Ana Slavec, PhD, elected President of the Slovenian Society for Open Science (SSOZ)

The Slovenian Open Science Community, which brings together 37 members from various fields of science and research, is ending the year 2024 with decisive steps towards even more openness, collaboration and excellence. At the meeting on October 4, 2024, the members adopted new rules of procedure, which introduce updated internal regulations. The Rules of Procedure provide for the creation of the positions of President and Vice-President, enabling more effective governance of the community, which strives for accessibility and transparency of scientific work.

It is with great pleasure and pride that we inform you that Dr. Ana Slavec, Assistant Professor and Research Associate at the UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies and Research Associate at InnoRenew CoE, has been elected as the first Chair of the Slovenian Open Science Community at the next meeting on November 15, 2024. Dr. Sebastian Dahle, Assistant Professor and Research Associate at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Biotechnology, will take over the position of Vice Chair alongside her. Both are also long-standing members of the Young Academy, renowned researchers and experts in open research and committed advocates of open science.

   
                  Doc. Dr. Ana Slavec from the Department of Applied Natural Sciences UP FAMNIT

Dr. Ana Slavec, who has been working in the field of open science for eight years, said upon her election: "The community was founded to create an open and inclusive research environment based on transparency and collaboration. In doing so, it aims to ensure equitable access to knowledge and to promote innovation and societal development. The goals we are committed to are strengthening collaboration between scientific institutions, researchers and the public, improving the accessibility of research results and raising awareness of the importance of open science for societal development. " She also pointed out that one of their main goals is "... to expand our membership, so we of course welcome all who share our values and are interested in participating in this community. Membership is open to academic, research and educational institutions as well as other public and private institutions, associations and infrastructures. Membership is also open to individuals who can actively participate in our working groups and other activities. "

The statement continues: "... My election is a great honor and recognition for my previous work and an opportunity to influence the further development of this community and open science in Slovenia. At the same time, I feel a great responsibility to justify the trust placed in me."

The Slovenian Open Science Community is a central platform for promoting free access to scientific publications and data, for networking researchers and for involving decision-makers in the development of open science policy. The community consists of a broad spectrum of members from different disciplines who are experts in various areas of open science, from open publications, open publishing, research data management, open science infrastructures, copyright and research evaluation. Together, they will oversee the implementation of the Open Science policy and work to make Open Science the standard for research. The new rules and new leadership symbolize the continuous development and commitment to goals like these:

• Strengthening collaboration between scientific institutions, researchers and the general public,
• improving access to research results and
• raising awareness of the importance of open science for society and development.

The SSOZ actively brings researchers together and promotes cooperation and the exchange of knowledge. In this way, it makes an important contribution to the creation of a scientific environment based on accessibility, transparency and innovation. The new administrative structure will further support these activities and consolidate the position of the Slovenian Open Science community as an important partner in the development of open research and innovation in Slovenia.

The new leadership, with Dr. Slavec as President and Dr. Dahle as Vice President, brings fresh energy and a clear vision for the future. Both elected representatives emphasized their commitment to continuing the excellent work of the community, communicating effectively with the various stakeholders and working to strengthen its position and reputation nationally and internationally.

The Slovenian Open Science community will enter 2025 with a clear vision and new opportunities to collaborate, build bridges and create a progressive, connected scientific community. Together we will create science that is accessible to all!

Thursday, 28 November 2024 UP Alumni New Year's toast

We would like to invite you to the traditional gathering of the alumni of the University of Primorska, where we will socialize, have fun and toast the upcoming challenges and adventures that the year 2025 will bring us. This year's gathering will take place on 12 December 2024, at 17.00 in the Hall of the UP Armerija, Titov trg 5, 6000 Koper.

• When? Thursday, 12 December 2024, at 5 pm.
• Where? UP Armerija Lobby, Titov trg 5, 6000 Koper
• Registration: via the e-form HERE.

Programme:

• Preparations from 12.00 to 16.30 (room set-up, catering, music)
• 17.00 Start
• 17.10 to 17.30 Official speeches and toast
• 17.30 to 18.30 Banquet with musical accompaniment
• 18.40 Surprise
• 19.00 Closure

The project is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. The project is implemented in accordance with the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) under the development area Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, component Strengthening competencies, in particular digital competencies and those required by the new professions and the green transition (C3 K5), for the investment measure Investment F. Implementation of pilot projects, the results of which will serve as a basis for the preparation of a roadmap for the reform of higher education for a green and resilient transition to a Society 5.0: project Pilot Projects for the Reform of Higher Education for a Green and Resilient Transition.

Wednesday, 27 November 2024 Awards for inclusive UP students

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, awards were presented to all students who went the extra mile and sacrificed their free time to help their peers. This has not only created a great supportive environment, but also a broad group that works in different areas, but also connects in their activities and creates bonds for life. The support system is broad and includes different but interconnected groups of students - student tutors, UP Student Council members and ESN Primorska members - who all received awards today prepared by UP Student Tutor Coordinator Alja Polanec, UP Student Council President Lana Erjavec and ESN Primorska President Emilija Toth. They also thanked all those who work with them, especially the tutors and those who support them - the coordinators and other support services.

The commitment and support of the tutors helped many new students to settle into their studies by guiding and motivating them to integrate into the academic environment. The student councils were responsible for representing students' interests, organizing useful and interesting events and actively contributing to a better learning environment. The Erasmus student network Primorska is indispensable for international networking, creating memorable experiences for international students and fostering a sense of integration and belonging. "We have often joined forces, helped each other, exchanged ideas and encouraged each other, building not only successful projects but also lasting relationships based on trust and respect. Through all these challenges and successes, we have shown that together we can overcome boundaries and build a community that not only achieves its goals but also inspires others. The year behind us has been full of work, learning, fun and many memorable moments that have brought us together as a team and friends."

The participants were welcomed by the UP Vice-Rector for Education, Prof. Dr. Tina Štemberger, and thanked by the UP Vice-Rector for Internationalisation, Prof. Dr. Michaël Mrissa, and the UP Tutor Coordinator,  Prof. Dr. Sonja Čotar Konrad. The thanks were also echoed by the coordinator of the tutoring system at UP, Petra Majcen.

At the award ceremony, the following awards were presented to the student tutors, members of the UP Student Council and members of ESN Primorska

The UP FAMNIT students were awarded by their parent tutor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vesna Jug, and the coordinator of tutors of UP FAMNIT students, Eva Krebl.

• The following students received the awards: Ajda Oražem (tutor), Anastasija Anteljevic (tutor), Anastasija Temova (ESN), Andrej Natev (tutor, ESN), Anđela Končar (tutor), Artem Nesterov (ŠS UP FAMNIT), Bogdan Šinik (ESN), Danilo Lazić (tutor), Diar Gashi (tutor, ESN), Dmytro Tupkalenko (ESN), Doris Mujić (ESN), Dunja Kostić (tutor, ESN), Eva Krebl (tutor), Gabriela Laznik Zalaznik (ŠS UP, ŠS UP FAMNIT), Hasib Kolaković (tutor), Jelena Pašagić (tutor), Jovana Lukić (tutor, ESN), Lana Jurišić (ESN), Miha Rupar (tutor), Minja Tomašević (ESN), Nika Varlamova (tutor, ESN), Nuša Šijanec (tutor, ESN), Teodora Ilić (tutor, ŠS UP, ŠS UP FAMNIT), Teodora Kitanovska (tutor), Zhivko Stoimchev (tutor, ŠS UP FAMNIT, ESN) in Nevena Stojnić (tutor, ŠS UP).

     
                                                                          UP FAMNIT tutors

We would like to thank all the student for their work and the hours they dedicate to students throughout the academic year and wish them every success in the future.

Wednesday, 27 November 2024 The first video of Famnits' excursion into the mathematical universe 2024/25 in now available: To Infinity and Beyond

You are invited to watch the first video of this year's series Famnits' Excursion into the mathematical universe: To Infinity and Beyond. The lecture was delivered by Dr. René Rodríguez Aldama (UP FAMNIT and UP IAM). The lecture took place live and via the ZOOM platform. 

About the lecture: In this talk, the lecturer presented the concept of infinity, which plays an important role in our society and philosophy. The lecturer explained the definition of infinity as used in mathematics and explored some of its forms and implications. From demonstrating that there are several types of infinity to partitioning a pea and reassembling it to create the sun, mathematical infinity exhibits many interesting properties—some of which are perhaps counterintuitive or paradoxical. 

About the lecturer: René Rodríguez Aldama was born in 1994 in La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico. He received a B.S. degree in physics and mathematics from the Michoacan University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo (UMSNH), Morelia, Mexico, in 2016. René obtained a joint M.S. degree in pure mathematics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and UMSNH in 2018, where his mathematical interests were set theory, logic and topology. In 2022, he received a PhD degree in mathematics from the University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia. Since 2022, he has been a Researcher with the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, and the Andrej Marušič Institute. His current research interests include algebra, coding theory, combinatorics, and cryptology. 

The event was organized as part of the European Researchers' Night project.

The initiative is promoted by the European Union to bring science closer to society and increase young people's interest in science. The European Researchers' Night takes place simultaneously in 23 countries and over 400 cities across Europe and beyond.

The project oooScience! - Fake News and Conspiracy Theories? Let's Empower (Ourselves for) Science! is funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions through the HORIZON-MSCA-2023-CITIZENS-01-01 call: European Researchers' Night and Researchers at Schools 2024–2025. The project is financed by the European Union.  

Monday, 25 November 2024 Growing in space: the role of plants (and botanists) in space mission

You are invited to attend a seminar by visiting researcher Rosario Rummo from the Department of Biodiversity, University of Naples Federico II.

