Friday, 26 April 2024 New application deadline 7 MAY | ALUMNI BIOCAMP
When? 17 May - 19 May 2024
Where? Rakov Škocjan area
Registration: HERE. Deadline: 7 May 2024.
More: HERE
We invite you to join us for the first ALUMNI BIOLOGICAL CAMP and co-create with us!
The main objectives of the event are networking and a place for reunion, making memories, strengthening existing ties and weaving new friendships.
As as graduates, have been connected across generations by field-related events, the event will be organise as a relaxed field weekend, in the form of a mini biocamp. This will offer 5 thematic groups that you can join:
- Amphibians,
- Butterflies,
- Pollinators,
- Reptiles and
- Birds.
Groups will be led by experienced mentors in each field. The fieldwork will be followed by a picnic evening, and the event will conclude with a hike on Sunday. It is also possible to attend part of the camp (more information in the registration form).
Participation is free!
The applications are accepting until 7 May 2024 or until capacity is reached (up to 50 participants). To secure a place in your preferred group, please apply as soon as possible, as they will distribute participants evenly between groups until places in each group are filled. Depending on the preferences expressed, priority will be given to the quicker ones!
PROGRAMME
- Friday, 17 May 2024
A social evening. Arrival possible in the evening (expected from 18.00). Dinner and accommodation will be provided.
- Saturday, 18 May 2024
From the morning until 17.00, there will be a field trip in groups. The purpose of the fieldwork is to renew or exchange knowledge and to socialise. At 5pm we will continue with a picnic and evening socialising. Meals and accommodation will be provided.
- Sunday, 19 May 2024
Group hike up one of the surrounding hills, finishing at lunchtime. Field snack provided.
For further information on the course and content of the camp, please contact us at:
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.
Friday, 26 April 2024 New Doctor of Science, Campos Mijangos Cuauhtlii
Today, 26 April 2024, we welcomed another Doctor of Science at UP FAMNIT.
Campos Mijangos Cuauhtli, student of the doctoral study programe Computer Science at UP FAMNIT has successfully defended his doctoral thesis Designing Interactive Paper Displays by Interlacing Physical and Digital Content Using Horizontal Touchscreen; under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar, PhD, co-mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Kljun, PhD.
We sincerely congratulate the new Doctor of Science and wish him much success on his future journey in research!
Friday, 26 April 2024 Online Info Week for Master's studies
If you are interested in studying at UP FAMNIT or you are still undecided about your postgraduate studies, join our Online Info Week for Master's study programmes from 20 May to 21 May 2024!
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UP FAMNIT Master's study programmes are interdisciplinary and diverse, and offer to students everything they need: knowledge, project work, case study, research activities and well equipped laboratories.
You are invited to join the presentations of our study programmes, which will be held from 20 May and 21 May 2024 via ZOOM. Study programmes coordinators will present our study and research activities and answer your questions as well.
Programmes that are held in English language will be presented in English.
There is a specific day and time of presentation for each Master's study program, so we invite you to see the list below. More information about our info events and Zoom links can be found here.
Discover all Masters study programmes at UP FAMNIT!
The CALL FOR ENROLMENT into UP FAMNIT postgraduate study programmes in 2024/25 is available HERE.
You are invited to join us!
| DATE AND HOUR | PROGRAMME |
| 20 MAY, 5PM | Biopsychology - ZOOM |
| 20 MAY, 5PM | Nature Conservation - ZOOM |
| 20 MAY, 5PM | Data Science - ZOOM |
| 20 MAY 5PM | Mathematical Sciences - ZOOM |
| 20 MAY 5PM | Computer Science - ZOOM |
| 20 MAY 5PM | Psychology - ZOOM |
| 20 MAY 5 PM | Sustainable Built Environments - ZOOM |
| 21 MAY 5 PM | Data Science - PRESENTATION IN ENGLISH - ZOOM |
| 21 MAY 5 PM | Mathematical Sciences PRESENTATION IN ENGLISH - ZOOM |
| 21 MAY 5 PM | Sustainable Built Environments PRESENTATION IN ENGLISH - ZOOM |
Thursday, 25 April 2024 Rector's Conference - internationalization of higher education
The Rector's Conference of the Republic of Slovenia, together with CMEPIUS, is organizing a conference on the topic of internationalization of higher education, which will be held in English. The aim of the conference is to exchange opinions, reflect, share good practices and present opportunities for the development and strengthening of competences and the improvement of quality and teaching in the context of internationalization.
The target groups are: management of universities and faculties, international offices, heads of departments and internationalization policymakers at departments, faculties and universities and beyond, all interested parties. Registration is possible here.
Wednesday, 24 April 2024 ScienceBeat event for students of natural and business sciences
Pharmaceutical company Lek, a member of the Sandoz Group, in cooperation with Slovenian public universities, is organizing the top scientific and professional event ScienceBEAT, which will take place from September 11 to 14, 2024, in Ljubljana, Maribor, and Lendava. It enables young talents to enter the global network of professional excellence in the fields of science and entrepreneurship.