Rosario Rummo is a PhD student in Botany and plant ecology in urban environments at the University Federico II in Naples. Although his PhD is more focused on studies of plants on Erath, he will talk about the projects that his research group has undertaken for many years in collaboration with NASA, ESA, ASI and other partners, with which he collaborated partly during his first year of PhD.

The lecture is primarily intended for students of the General Botany course, but we invite everyone interested in the topic to attend.

When: Tuesday, November 26, from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM

Where: Lecture room FAMNIT 3 at the Livade campus

Friday, 22 November 2024 UP FAMNIT Student Council has elected a new student leadership

At the constitutive session held on 20 November 2024, Artem Nesterov, a student of Mathematics, was elected as President, Jakob Beber, a student of Computer Science, as vice president, and Lara Krajnc, a student of Biopsychology, as Secretary. In addition, the students will be represented, besides the president of the Student Council, by Gabriela Laznik Zalaznik, a student of Psychology, who will also have the role of the UP FAMNIT representative in the Senate of the University of Primorska. 

On Thursday, November 14, 2024, elections for the UP FAMNIT Student Council were held.  The following students were elected to the UP FAMNIT Student Council for the 2024/2025 academic year (listed in alphabetical order by last name): 

Undergraduate Studies: 

• Matic Bončina, Computer Science (Slovenian program), 
• Vladimir Bondarev, Mathematics, 
• Anđela Bošnjak, Biopsychology, 
• Jernej Flisar, Computer Science (Slovenian program),  
• Jernej Grubar, Conservation Biology, 
• Miloš Jakovljević, Bioinformatics, 
• Pavel Jolakoski, Computer Science (English program), 
• Lana Jurišić, Bioinformatics, 
• Makar Korshunov, Mediterranean Agriculture,  
• Špela Možgan Nose, Biopsychology,  
• Artem Nesterov, Mathematics,  
• Zhivko Stoimchev, Computer Science (English program);

Postgraduate Studies: 

• Jakob Beber, Computer Science,  
• Lara Krajnc, Biopsychology,  
• Gabriela Laznik Zalaznik, Psychology 

We congratulate the members of the Student Council on their election and wish them much success in their work! 

Thursday, 21 November 2024 Invitation to the defense of the Master’s Thesis - Špela Bizjan (Psychology, 2nd cycle)

On Thursday, 28 November 2024, at 12:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP5, Špela Bizjan, a student of the master's study program Psychology, 2nd cycle, will present her Master's Thesis entitled Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Work and Organizational Psychology: Ethical Aspects  in Human Resource Management.

You are all kindly invited!

Thursday, 21 November 2024 UP FAMNIT hosted the 3rd Consortium Meeting as part of the PRO-Coast project

The third consortium meeting within the PRO-Coast project successfully concluded between 20 and 21 November at UP FAMNIT. The meeting gathered ecologists and researchers from 20 organizations across 14 countries. In addition to Slovenia, participating countries include Belgium, Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany, Estonia, Romania, Montenegro, Cyprus, Malta, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Ireland.

Throughout the two-day meeting, partners shared their progress and achievements, addressed their challenges, and outlined ambitious future objectives. 

For this project, the Molecular group of the Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT is conducting a case study in the Strunjan area in partnership with the Strunjan Landscape Park. Researchers are gathering data on animal sightings via the SRNA application and collaborating with different stakeholders to examine the interactions between humans and wildlife. By the end of the project, this will contribute to reducing conflicts between them.

About the project:

Around 40 precent of Europeans live within 100km of the coast, where natural services continue to be lost that provide food, water, health and recreation. This loss of natural resources significantly impacts certain population groups, with the effects being more evident for some than others. To address this, the project partners in the PRO-Coast initiative aim to assist local communities in preserving and restoring ecosystem services across Europe. They also promote the use of local knowledge and the implementation of activities that contribute to the conservation of terrestrial, marine, and other natural resources, as well as species protection. To this end, stakeholders are actively engaged through various events, including workshops, educational seminars, conferences, and online forums.

The meeting of all 20 project partners enabled an in-depth discussion of the progress made in the first year of the project, as well as strategic planning for the upcoming year, thereby setting the foundation for 2025. By the end of the project, the partners aim to develop an effective strategy for improving environmental policy and promoting sustainable development in local communities. The project currently includes a total of 10 case studies from various coastal cities across Europe.

Thursday, 21 November 2024 First Doctoral Student Mentors Meeting

The Research, Development, and Arts Department organised the First Doctoral Student Mentors Meeting at UP on Wednesday, 20 November 2024. The event was attended by mentors (as well as co-mentors) of doctoral students pursuing their studies at UP.

The event's central theme was What does it mean to be a good mentor? There are many answers, but the opening thought was: "A mentor must have the courage to share their desire to seek the undiscovered with young people and guide them in their way over any obstacles that lie in the way." Mentoring is therefore much more than a scientific collaboration - it is a crucial partnership between two or more participants that shapes the future of science. Above all, mentors contribute to nurturing the next generation of scientists and future mentors.

The opening speech by the Vice-Rector for Scientific Research and Development of the UP, Prof. Dr. Štefan Miklavič, was followed by presentations by two mentors from the UP. First, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Klen Čopič Pucihar (UP FAMNIT) presented how his work in the field of human-computer interaction and the HICUP laboratory involves mentoring doctoral students - he mentored two doctoral students in 2024.
Prof. Dr. Štefan Bojnec titled his talk "What to look for in mentoring" and shared his extensive experience in mentoring - he has mentored 54 candidates at level Master's level and 17 candidates at PhD level. In recent years, he has been nominated by the Slovenian Young Researchers' Association as Mentor of the Year for the best mentors of doctoral students.

After presenting the challenges, experiences and good practices, Kristina Maršič and Tjaša Vidmar from the UP Research, Development and Arts Department presented the activities to support mentors implemented at UP. The presentations were followed by a discussion.

Tuesday, 19 November 2024 Be part of the ARCHI-SKIN team

ARCHI-SKIN researchers seek new collaborators to work on the ongoing ERC European Research Council-funded project "Bioinspired living skin for architecture" (ARCHI-SKIN). The post also represents an opportunity to collaborate on the newly funded REMEDY project, which will be funded by EIC #101185862 starting in February 2025.

Dr Sandak's research team is dedicated to developing biofilms that protect the surfaces of biomaterials, concrete, plastics and metals. Its exceptional functionality and value will be its natural self-healing property. ARCHI-SKIN's novel approach to materials protection will accelerate the development of engineered living materials that can interact, adapt and respond to environmental change. The project provides a new dimension and changes the way we currently perceive, experience, understand, design, use and transform materials. 

Dr Sandak is also the first female scientist in Slovenia to be awarded the European Innovation Council's Pathfinder project.

Her team has four vacancies. They need an individual to:

• Microbial communication - postdoctoral position available. Details available HERE
• Design of microbial communities - postdoctoral position available. Details available HERE
• Analytical chemist or analytical instrument specialist. Details available HERE
• Laboratory Technician.

Details available > HERE.

Friday, 15 November 2024 Chinese University of Agriculture Shandong visits UP

On Thursday, 14 November 2024, the University of Primorska hosted a delegation from the Shandong University of Agriculture from the eastern part of China. The visit was attended by Prof. Lin Hai, Vice-Rector of the University, and Prof. Wang Hongwei, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Agronomy, who were accompanied by a driver.

They were received by the UP management - Rector, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, Prof. Dr. Ademir Hujdurovic, (Dean of UP FAMNIT), Prof. Dr. Irena Lazar (Dean of UP FHŠ), Prof. Dr. Dr. Haiwei, (Dean of UP FHŠ), Prof. Haiwei and Prof. Haiwei. Vito Vitrih (Director of UP IAM), Aleš Oven (Assistant Rector), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Neva Čebron (Head of the Confucius Classroom Koper), Andreja Pobega Bizjak (UP International Office) and Tanja Labus (Head of the UP FAMNIT International Office).

The opening greeting by the Rector, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, and a promotional video on the activities of the Shandong University of Agriculture were followed by presentations by the Rector, Prof. Lin Hai, and the Vice-Dean, Prof. Wang Hongwei, in which they outlined in more detail the research activities and the international involvement of the Shandong University of Agriculture. During the discussion, the participants mentioned the possibilities of cooperation between the two universities, joint research projects and possible international exchanges of students and staff of the University of Primorska and Shandong University of Agriculture. To this end, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar and Prof. Lin Hai signed an inter-institutional agreement under the Erasmus+ programme. The visit ended with a guided tour of the laboratories at the university campus in Livade.

Thursday, 14 November 2024 International Day at UP FAMNIT

Yesterday, November 13, 2024, students and staff gathered in the lobby of UP FAMNIT to obtain more information about the faculty and university level exchange opportunities.

We welcomed participants to International Day, with a welcome address by the head of the International Office, Tanja Labus, who presented the benefits of exchanges, the available opportunities, and the application procedure before, during, and after the exchange. This was followed by a presentation by the president of the T4EU Student Association, Lana Erjavec, who interactively introduced the T4EU network, which connects eleven universities from various countries, including the University of Primorska. She also described the network's operations and the activities that our students can also be a part of.

After the presentations, participants had an excellent opportunity to approach the UP FAMNIT International Office at the info desk, where our staff answered questions and provided all the necessary details students need to know before going abroad. Ira Mešiček, a colleague from the International Office, shared some impressions from the event, who noticed a considerable student interest in various types of exchanges.

"I am pleased with the event's success, particularly with the expressed interest in mobility opportunities and the many smiling faces, which were largely thanks to all the students who actively participated in the preparation and execution of the event. Based on the feedback and impressions from the participants, the International Office will continue to focus on sharing information and promoting student mobility in the future."

The main part of the event was dedicated to a social fair, which took place in a relaxed atmosphere with various thematic sections. At the fair, students who had already experienced an exchange or were currently part of one shared their experiences with those who would soon join this life-changing journey. Throughout the fair, some students also shared their Erasmus experiences with us and summarized their impressions.

Aleks Vincek, a student in the Computer Science programme, chose to do a study exchange in Italy and says he wouldn't change his experience for anything. 

"My exchange brought me numerous new experiences and friendships. For example, we are now arranging to meet up with friends in Prague. I also learned Italian and had unforgettable moments that I wouldn’t exchange for anything." 

Andrej Natev, a student in the Computer Science program, encouraged all students to consider practical exchanges.

"I did my exchange in Poland, where I participated in a practical exchange at a company that was very open to international students. I quickly made friends with my colleagues, and we attended various events together. During the exchange, I acquired new knowledge in software development, learning new technologies for artificial intelligence. I recommend the experience to all students, and I believe they won’t regret applying!"

In addition to the students sharing their experiences, the UP FAMNIT Student Association, ESN Primorska, GDG Primorska, the T4EU network, and the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) also presented at the fair.

The event served as an excellent opportunity for networking, exchanging opinions, and celebrating the rich cultural diversity and the importance of intercultural experiences! 

Exchanges at UP FAMNIT

At UP FAMNIT, we offer study and practical exchanges through the Erasmus+ and CEEPUS programs, as well as other individual bilateral agreements. For most programs, the requirement to participate in an exchange is the completion of at least the first year of an undergraduate study program and active student status.

T4EU Network

Eleven universities from various countries, including the University of Primorska, have come together to form a unified European university – Transform4Europe (T4EU). Situated in border regions undergoing significant changes, these universities play a key role in the development of these areas.

Together, they have over 150,000 students and more than 10,000 researchers, creating a multilingual and multinational campus with joint study programs, courses, research projects, events at all locations, and numerous other initiatives.

If you were unable to attend the event, we are available to answer any questions via email at international@famnit.upr.si, or you can visit us during office hours (from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) in the International Office on the 2nd floor UP FAMNIT.

Partner institutions available > HERE

Tuesday, 12 November 2024 The second Innovations and dots event provides an overview of innovation at UP

On Monday, 11 November 2024, the University of Primorska (UP) and the Centre for Knowledge Development and Transfer (CRDK) UP FM organised the "Innovation and Dot" event to showcase the importance of innovation for research and development and to bring together a wide range of stakeholders with the academic and research environment - the local community, municipalities and representatives of the economy.

The address by the Rector of UP, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, was followed by a presentation of the view of the CRPZ UP FM and a speech by Mr. Robert Rakar, Director of the Primorska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who described the importance of cooperation as a driver of entrepreneurship and innovation. Afterwards, in a discussion on the role of collaboration in successful stories of social innovation through the experiences of UP researchers, students and entrepreneurs in the region, the participants summarised their views and found new opportunities for common progressive ideas.

Presentations of current innovative social projects at UP member institutions took place both at the event itself and at the exhibition on display in the UP Armeria Hall. The innovation was presented also by UP FAMNIT and IAM:

UP FAMNIT and UP IAM: Smart Floor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Tošić, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jernej Vicic, Dr. Niki Hrovatin and Milan Milivojčević  

The project aims at detecting falls in elderly people at home or in nursing homes, using artificial intelligence or embedded sensors. In addition to detecting falls in the elderly, the smart floor also detects other activities such as sitting, walking, movement, location and step counting. The project aims to support elderly people at home or in nursing homes with a system that would offer them continuous monitoring and support. This type of system should be designed in a versatile way and be usable in healthcare settings as well as in other sectors.

Other presentations: 

• UP FVZ: Mobile multifunctional isokinetic device for excentric exercise, Oskar Cvjetičanin, prof. dr. Nejc Šarabon
• UP FTŠ-Turistica: IoT-enabled Sustainable Tourism Gateway, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emil Juvan
• UP FM: Project TeachXR: Virtual, Augmented and Augmented Reality in Education, doc. dr. Tine Bertoncel
• UP FHŠ: UNESCO Chair at the University of Primorska and Innovative Approaches in University Education, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katja Hrobat Virloget and others 
• UP PEF: Storytelling - (self-)advocacy of people with disabilities, doc. dr. Karmen Drljić 

Monday, 11 November 2024 First Famnits' excursion into the mathematical universe 2024/25: To Infinity and Beyond

Join us for the first excursion of the 2024/25 series,

with the lecture To Infinity and Beyond, which will take place

on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 4:00 PM, in Lecture Room 3 at UP FAMNIT and via ZOOM. 

The lecture will be given by Dr. René Rodríguez Aldama, UP FAMNIT and UP IAM

About the lecture: We can all agree that the concept of infinity plays an important role in our society and our own philosophy, but what exactly is "the infinity"? In this talk, we will uncover the definition of infinity as used in mathematics and we will delve into some of its shapes and consequences. From showing that there are several infinities up to partitioning a pea and reassembling it to create the sun, the mathematical infinity has a lot of interesting properties, perhaps, some of them are counterintuitive or paradoxical.

About lecturer: René Rodríguez Aldama was born in 1994 in La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico. He received the B.S. degree in physics and mathematics from the Michoacan University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo (UMSNH), Morelia, Mexico, in 2016. René obtained the joint M.S. degree in pure mathematics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and UMSNH in 2018, where his mathematical interests were set theory, logic and topology. In 2022, he received the Ph.D. degree in mathematics from the University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia. Since 2022, he has been a Researcher with the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, and the Andrej Marušič Institute. His current research interests include algebra, coding theory, combinatorics, and cryptology.

Thursday, 7 November 2024 Newly acquired UP projects in October

October brought projects at the national level and projects strengthening research cooperation with foreign institutions.

UP FAMNIT acquired the following project:

ARIS – BILATREAL COOPERATION PROJECTS

The following project has been awarded under the Call for proposals for (co-)financing of scientific research cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and the partner country - the Scandinavian and Baltic countries in the period 2025 – 2027:

• User Models for Explainable Recommender Systems (dr. Marko Tkalčič, UP FAMNIT)

Other acquired UP projects can be found > HERE

Monday, 4 November 2024 Should I stay or should I go? Seasonal space use of loggerhead sea turtle in the Adriatic Sea: The full video of 1st Famnits' Biological Evening is now available

The first lecture of the Famnits' Biological Evenings titled “Should I stay or should I go? Seasonal space use of loggerhead sea turtle in the Adriatic Sea,” was given by Matic Jančič, UP FAMNIT & Blue World Institute, via ZOOM. 

About the lecture: The Adriatic Sea is one of the most important marine habitats for loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean. Oceanic areas of the southern Adriatic provide epipelagic developmental habitat, while the Northern Adriatic is the largest neritic foraging habitat of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean. The thermal environment is a key factor in the biology of sea turtles, with thermal constraints becoming evident in winter at the lower limits of temperature valence. Winter distribution in the Adriatic Sea is poorly known with suggested southward movement patterns from the Bay of Trieste and the coasts of West Istria in the summer towards the Lošinj archipelago in winter.  We tracked 23 sea turtles to obtain data on their space use within the Adriatic Sea and delineate seasonal home ranges of sea turtles according to the temperature seasonality in the Adriatic Sea. The results provided a basis to evaluate the space use patterns of individual sea turtles in the Adriatic Sea combined with aggregated seasonal space use. Sea turtle space use intersected with existing and proposed Marine Protected Areas and overlapped with industrial fishers' efforts to provide recommendations for conservation.

About the lecturer: Matic is a PhD candidate enrolled at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, with the dissertation title ‘Spatial ecology and conservation of loggerhead sea turtles in the Adriatic Sea’ and is due to graduate in 2024. He is also a teaching assistant at the University of Primorska, Slovenia. He provides materials and supervision in labs and practical work for modules marine ecology, marine conservation biology, advanced topics in conservation biology, and biology and conservation of large vertebrates on the master’s study programme Nature Conservation. He has expertise in statistics and spatial modelling, including programming language R and geographic information system QGIS.      

Friday, 25 October 2024 International Day at UP FAMNIT

Are you still uncertain about your exchange? Do you have concerns or questions about administrative procedures, and recognition processes, or maybe you are looking just for practical advice on living abroad? 

We invite you to the International Day at UP FAMNIT, where you will gain invaluable information about various opportunities for study and practical mobility exchanges. 

Students and staff will join us to share inspiring stories, valuable advice, and practical tips on planning your international exchange. 

When and where? On Wednesday, November 13, from 13:30 to 17:00 in the FAMNIT lobby. 

Program and Activities: 

13:30–14:00: In the introductory part, we will begin with a brief presentation of student mobility within the Erasmus and T4EU programs, where you’ll learn more about the various opportunities they offer. 

14:00–17:00: We’ll continue with a social fair, where students will answer your questions. Social and creative activities will also be available. 

If you have any concerns, suggestions, questions, or experiences from your exchange, you’re welcome to share them in the exhibition area. 

Participants at the FAIR: 

• FAMNIT Student Council 
• ESN Primorska 
• GDSC Primorska
• T4EU Info Point (learn about its offerings and the opportunities it provides)  
• International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE)
• INTERNATIONAL OFFICE – Students can learn more about the list of partner institutions and receive practical info regarding accommodation etc. We will also be happy to answer questions from staff members considering an exchange.  
• ERASMUS Opportunities: Erasmus Internships and Erasmus Study Exchange – information on what to expect before, during, and after the exchange (students will join us to share their experiences in an informal environment). 