Participants will gain a unique insight into the trends and challenges of the modern pharmaceutical industry and experience the pulse of a global pharmaceutical company that is a leader in the development and production of biosimilar medicines and generic pharmaceutical products.
They will also have an exceptional opportunity for networking and gaining invaluable knowledge and professional insights from globally recognized scientist and entrepreneur innovators who are pushing the boundaries in their fields. At the event, participants will also gain practical experience through teamwork on a pharmaceutical-business challenge and an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills in practice. Finally, they will also receive access to a global network of experts and career opportunities in an agile and inspiring business environment based on inclusivity, fairness, and diversity appreciation.
At Lek, with various projects, they address young promising students and professionals from various fields who can collaborate with foreign experts in the international environment of the Sandoz global network, acquire new knowledge and skills, develop their talents and creativity, and build their careers. They aim to attract the best individuals from employment markets, faculties, research institutes, and other institutions in Slovenia and abroad.
The ScienceBEAT event is therefore intended for prospective students in the final year of undergraduate studies, as well as students of master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral studies in natural and business sciences from Slovenia and abroad. More information about the event and applications can be obtained on the ScienceBEAT - Lek website.
Monday, 22 April 2024 MEETUP 2024 STRENGTHENS THE ALUMNI UP COMMUNITY
On Thursday, 18 April 2024, the annual alumni meeting of the University of Primorska - Alumni MeetUP took place in the lobby of UP FAMNIT, which this year was marked by the first award ceremony of the UP Alumni Awards and Recognitions.
The Alumni Club of the University of Primorska officially brings together UP alumni and is an important meeting point for alumni to connect with each other, provide networking opportunities and encourage further professional and personal development, lifelong learning and further research.
This year's meeting was opened with a performance by the vocal group Kaelestis, which created a pleasant atmosphere. The UP Alumni were given some encouraging words by the UP Rector and the first PhD student of UP FAMNIT, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, and the President of the UP Alumni Club, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mirko Prosen. The guest of honour, Dr. Gorazd Sedmak, Associate Prof. of UP FTŠ - Turistica and lead singer of the cult rock band Zmelkoow, gave the attendees extremely valuable advice on finding a balance between work and passion.
A great novelty of this year's MeetUP event was the awarding of the UP Alumni Awards to members of the UP community who have particularly distinguished themselves in their careers and lives. Supporters of our activities were honoured with UP Alumni Awards.
We would like to congratulate Đorđe Mitrović, an alumna of UP FAMNIT, for receiving the "Young UP" award, Đejmi Hadrović, an alumnus of UP FHŠ, for receiving the Alumni UP Award for Excellence, and Vanja Kosmina Novak, an alumna of UP FVZ, for receiving the Alumni UP Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Professional Field. We would also like to congratulate the recipients of the awards for their efforts, diligence and success – Tadej Rogelja, alumnus of UP FTŠ - Turistica, Lovrenc Habe, alumnus of UP PEF and Vasilij Žbogar, alumnus of UP FM. All the winners are the pride of the Alumni UP community and the University as a whole.
The meeting was successfully concluded with socializing and networking among students, alumni, professors, staff and all the other attendees, who made many new contacts, shared a lot of good advice, anecdotes, encouraging words, and left with a smile on their faces, new ideas, hopes and new friendships, while enjoying the banquet and music.
Friday, 19 April 2024 The doctoral thesis defence of the student Cuauhtli Campos Mijangos
Campos Mijangos Cuauhtli, student of the doctoral study programe Computer Science at UP FAMNIT will defend his doctoral thesis Designing Interactive Paper Displays by Interlacing Physical and Digital Content Using Horizontal Touchscreen; under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar, PhD, co-mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Kljun, PhD.
The defence will take place on Friday, 26 April 2024 at 9:00 on Zoom:
https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/89763642857?pwd=UGptT3FsVVVtK0l6d0xyd09SVDNiZz09
Meeting ID: 897 6364 2857 Passcode: 264850
The doctoral disertation will be available in the library UP in the following days.
Thursday, 18 April 2024 SECOND UPGRADE FAIR IN APRIL - EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE!
Your first degree is often an opportunity to think about the direction of your studies and career, as there are many different paths you can take. In order to provide as much support and help as possible to all students, UP has designed a postgraduate fair that goes beyond the presentation of faculty courses.
Thus, the fair was held on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Museum Square and the UP Famnit foyer, where each faculty presented their own programs as well as the possibility of transferring between courses within a faculty or university, as conditions vary. In addition, the UP Career Center and the UP Human Resources Service offered advice - the latter also presented the various employment opportunities at the UP. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of a career orientation towards research, which was presented by both the UP IAM and the UP Science Center. The international orientation of the university was represented by the Internationalization section, where they were able to learn about the many opportunities for cooperation with foreign countries made possible by UP's strong international commitment. The student councils and the UP tutors provide and represent an important support for the colleagues during their studies.
A special feature of the event was the discussion points where students, alumni and staff were available to share their experiences and impressions about studying in parallel, changing programs completely, changing programs partially - acquiring other skills, re-enrolling at the same level of study after graduation, working as a young researcher at UP, working in UP's professional offices, studying at a more mature age and graduating after the thesis or thesis still needs to be written.