Wednesday, 23 October 2024 Invitation to the defense of the diploma thesis – Blaž Jerman (Computer Science, 1st cycle)

Blaž Jerman, a student of the study program of Computer Science, 1st cycle, will present the diploma thesis entitled Development of a 3D Voxel Game with an OpenGL ES Interface for Mobile Application Programming: Design and Implementation Process on Monday, 28 October 2024 at 09:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP7.

You are all kindly invited!

Wednesday, 23 October 2024 Research work by our colleagues from the Department of Biodiversity was successfully published in Scientific Data – a database of European vascular plant red lists

The diversity of vascular plant taxa in Europe is under threat. One of the first steps to ensure adequate conservation of organisms is to know their conservation status. 

National Red Lists are valuable tools for biodiversity conservation, providing information on how close a taxon is to extinction. However, there are still differences in the methods and implementation of these assessments across European countries, indicating gaps in conservation efforts at national and regional levels. To address these disparities, researchers from the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT have compiled and analyzed the latest national Red Lists of vascular plants in European countries, including some eastern Mediterranean countries.

As a result of this research, the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT has led the publication of 2 important scientific articles.

In the first paper, they present the analysis of the use of Red Lists by countries, i.e. what proportion of the countries’ flora is taken into account, to what extent the Red Lists are legally binding, which institutions oversee their compilation, how often they are compiled, what hinders their efforts to assess the risk of species extinction regularly, and so on. Please read about findings and conclusions here.

In the second paper, they have used the data from these European Red Lists to create a database of Red Lists of vascular plants. As the name suggests, it collects extinction risks for numerous European species and can allow us to understand not only national extinction risks but also risks at the European level. They anticipate that this database will be helpful to many researchers, policymakers and conservationists working to protect plant diversity in Europe. Read about the database and access the data here.

All these activities were developed as part of the COST Action ConservePlants.

Saturday, 19 October 2024 UP FAMNIT researchers among award recipients on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute

The Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG) is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. To mark this occasion, a formal event was held yesterday at the Union Hotel in the heart of Ljubljana.

Numerous distinguished guests gathered at the event. Among them was the keynote speaker, Assist. Prof. Dr. Aleš Žnidarič, Director of ZAG, along with Prof. Dr. José Torero from University College London and Dr. Vanja Samec. The guest of honor was Prof. Dr. Igor Papič, Minister for Higher Education, Science, and Innovation.

Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, rector of UP, and Prof. Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director, attended the event. UP and InnoRenew CoE have been successfully collaborating with ZAG for several years on various research projects and other activities. ZAG is also one of the founders of the InnoRenew CoE and was a key partner in the InnoRenew project, led by UP.

In addition to the mentioned guests, many representatives from domestic and international companies, as well as research institutes, participated at the event.

Several awards were also presented. Among the award recipients were Assist. Prof. Dr. Andrea Lucherini, who received the Turnšek award, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andraž Legat (also a member of the InnoRenew CoE Executive Board), who received the award for lifetime achievement. Both awardees are members of the Department of Applied Natural Sciences at UP FAMNIT.

On this significant anniversary, we sincerely congratulate ZAG and all awardees and look forward to continuing our successful cooperation in the future.

Friday, 18 October 2024 Vice-rector promoted 18 new Doctors of Science

On Thursday, 17 October 2024, a solemn promotion of Doctors of Science of the University of Primorska took place in the hall of the Armeria Palace in Koper. The Vice-rector of the University of Primorska prof. dr. Štefko Miklavič promoted 18 new Doctors of Science, who completed their doctoral studies between March and September 2024.  As of today, the University of Primorska has 360 Doctors of Science.

This year's candidates included 5 candidates who either speak Italian or have studied Italian, which is why the Italian consul in Koper, Mr. Giovanni Coviello, also attended the award ceremony.

A total of 18 candidates were therefore promoted at the two ceremonies:

• Ivan Smiljanić,
• dr. Silvija Komočar,
• dr. Arianna Carta,
• dr. Metka Malčić,
• dr. Maria Rosaria Graziano,
• dr. Rok Kobal,
• dr. Annalisa Brichese,
• dr. Vesna Vojvoda Gorjan,
• dr. Mirjana Kontestabile Rovis,
• dr. Nuwan Tharanga Attygalle,
• dr. Elham Motamedi Mohammadabadi,
• dr. Žiga Peljko,
• dr. Sanja Dolenec,
• dr. Cuauhtli Campos Mijangos,
• dr. Kaja Kastelic,
• dr. Mariem Zouari,
• dr. Nevena Pivač and
• dr. Nina Krohne

were graduated at the ceremony and in the (excused) absence: dr. Ivan Smiljanić and dr. Cuauhtli Campos Mijangos.

UP FAMNIT has 6 newly promoted Doctors of Science

Nuwan Tharanga Attygalle, who defended his doctoral dissertation at the UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies entitled »Improving interaction with radar-based gesture recognition when sensing through materials« under the mentorship of izr. prof. dr. Klen Čopič Pucihar and co-mentorship of izr. prof. dr. Matjaž Kljun.

Doctoral dissertation summary

»Improving interaction with radar-based gesture recognition when sensing through materials«

Gesture recognition with miniaturized millimeter-wave radar sensors has gained attention due to affordable radar chips and advances in deep learning. However, challenges remain, particularly in detecting gestures through materials. This thesis addresses these issues by identifying material properties affecting radar signals and developing a robust gesture classifier that works across various materials. Key contributions include optimizing the training process, minimizing the number of required materials, and demonstrating high-accuracy gesture detection on tangible objects.

Elham Motamedi Mohammadabadi, who defended her doctoral dissertation at the UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies entitled  »User and Item Modelling Using Eudaimonic and Hedonic Characteristics for Personalised Recommender Systems« under the mentorship of izr. prof. dr. Marko Tkalčič and co-mentorship of izr. prof. dr. Mehdi Elahi.

Doctoral dissertation summary

»User and Item Modelling Using Eudaimonic and Hedonic Characteristics for Personalised Recommender Systems«

In this PhD work, the impact of integrating psychology-informed features, particularly eudaimonic and hedonic experiences, into recommendation systems was explored. The potential for incorporating these qualities into state-of-the-art algorithms to enhance personalised recommendations has been demonstrated. Additionally, automatic models were developed to predict these characteristics for both users and items. The work provides a foundation for future efforts to use these insights in creating more explainable and interpretable recommendations.

Cuauhtli Campos Mijangos, who defended his doctoral dissertation at the UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies entitled  »Designing Interactive Paper Displays by Interlacing Physical and Digital Content Using Horizontal Touchscreens« under the mentorship of izr. prof. dr. Klen Čopič Pucihar and co-mentorship of izr. prof. dr. Matjaž Kljun.

Doctoral dissertation summary

»Designing Interactive Paper Displays By Interlacing Physical And Digital Content Using Horizontal Touchscreens«

This thesis investigates methods for seamlessly integrating paper with digital content by addressing the limitations of existing systems, particularly the lack of tools and hardware that facilitate interactions between physical and digital realms. In this context, this work introduces several innovative paper display technologies:

Dynamic Pinhole Paper, which enhances the resolution of digital content on a paper screen.

LightMeUp, a technology that allows for multi-stable visuals on printed content using pre-printed designs.

Hybrid Stylus, a novel tool designed to support interaction with both paper and tablet interfaces.

These contributions aim to enhance the interactivity and display quality of interactive paper systems, ultimately bridging the gap between paper and digital media.

​Mariem Zouari, who defended her doctoral dissertation at the UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies entitled  »Biocarbon-based waterborne functional coating for integrated adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of indoor volatile organic compounds« under the mentorship of izr. prof. dr. David DeVallance and co-mentorship of znan. sod. dr. Laetitie Marrot,

Doctoral dissertation summary

»Biocarbon-based waterborne functional coating for integrated adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of indoor volatile organic compounds«

The doctoral dissertation aimed to optimize the preparation of porous photocatalytic biocarbon for application in functional depolluting coatings to improve indoor air quality. The research focused on preparing biocarbon with tailored properties for optimal adsorption of formaldehyde, a common indoor air pollutant. Then, different methodologies were employed to develop and characterize an efficient adsorbent-photocatalyst system, specifically biocarbon-MnO2 hybrid particles. The photocatalytic biocarbon particles were successfully used to develop a functional coating for wood protection and indoor air remediation.

Nevena Pivač, who defended her doctoral dissertation at the UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies entitled  »Structure and algorithms for graph classes: new results on minimal separators and independent sets« under the mentorship of prof. dr. Martin Milanič.

Doctoral dissertation summary

»Structure and algorithms for graph classes: new results on minimal separators and independent sets«

The first part of the doctoral dissertation examines minimal separators in a graph, which are sets of vertices whose removal disconnects two predetermined vertices and are minimal under inclusion. Classes of graphs having small number of minimal separators are characterized, along with significant impact on algorithm development in these graph classes. Structural and algorithmic properties are provided for graph classes where every minimal separator is a union of two sets of pairwise adjacent vertices, generalizing known results on chordal graphs. In the second part of the dissertation the results concerning algorithmic problems related to finding the maximum independent set in a graph are presented.

Nina Krohne, who defended her doctoral dissertation at the UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies entitled »Suicidal Behavior in Women: the Role of Intimate Partner Violence and Resilience to Suicidality« under the mentorship of prof. dr. Vita Poštuvan and co-mentorship of prof. dr. Diego De Leo.

Doctoral dissertation summary

»Suicidal Behavior in Women: The Role of Intimate Partner Violence and Resilience to Suicidality«

The doctoral candidate explored the fundamental mechanisms of suicidal behavior in intimate partner violence survivors, with a particular focus on previously under-researched risk factors and resilience. This cross-sectional study includes a representative sample of 1,016 adult women from Slovenia. Employing robust statistical methods, including network and cluster analysis, the candidate highlighted the protective role of social support and developed a matrix model that serves as a theoretical foundation for interventions aimed at enhancing the mental health of women exposed to intimate partner violence.

We sincerely congratulate all the newly promoted doctors of science!

Friday, 18 October 2024 UP FAMNIT hosted the finals of the UPM competition

On Saturday, October 19, 2024, the final round of the University Programming Marathon 2024 (UPM) took place at the UP FAMNIT. Students from the University of Ljubljana, Maribor, and Primorska competed for the title of Slovenian champion, the champion of their respective universities, and a spot in the CERC 2024 competition, which will take place this year in Wrocław, Poland.

Out of 39 teams and 106 competitors, 18 of the best teams with 49 competitors made it to the finals. The third round took place separately at each of the three participating universities, while the final was held at UP FAMNIT. Throughout the competition, students used the following programming languages to solve tasks: C, C++, Python, and Java.

After 5 hours of solving 10 competition tasks, the winners of the University Programming Marathon 2024 and the champions of the individual universities were announced.

The best three teams:

1. Place: tree toed sloths (Job Petrovčič, Luka Horjak in Jakob Schrader)
2. Place:  jesse we need to code (Bor Brudar, Jakob Žorž in Nejc Mozetič)
3. Place: Shaun the Heap (Matevž Miščič, Jon Mikoš in Domen Hočevar)

Winner of individual universities

• University of Ljubljana: tree toed sloths (Job Petrovčič, Luka Horjak in Jakob Schrader)
• University of Maribor: Erdos Fourier Neumann (Mitko Nikov, Alen Granda in Erik Červek Roškarič)
• University of Primorska:  al capwned (Luka Svenšek)

The programming committee includes our colleagues from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nino Bašić, Prof. Dr. Andrej Brodnik, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jernej Vičič.

More information about the competition can be found here.

The tasks are available here.

Congratulations to all the participants of the competition!

  
                                                                      UPM winner 2024

 
                                                           Winner of the University of Primorska

                                                           Winner of the University of Maribor

Wednesday, 16 October 2024 Biotechnology summit held today at the National Institute of Biology

The BIOTECHNOLOGY SUMMIT WITH LEK'S RESEARCHERS' DAY AND TOUR OF THE NIB (National Institute of Biology) took place today, 16 October 2024, at NIB in Ljubljana. The event brought together prominent figures from academia and industry to discuss the latest advancements in biotechnology.

The rector of UP, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, participated in one of the key highlights of the event – a panel discussion titled »How do we respond to the increased need for personnel in the academic sphere«. Besides our rector, also Prof. Dr. Zdravko Kačič (rector of UM), Prof. Dr. Gregor Majdič (rector of UL), Duša Marjetič (Head of the Higher Education Sector at the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport) and Dr. Darja Ferčej Temeljotov (Strategic Programs at Lek d.d.) contributed to the discussion.

As part of the summit LEK'S RESEARCHERS' DAY showcased top achievements, innovations, and best practices from Lek and other research institutions. The theme of this year's sixth Researcher's day was biopharmaceuticals (related to the topic of biological drugs). As part of this programme, a lecture was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Jure Pražnikar from the Department of Applied Natural Sciences at UP FAMNIT, who spoke on »Graphs of 3D Protein Structures«.

The summit served as a platform for fostering collaboration and innovation in the field of biotechnology, reinforcing Slovenia's commitment to advancing scientific research and development.

The event was part of a project co-financed by the public tender to support activities of knowledge transfer offices (JR KTO), with additional funding from the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Foto: Lek Archive

Tuesday, 15 October 2024 Invitation to the defense of the Master’s Thesis - Gaja Jenko (Nature Conservation, 2nd cycle)

On Tuesday, 22 October 2024, at 15:00 via ITC tool Zoom (link: https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/91397283643, ID: 913 9728 3643), Gaja Jenko, a student of the master's study program Nature Conservation, 2nd cycle, will present her Master's Thesis entitled Use of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) filtration function as a sustainable tool for water column microplastic monitoring.

You are all kindly invited!

Tuesday, 15 October 2024 Lecture invitation: Let’s discuss Environmental, Conservation, and Animal Ethics

We kindly ask you to join us on the thought-provoking talk titled »Renewing our Values Towards the Planet in the Anthropocene Era: Why We Need to Discuss Environmental, Conservation, and Animal Ethics More Than Ever Before«. The lecture will be held by Prof. Carolyn Stephens (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine & University College London & University of primorska) in a hybrid format, with the option to attend either in person or via Zoom.

Time: Tuesday, 5 November 2024, 17:00

Place: UP FAMNIT (Glagoljaška 8, 6000 Koper), lecture room VP3 (3rd floor)

PLEASE APPLY here: https://forms.office.com/e/wA89QGwDPX

ABOUT THE TOPIC

In 2020, the UNDP Human Development Report confirmed the concept of the Anthropocene, »in which humans are a dominant force shaping the planet’s future«.

Climate change, pollution of all natural environments, biodiversity loss, and mass extinctions of other species challenge the planet, and us. UNDP argues that »Consciously or not, human choices, shaped by values and institutions, have given rise to the interconnected planetary and social imbalances we face«.

This lecture will examine the global environmental and social context, focusing on the need for renewed ethical discussions, especially for future scientists and policymakers. It will also introduce the University of Primorska's new course on environmental ethics, launching in 2025 under Professor Stephens, with a concluding discussion with UP FAMNIT professors.

ABOUT PROF. CAROLYN STEPHENS

Professor Carolyn Stephens is an environmental epidemiologist and ethics expert, holding positions at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University College London, and since 2024, the University of Primorska. Her research focuses on equity, environment, health, ethics, and human and environmental rights globally. With over 25 years of teaching experience in international development and environmental ethics, she has worked extensively in low-income countries like India, Liberia, Brazil, and Argentina.

She has led numerous international research projects, advised UN agencies, and serves on the editorial boards of five peer-reviewed journals. Prof. Stephens has been on executive boards of global organizations like the International Association of Ecology and Health and the pan-European NGO Health and Environment Alliance. She also sits on the International Ethics Advisory Board of the EU's BEPREP programme.

Her awards include the UK Royal Society Kohn Award for Public Engagement in Science and the Mayor of London's Academic Excellence Award.

Monday, 14 October 2024 Three Zois Prize winners at UP this year

This year's Zois Prize winners include three employees of the University of Primorska. The award, named after the Slovenian researcher Žiga Zois, has been awarded in Slovenia since 1998 to all outstanding researchers whose work has made a lasting mark on scientific research and development in the Republic of Slovenia and has made a significant contribution to its development. We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to all the winners of this highest and most prestigious award in Slovenia.

This year, three UP employees are among the recipients: Associate Prof. Dr. Tomaž Grušovnik and Prof. Dr. Vito Vitrih received the Zois Acknowledgment, and Prof. Dr. Igor Klep received the Zois Award - we congratulate them all on receiving the award.

The winners were announced at today's press conference of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the prizes will be awarded at a ceremony to be held this year in the Gallus Hall of the Cankarjev dom on 28 November.

Among the recipients of the Zois Award for significant scientific and research achievements in the field of cardiovascular medicine is Prof. Dr. Mitja Lainščak, who participates as a lecturer in the study process at UP FVZ and we also congratulate him!

The Zois Acknowledgment for significant achievements in the field of numerical mathematics will be awarded to Prof. Dr. Vito Vitrih, UP IAM, UP FAMNIT.

Prof. Dr. Vito Vitrih's research in the fields of numerical mathematics and computer-aided geometric design has contributed significantly to more effective solutions of engineering challenges and developments in the fields of robotics, computer graphics and animation. His contribution in isogeometric analysis is particularly valuable in helping to improve technological processes and the design of industrial products. By developing new mathematical tools, he strengthens the link between theoretical knowledge and its application in industry.

The Zois Award for outstanding achievements in the field of algebra and its applications will be awarded to Prof. Dr. Igor Klep, UP FAMNIT, UL FMF.

Prof. Dr. Igor Klep is one of the most prolific and internationally renowned Slovenian mathematicians, especially in the field of the application of algebra in quantum physics, functional analysis and computational mathematics. He has solved one of the key problems in matrix theory, which had been unsolved for almost 40 years, and with his colleagues has proved important properties of matrix bundles, opening up new areas of research in algebra. His work also includes the application of mathematical theories to quantum physics, where he and his colleagues have contributed to a better understanding of quantum networks.

The Zois Acknowledgment, for outstanding achievements in the field of environmental and animal ethics goes to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tomaž Grušovnik, UP PEF.

Associate Prof. Dr. Tomaž Grušovnik researches the relationship between people and the environment and animals. His work reveals that people know, but at the same time ignore, unpleasant truths about environmental problems and animal exploitation. Willful ignorance makes it difficult to tackle these issues. He stresses that it is not enough to give information; it is also important to foster a desire to learn about the world. With his original thesis, he has contributed to a better understanding of the public's unresponsiveness to the key environmental challenges facing humanity.

Foto: Peter Irman for MVZI

Wednesday, 9 October 2024 UNESCO Delegation Explores Collaboration with University of Primorska on Mental Health Research

On Tuesday, 8 October 2024, representatives from the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe visited the University of Primorska (UP). Programme Specialist Megumi Watanabe and Associate Project Officer Laura Bortolutti discussed with UP representatives about a potential collaboration in the field of Mental Health and Suicidology, thus fostering research and educational partnerships between UNESCO and UP.

They met with Prof. Dr. Vita Poštuvan, Deputy Head of UP IAM Slovene centre for suicide research (SCSR), Dr. Nina Krohne, first Doctor of Science at the Suicidology and Mental Health Programme at UP FAMNIT, and PhD candidate Vanja Gomboc.

The meetings focused on the innovative work being conducted by SCSR and the ongoing activities of their online platform Živ? Živ!, which provides support and resources for suicide prevention in Slovenia. They discussed UP Psychological Counseling Centre’s role in supporting student mental health and the Suicidology and Mental Health doctoral programme.

In conclusion, UNESCO representatives Megumi Watanabe and Laura Bortolutti met with six scholarship recipients from the UP Scholarship fund who received scholarships from the UNESCO donation—Aleksandra Zec, Alja Šlenc, Diar Gashi, Dmytro Tupkalenko, Filip Trajkoski, and Marija Ćetković.  

This initiative reinforced the University of Primorska's dedication to supporting talented students, particularly in STEM fields, by providing them with the financial resources to achieve their academic ambitions. The UNESCO funds have been instrumental in creating these opportunities, enhancing students’ academic achievements, and boosting their career prospects through the university’s scholarship program.

Tuesday, 8 October 2024 Rector's Day 2024

This year's Rector's Day will take place on Wednesday, 16 October 2024, once again in the spirit of socialising and getting to know each other. We invite you to take a day off from your everyday commitments on Rector's Day and add your own little piece to the mosaic of team spirit.

FOR STUDENTS

On 16 October 2024, students are invited to take part in the traditional "JESENSKA ČISTKA 10ka". The event, organised by the UŠZP and the ŠOUP will see university teams competing in a variety of sporting and less sporting disciplines with the aim of winning the transitional Cup "Čistke desetke". Students who will not be competing are invited to cheer on the performers at Arena Bonifika in Koper.

FOR STUDENTS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF

UP employees will have a rich programme of workshops, hikes, excursions and other meetings on Rector's Day, to which students are also invited. Some events require registration to facilitate their organisation. Based on last year's survey, we have tried to make it possible to attend several events during the day, and we are repeating some of them so that you can visit them over the years.

Tuesday, 8 October 2024 UP participates in the Erasmus Days with an exhibition and an Erasmus+ World Café

The University of Primorska is joining the international Erasmus Days campaign aimed to promote all the opportunities proposed by Erasmus+. The Vice-Rector for Internationalisation, Prof. Dr. Michaël Mrissa, will inaugurate the exhibition in the lobby of theArmeria palace on Monday, 14 October at 10:00.

At the exhibition, students, teaching and support staff will find out:

• why you should participate in an international mobility in the first place,
• where and for how long you can go on a mobility,
• how your mobility is funded,
• how courses taken abroad are recognised,
• what you can do if you are not completely confident about your foreign language skills,
• how to find accommodation abroad.

After the opening, we will move to the rectorate's courtyard, where a world café will take place. Teaching and support staff who have already been on an exchange and would like to share their experience, and especially those who are just considering going on a mobility, are invited to a relaxed get-together over a cup of coffee. This will be a great opportunity to chat with UP students, Erasmus students and staff from the international offices of all UP faculties.

Monday, 7 October 2024 ŠtartUP, for the perfect start of the year 24/25!

The fourth successful edition of the social and sports event StartUP is already behind us. The first Saturday in October was once again dedicated to a relaxed social gathering among the students, alumni, senior students and the professional services of UP, or all those who have been and still are helping the students throughout their studies at the University of Primorska. 

In addition to the teaching members and the UP Institute, the University's centres and units were also represented, presenting to the students how they work and how they link the University's content with the environment. The UP Tutors were particularly helpful, as well as the International Office, which introduced the students to international options, especially in the context of joining the European University Transform4Europe.

This year's participation of associations, organisations and companies was record-breaking. More than 55 exhibitors were part of our event, which made our StartUP even richer and more diverse. Thanks to their generous donation of gifts, the StartUP raffle was also very successful and varied, for which we would like to thank them. 

As every year, this year's event was also held in the spirit of charity, as each exhibitor confirmed their participation by paying a symbolic entry fee, which was fully and directly transferred to the association Palčica Pomagalačica. This year, this humanitarian spirit was even greater thanks to the participation of coastal barbers called Barberijansquad, who collected voluntary contributions in exchange for haircuts, which were also donated to the Palčica Pomagalčica association for students in need.

This year, we stayed true to our green commitment to sustainability. Everyone brought their own cup or drink bottle. Coffee cups were also available for a voluntary contribution from the Centre of Useful Objects, which is run by Komunala Izola. Traditionally, delicious bobiches were served for lunch, which participants could also take home after the event. 

This year, more than 550 students attended the event and were welcomed by more than 100 employees and representatives of associations. Together, we managed to make one of the biggest events for the students of the University of Primorska, which enriched the start of the academic year.

We wish all students a successful start, course and end of the academic year 24/25!

Monday, 7 October 2024 First consortium meeting of the MARiNKA project took place at UP FAMNIT

On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, the first consortium meeting of the MARiNKA project took place at UP FAMNIT. 

During the meeting, Dr. Sonja Čotar Konrad from UP PEF (project leader) and Prof. Andrej Brodnik from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies UP FAMNIT presented the planned activities and content to representatives of the other consortium partners: the UL Faculty of Computer and Information Science, Trzin Primary School, Prežihov Voranc Primary School in Ljubljana, Prof. Dr. Josip Plemelj Primary School in Bled, 8 Talcev Primary School in Logatec, Stane Žagar Primary School in Kranj, Maks Pečar Primary School, Vojka Šmuc Primary School in Izola, Fran Erjavec Primary School in Nova Gorica, Janez Puhar Primary School in Kranj, and Elvira Vatovec Primary School in Prade. 

The project aims to develop essential knowledge of computer science and informatics (RIN) among students from the 6th to the 9th grade in primary school. As part of the project, the inclusion of fundamental RIN content will be planned, executed, and evaluated through interdisciplinary collaboration and the solving of authentic problems. Moreover, innovative teaching methods and a whole-school approach will be developed to introduce fundamental RIN content. 

The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. The applicant and lead partner of the project is UP FAMNIT. 

Saturday, 5 October 2024 ŠtartUP | IMPORTANT NOTICE | The official start of the event has been rescheduled for 12 PM

ŠtartUP is a meet & greet event for ALL students of the University of Primorska  with which we mark the start of the new academic year. It will occur on 5 October 2024, from 12 pm, in the Žusterna Seaside Park 

At the event, first-year students network with each other and get to know senior students. Also university’s administrative and pedagogical staff join the event to network with students which gives the event a special mark. 

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM THE EVENT? 

All the University of Primorska faculties and more than 40 local organizations, associations, institutions, and companies will present themselves and their possibilities for extracurricular activities for UP students. 

Each booth prepared a fun activity that gets you a stamp on your "StartUP stamp collection card" after you complete it. SportUP (official recreation for students of the UP) will take care of the fun sports activities (badminton, zorbing, "štrbunk", ...).  

The location offers endless possibilities for lounging in the sun, so bring a picnic blanket or bath towel. We will take care of lunch. Since we support Zero Waste management, we encourage you to bring your bottles and lunch box. 

SUSTAINABILITY

As we support sustainability, we encourage our visitors to bring:

• water bottles (flask/bidon), as there will be drinking fountains from Rižanski vodovod for hydration;
• and a container for lunch/lunch boxes (to take food home if there is any left over).

​​​PROGRAM 

The event will take place from 12:00 to 17:00 in Žusterna Seaside Park (Koper). 

(in case of bad weather it will be moved to Taverna Koper)

• A presentation of all the faculties of the University of Primorska, centres and units where students can get involved in extra-curricular activities.
• More than 55 participating local organisations, associations, institutions and companies who have prepared fun activities to show you how to get involved and participate while studying.
• Sports activities organised by ŠportUP (the official recreation for UP students), which will provide sports activities such as badminton, "štrbunk", zorbing and paddling.

*unofficial meeting after the ŠtartUP event at Canava House Izola

Jan David Kljenak is a stand-up comedian who is more fiery than the flames he encounters every day as a firefighter. When he's not fighting fires, he's usually with his family. He loves to swim, but not more than 4 meters from the shore for fear of stepping on an urchin. Once he stepped on an urchin and it was not good.

Benjamin Kovač Keber a comedian who does stand-up out of pure love for laughter, comedy and life. He makes short, funny jokes and hilarious dissections of reality.

APPLY NOW 

Students of the University of Primorska can apply for the event here.

REGISTRATION ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT 

•  On the day of the event we met first at the registration desk where you will get: 
• wristband #OdpriUP | #OpenUP ((wristband colours are separated by faculties); 
• first-year students will get a T-shirt OpenUP (newly enrolled students can get a T-shirt just at the ŠtartUP event) 
• stamp collection card 

Friday, 4 October 2024 Newly acquired UP projects in September

September brought six projects, many of them co-developed by two UP members, which shows the excellent collaboration between researchers.

UP FAMNIT projects

EUROPEAN INNOVATION COUNCIL EIC - PATHFINDER REMEDY

REMEDY - ARCHIBIOME TATTOO FOR RESISTANT, RESPONSIVE, AND RESILIENT CITIES, ASSOCIATED PARTNERS, UP, LEAD: INNORENEW COE, UP LEAD: DR. ANNA SANDAK

The REMEDY aims to achieve a breakthrough in fundamental research in microbiology and synthetic biology, transfer the know-how to materials science in the form of engineered living materials, and develop compatible biofabrication processes that allow personalised design in the architectural context. The tailored and engineered microbial consortia will create a beneficial microbiome, providing resilience and resistance against pathogenic microorganisms, allowing carbon sequestration, oxygen production, and bioremediation. By bespoke decoration and functionalisation of various building surfaces, REMEDY will boost probiotic architecture and introduce metabolic thinking in the circular building industry.

MORE

RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN (NOO)

MARINKA - MLADOSTNIKI S TEMELJNIMI ZNANJI RIN SO KREATORJI PRIHODNOSTI / YOUNG PEOPLE WITH BASIC RIN SKILLS ARE THE CREATORS OF THE FUTURE, VODILNI PARTNERJI UP FAMNIT, PARTNER UP PEF, VODJA NA UP: DR. SONJA ČOTAR KONRAD

Young people with basic skills RIN are the Creators of the Future (acronym: MARIiNKA) is an experimental research project involving the UPR (FAMNIT - the project promoter and PEF) and the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Computer Science and Informatics), together with ten educational institutions (FIEs) in Slovenia. This project is the first in our country to introduce, in a research and applied way, the core content of Computer Science and Informatics (CSI) into the learning activities of primary schools for students from 6th to 9th grade. The integration of pedagogical and computing knowledge, which is the core of the project, is an important step in the Slovenian education system in the field of systemic integration and upgrading of the teaching of the core content of RIN.

MORE

COST 

CA23121 GENOA GENETIC NATURE OBSERVATION AND ACTION / OPAZOVANJE NARAVE IN AKCIJE Z GENETSKEGA STALIŠČA, PARTNERS, UP FAMNIT, LEAD: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE IN SILVICULTURA MARIN DRACEA, ROMANIA, UP LEAD: DR. ELENA BUŽAN

Genetic diversity is fundamental for adaptation and essential to species survival, hence for nature’s contributions to people. Furthermore, genetic knowledge supports the effective use of resources to ensure the holistic protection of biodiversity. While genetic diversity data and indicators are available, they are often not integrated into species management and monitoring schemes in Europe due to a lack of capacity. Furthermore, current national policies and practices have not yet ‘adapted’ to the new Global Biodiversity Framework. In order to better understand genetic diversity in species and their populations and actively use it to monitor and safeguard biodiversity, there is an urgent need to refine, assess, inform and facilitate the implementation of genetic diversity data and indicators across European countries. This implementation of genetic diversity data should be achieved by including practitioners, companies, policymakers and the wider public. The needs of all these stakeholders should be investigated and taken into account in order for collaborations to be inclusive and effective, as such, building knowledge, capacity and trust among partners. Hence, GENOA will co-create and improve the procedures, methods and data on genetic diversity (indicators) and co-develop tailored dissemination packages to reach out to and exchange with targeted stakeholders to enable a better understanding of genetic diversity information. In addition, the monitoring, reporting and application of genetic data will improve, which will contribute to the conservation of biodiversity at all levels.

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COST

CA23133 LILY LILY: A LARGE-SCALE INTERDISCIPLINARY ALLIANCE ON NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND HEALTH: INDICATORS, INEQUALITY AND INNOVATION / OBSEŽNO INTERDISCIPLINARNO ZAVEZNIŠTVO O NARAVNIH, PARTNERS, UP FAMNIT, UP LEAD: DR. ELENA BUŽAN

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are instrumental in European climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Through creating ecosystems, NbS can have positive and negative impacts on the health of people, animals, and the environment, i.e., co-benefits and unintended consequences. As NbS are increasingly integrated into policy and implemented on the ground, it is urgently needed to adopt evidence-based approaches to their design and implementation, which minimize maladaptation and mislabeling practices, particularly in the health domain. This Action (LILY) focuses on NbS impacts on health (NbS-Health) and addresses: (i) the lack of a comprehensive framework outlining health outcomes and underlying pathways, (ii) gaps in NbS-Health indicators, (iii) vulnerability and inequality, (iv) NbS-Health monitoring, (v) NbS-Health gaps in NbS platforms. LILY comprises 69 interdisciplinary partners from 18 COST Countries, with 10 being COST Inclusiveness Target Countries and one-third young researchers. LILY will engage scientists, implementers, stakeholders, and community in participatory approaches and produce (i) a conceptual NbS-Health framework, (ii) best-practice guidelines for spatio-temporal NbS-Health indicators considering vulnerability and inequality, (iii) recommendations on novel data streams and methodology for indicator-based monitoring and evaluation, and (iv) a network and data platform for proficient information sharing. LILY will empower young scientists through summer schools, knowledge exchange workshops, and arranging the first NbS-Health conference. The outcomes will be translated into policy briefs, materials for Lancet Countdown, EU-Horizon projects and clusters, and public dissemination. LILY commits to excellence and innovation through co-production among scientists and stakeholders, transdisciplinarity, One Health concept, Exposure-Vulnerability-Risk framework, and inclusive and gender balance approaches in its governance.

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Friday, 4 October 2024 Registrations for the 7th Slovenian Entomological Symposium with international attendance (SES7) are open

The Department of Biodiversity once again invites you to this unique scientific meeting, which will take place from January 31 to February 1, 2025, in picturesque Izola. It will bring together leading experts, researchers, and enthusiasts of entomology.

The symposium will provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions on the latest discoveries, innovations, and challenges in the insect world, as well as a space for sharing ideas, networking, and collaboration. 

With its rich natural environment and historical heritage, Izola is the perfect place for this important meeting. In addition to professional lectures and workshops, the organisers will ensure pleasant moments of socializing.   

The organisers of the symposiums are the Department of Biodiversity together with the Slovenian Entomological Society of Štefan Michieli.    

Before the official start of the symposium, a Biocreative Workshop (From Knowledge to Story) will be organized. 

SHORT DESCRIPTION: 

Knowledge has been passed down through storytelling for millennia. Even today, we love stories. So could we combine biology with creativity? At the Biocreative Workshop, participants will learn how to write a story for children with biological content. They will learn how to present their scientific discoveries to the general public in a simple, understandable and entertaining way. As part of the workshop, participants will try to create their own stories about nature and get feedback. 

For the workshop, you need paper, pencil, crayons, some biological knowledge and imagination. 

• WHO: professional public, symposium participants, students, conservationists… 
• NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: MAX 15 
• WHEN: 31/01/2025 
• WHERE: Famnit 3 lecture hall, UP FAMNIT, Livade 4 
• PRODUCT: story – comic book – picture – or something completely different

To register for the symposium, please fill in the registration form, send your abstract to our e-mail and pay the registration fee as a bank transfer. If you are employed and the registration fee is covered by your institution, we will send the invoice to them.   

LANGUAGE OF THE SYMPOSIUM: English.  

IMPORTANT DATES:  

• Deadline for registration and abstract submission: 15 November 2024  
• Last date for registration (without poster/oral contribution): 15 January 2025  

REGISTRATION FEE: 

Registration fee: € 50 for employed persons and € 25 for students, unemployed persons and pensioners. The fee includes the book of abstracts, organisation costs and refreshments during coffee breaks.  

Deadline for payment of the registration fee: 1 December 2024  

IMPORTANT: Refund of the already paid registration fee is possible upon timely cancellation until 10 January 2025. No refund of the registration fee is possible for later cancellations.   

REGISTRATION FEE PAYMENT DETAILS:  

• UNIVERZA NA PRIMORSKEM  
• FAKULTETA ZA MATEMATIKO, NARAVOSLOVJE IN INFORMACIJSKE TEHNOLOGIJE  
• IBAN: SI56 0110 0600 0023 788  
• SWIFT code: BSLJSI2x  
• Reference 1-2025 should be used.  

For further information, please contact: ses@famnit.upr.si 

The official website of the symposium > HERE

Friday, 4 October 2024 Join the Lek's Researchers' day and a tour of NIB

We invite you to join the event BIOTECHNOLOGY SUMMIT WITH LEK'S RESEARCHERS' DAY AND TOUR OF THE NIB (National Institute of Biology), which will take place on Wednesday, October 16, at NIB (Večna pot 121, Ljubljana).

The first part of the program includes two panels. The first panel will present why biotechnology is an opportunity for Slovenia, while the second will focus on how the academic sphere is responding to the increasing demand for talent. Both panels will feature top experts. In addition, there will be a presentation and tour of the new NIB building.

As part of the Biotechnology Summit, there is a special program segment: LEK'S RESEARCHERS' DAY. The event will be held entirely in Slovenian language. The theme of this year's sixth Researcher's day is biopharmaceuticals. The event will showcase top achievements, innovations, and best practices from Lek and other academic and research institutions in the field of biological medicines. During the Researcher's Day, Assoc. Prof. Jure Pražnikar from the Department of Applied Natural Sciences at UP FAMNIT will give a lecture titled »Graphs of 3D Protein Structures«.

From 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. there will be a panel titled »How do we respond to the increased need for personnel in the academic sphere«, in which the rector of UP, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar will be participating.

We invite you to attend the event and take advantage of the opportunity for:

• new insights and knowledge,
• a look at the achievements of academic and research organizations,
• networking and meeting interesting researchers and opinion leaders,
• asking questions and further discussions after the presentations.

Registration is possible until spots are filled, so we recommend securing your place as soon as possible. Program and registration: https://uniminds.si/dogodek/biotehnoloski-vrh-z-lekovim-dnevom-za-raziskovalce-in-ogled-nib-v-zivo/

Friday, 4 October 2024 Leap into the Future: UP FAMNIT Researchers Contributed to Animated Film Selected for the Festival of Slovenian Film

The short animated film titled »Jump into the Future« has been accepted to the 27th Festival of Slovenian Film, which will take place in Portorož from October 22 to 27, 2024. Two researchers from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies at UP FAMNIT contributed to the making of the film: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Klen Čopič Pucihar participated as a co-producer and motion capture system administrator, and Asst. Dr. Anuradhi Maheshya W. Weerasinghe Arachchillage worked as a motion capture assistant. Their collaboration took place within the HICUP Lab (»Humans Interacting with Computers” Lab at University of Primorska«).

The film »Jump into the Future« is based on a comic of the same name by Miki Muster, which he drew in 1971. In this work, far ahead of his time, Muster highlighted the issues of environmental pollution, air quality, and drinking water. The film's characters venture into the future, where they uncover the causes of pollution in the present and fight for a better world. Miki Muster is regarded as a pioneer of Slovenian comics, picture books, and animation, and his works remain beloved across all generations. His iconic characters, from Zvitorepec and Lakotnik to the famous bunnies from the Cikcak commercial, Viki cream, Čunga Lunga, and many others, have left a lasting impact on Slovenian culture.

We invite you to the film screening, which will take place on October 24, 2024, at 1:30 PM in Magazin Grando (Portorož).

Source: Slovenian Film Centre (SFC)

Thursday, 3 October 2024 Invitation to the defense of the diploma thesis – Kristijan Jeliskovski (Computer Science, 1st cycle)

Kristijan Jeliskovski, a student of the study program of Computer Science, 1st cycle, will present the diploma thesis entitled The simultaneous conjugacy problem on Monday, 28 October 2024 at 10:00 in the classroom Famnit-MP6.

You are all kindly invited!

Thursday, 3 October 2024 The young researcher Petra Gabrovšek received the 1st prize for her poster presentation at the 10th GENETIKA 2024 congress

Petra Gabrovšek, a young researcher at the Department of Applied Natural Sciences at UP FAMNIT, received the 1st prize for the poster presentation entitled "Development of EST-SSR from Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don. (Asteraceae) de novo assembled transcriptome", at 10th Congress of the Genetic Society of Slovenia & the 10th Meeting of the Slovenian Society of Human Genetics – GENETICS 2024.

The congress was held in Portorož (UP FTŠ – Turistica) between September 25 and 28, organized by UP FVZ and UP FAMNIT and it brought together participants from Croatia, Germany Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland and the USA.

We sincerely congratulate our researcher and wish her much success in the future!

Tuesday, 1 October 2024 18th Generation of students begins the new academic year at UP FAMNIT

UP welcomed freshmen at the traditional reception for new students, held in person this time in the Municipality of Piran, at the UP Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica.

The UP Rector Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, addressed the students at the reception, wishing them: »You have come to an open university. Help us to broaden our perspectives even further, to look for bold ideas, to overcome differences, to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. Let us overcome the boundaries of worlds together and with enthusiasm – because only beyond the boundaries lies true freedom.« (The full speech is available via the link).

At UP FAMNIT (in Koper and Izola), freshmen, together with the coordinators of their study programs, followed the introductory welcome, which was also attended by the Dean of UP FAMNIT, Dr. Ademir Hujdurović, through a live broadcast. Afterward, key information for the start of the new academic year was presented in the lecture rooms. Following the meetings with coordinators, there was a presentation of the UP FAMNIT Student Council tutors, as well as the Student Organization of the University of Primorska (ŠOUP).

Freshmen formally step into the university for the first time on October 1st – but last week, UP already welcomed foreign students during the so-called orientation days.

The University of Primorska enters this academic year as a fully active member of the European Transform4Europe University (T4EU), as November 1st marks one year since joining and deepening cooperation in the field of exchanges as well as conducting joint courses, welcoming members to the T4EU week in May and other collaborations that put UP students in the right role as European students.

The activities marking the start of the new academic year continue on Saturday, October 5th, when we will host the Start UP event at the Seaside Park in Žusterna – a sports and social event for all UP students, featuring presentations from various university organizations and local community groups, along with a musical program and prizes for successfully completing activities at different stations.

Official enrollment data for the 2024/25 academic year will be available in a month.

We wish all students a successful, interesting, and enjoyable academic year!

Monday, 30 September 2024 A successful European Researchers' Night 2024

The highly anticipated European Researchers' Night 2024 filled the lecture halls and premises of the University of Primorska and kept participants excited about science with a wide range of fun activities throughout the day. Friday, 27 September was held under the slogan "oooZoscience! - Fake News and Conspiracy Theories? Let's empower (ourselves for) science!". The pan-European event, which took place simultaneously in 23 countries and in more than 400 cities across Europe and beyond, was a great success this year also at the University of Primorska.

Researchers brought science closer to schoolchildren and teachers, young people and the general public through a wide range of activities. They held 21 workshops, presentations, guided tours and various other activities in seven different locations. More than 100 researchers, students and professionals from the University were involved in organising and delivering all activities.                           

This year, the event was attended by students from 17 primary and secondary schools in the Obalno-Kraška and Goriška regions, their teachers, students of the University of Primorska and other interested parties. Almost 1200 visitors were present at all locations.

At the UP Faculty of Humanities, the workshop organised by UP FAMNIT, 'Pop-it', named after the popular children's fidget toy used mainly as a stress reliever, attracted the largest number of participants, 160. The workshop 'Learning about statistics through play - for children and adults' (UP FAMNIT) was also very popular, attracting more than 110 participants who learned the basics of statistics through play and acquired basic skills in data analysis.

The Faculty of Health Sciences also had a varied programme. Just over 500 children attended workshops on the basic use of kinesiology tapes, preparing a balanced meal, learning resuscitation, movement challenges, how the brain analyses and integrates information about food into complex perception and many others.

Schoolchildren also had the opportunity to take part in a treasure hunt called "Fantastic animals and where to shoot them" where they got an insight into wildlife sightings. At UP FAMNIT, they were able to build on this knowledge by conducting field research and obtaining genetic samples.

At the storytelling evening in the Mythical Park organised by UP FHŠ, Renata Lapanja, a renowned storyteller from Tolmin, will be telling old religious tales from the Tolmin and Idrija traditions at the mythical point of the shembilla Pod Lisičino (a 15-minute walk from the centre). Afterwards, Dr Katja Hrobat Virloget will touch upon the meaning of boundaries in narrative and ritual traditions.

The successful European Researchers' Night 2024 brought science closer to many and delighted many schoolchildren, adolescents and adults alike with its many fun activities. The event was funded under the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions through the call HORIZON-MSCA-2023-CITIZENS-01-01: European Researchers' Night and Researchers in Schools 2024 - 2025, and this time the project is also connected to the Science Month campaign.

Monday, 30 September 2024 Delegation from the Estonian Academy of Arts EKA at the UP

A delegation from EKA (Estonian Academy of Arts), a T4EU partner, visited UP from 23 to 27 September with the aim to provide additional educational content on the topic of sustainable construction. Nine students gained valuable knowledge about the work of the InnoRenew CoE research institute and innovative approaches in the field of renewable materials and sustainable construction.

Eager for new knowledge, the students attended the summer school with already accumulated knowledge on the values and principles of the new European Bauhaus compass, engineering living architectural materials, environmental and ergonomic design criteria for renovation works and acoustics in space. In addition to training, seminars and workshops, they also had the opportunity to get to know the sights of our environment. They visited the Sečovlje salt pans and the hidden corners of Izola. On the last day of the summer school, they had the opportunity to listen to a guided architectural tour of the University of Trieste.

This marked the successful conclusion of another UP summer school, in which students gained three credits and pointed to an invaluable exchange of knowledge that students will surely be able to use in their working environment one day.

Thursday, 26 September 2024 MARiNKA project: Introducing fundamental computer science content into the educational activities of primary schools for students from 6th to 9th grade

The Mladostniki s temeljnimi znAnji RIN so KreAtorji prihodnosti (MARiNKA) project (eng. Youth with Fundamental Knowledge of Computer Science as Creators of the Future) is an experimental-research project in which UPR (FAMNIT and PEF) and the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Computer and Information Science) collaborate, together with ten Slovenian educational institutions.

This project marks the first time in our country that fundamental computer science content is being introduced into the learning activities of primary schools for students from 6th to 9th grade, in a research-driven and applied manner.

The integration of pedagogical and computer science knowledge, which is the central theme of the project, represents an important step in the Slovenian education system in terms of systemic integration and the enhancement of teaching fundamental computer science content.

The MARiNKA project is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Education, and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. The project is being implemented in accordance with the Recovery and Resilience Plan under the development area of Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive Growth, component: Strengthening Competencies, especially Digital and those Required by New Professions and the Green Transition (C3 K5), for the investment measure E: Comprehensive Transformation (Sustainability and Resilience) of Green and Digital Education.

Thursday, 26 September 2024 Doctoral student Ivan Damnjanović at the prestigious 11th Heidelberg Laureate Forum

Ivan Damnjanović, a doctoral student in the Mathematical Sciences study programme at UP FAMNIT, has been accepted to the renowned 11th Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), which took place in Heidelberg, Germany, from 22 to 27 September. This prestigious event brings together exceptional young researchers and celebrated laureates from the fields of mathematics and computer science, fostering collaboration and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

At the forum, Damjanović presented his research through a lecture and poster session titled "Circulant Nut Graphs and Beyond". The HLF serves as a unique platform for networking, exchanging ideas, and gaining insights from leading experts, making it a significant milestone in researchers' academic journeys.

Each year, as part of the HLF program, the HLFF organizes a public exhibition centered on mathematics or computer science in Heidelberg’s Old Town. To further inspire the next generation of young scientists, laureates attending the HLF also visit local high schools to speak with students and answer questions about working in mathematics and computer science.

The Heidelberg Laureate Forum is celebrated for its commitment to bridging the gap between young talents and seasoned professionals, encouraging the pursuit of excellence in research and innovation