More information about each program will be provided to all interested students at faculty information sessions announced through their own channels.
Tuesday, 16 April 2024 THE FIRST WORKSHOP ON RADAR BASED HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION: Beyond Radar Waves
Within the EICS 2024 –the 16th ACM SIGCHI Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems, the first workshop on Radar-Based Human-Computer Interaction Beyond Radar Waves, will take place on 25 June in Cagliari, Italy.
The organizer of the workshop is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Klen Čopič Pucihar from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies UP FAMNIT, and one of the leaders of the Laboratory for Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Primorska - HICUP, along with experienced researchers in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. (Beyond Radar Waves: The First Workshop on Radar-Based Human-Computer Interaction (upr.si).
Radar technology, traditionally employed in surveillance and object detection, has been recently used by HCI researchers for creating novel user experiences, including gesture-based interaction through radar sensing, material recognition, and enabling interactions through fabrics and surfaces. The participants in this workshop will explore fundamental, practical, and experimental challenges posed by radar-based interaction in numerous application domains, such as gaming, virtual and augmented reality, healthcare, emergency response systems, and smart environments.
The workshop targets the emerging area of radar-based interaction with scientific explorations in Engineering Interactive Computer Systems. The target audience of this workshop consists of researchers and practitioners interested in RBI with a focus on engineering interactions and user interface.
Important dates:
- Paper submission deadline: May 10th, 2024
- Decision notification: May 31st, 2024
- Deadline for registration to the workshop: June 7th, 2024
- Final program of the workshop: June 15th, 2024
- Workshop (full-day): June 25th, 2024
- Chapter proposal for an RBI book: June 30th, 2024. Authors should provide a provisional title, the list of authors, and the abstract. This information will be used to submit a book proposal to the Springer HCI series.
- Submission of the book proposal by the workshop organizers to the Springer HCI series: July 7th, 2024.
- Decision notification: August 1st, 2024
- Post-workshop chapter submission: August 23rd, 2024
- Book enters production: September 2024
After the Workshop: The results of the the workshop, structured according to the three dimensions (descriptive, comparative, and generative) will constitute the basis for a common paper and a potential submission to a journal. Furthermore, a book proposal to Springer HCI series is envisaged depending on the accepted papers. Other workshop results, such as videos and presentations, will be made available through the workshop website.
Authors should prepare their submission according to Springer’s guidelines available > HERE
Authors are strongly encouraged to consider submitting work related to evaluation, comparison and benchmarking of existing and novel radar-based interactive systems (where possible, including the datasets). This will form the core of joint journal publication. For other topics see call for paper.
EICS 2024 is the sixteenth international ACM SIGCHI conference devoted to engineering interactive computing systems and their user interfaces, addressing one or more software quality factors, such as usability, user experience, reliability, security, etc.
Tuesday, 16 April 2024 2-YEAR POSTDOC POSITION IN MATHEMATICS AT UP FAMNIT (MENTOR PROF. MARTIN MILANIČ, PHD)
The Departments of Mathematics of the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies (FAMNIT) of the University of Primorska, and Andrej Marusic Institute (IAM) of the University of Primorska, are seeking a top early-career researcher for a postdoctoral position in the area of structural and algorithmic graph theory, in connection with a research grant of Prof. Martin Milanic, PhD.
The employment relationship will be concluded full-time 40 hours per week (100%), for a fixed period of 24 months, from the October 1st, 2024.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
- The position is for two years,
- Applicants must possess (or expect to obtain shortly) a PhD in Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related area, and show evidence of excellence in discrete mathematics or theoretical computer science. Candidates who completed their PhD recently or will do so by next September are encouraged to apply,
- Relevant expertise in structural and algorithmic graph theory is required, including a solid knowledge of various aspects of graph theory, algorithms, and computational complexity theory,
- The position will require teaching at most two courses per year in Mathematics or Computer Science programs at UP FAMNIT (depending on the candidate’s background and expertise),
- The postdoctoral researcher will have access to a certain amount of funding for travel, conferences, and visitors,
- The compensation is set according to the academic title by Slovenian law governing higher education and is expected to be about 1680 EUR / month after tax, which can increase to about 1780 EUR / month after the first 6 months (if the tax residency status is obtained).
DEADLINE AND APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply, please send the following documents in electronic form to electronic form to razpisi@famnit.upr.si with the subject line “University of Primorska Postdoc 2024" in the Subject field:
- Curriculum Vitae,
- Publication List,
- Research Statement,
- Copies of at most three recent papers or preprints,
- Names and e-mail addresses of two or three persons who can be contacted for reference (and who have agreed to be contacted).
Informal inquiries may be directed by email to martin.milanic@upr.si.
Application deadline: 15 May 2024
Monday, 15 April 2024 The 5th lecture of Famnits' excursion into the mathematical universe 2023/24
You are kindly invited to the 5th lecture entitled
» Discovering Hidden Order in the Chaos,«
which will be held on Wednesday, 24 April, at 18:00, in the lecture room- VP3 and via ZOOM.
The lecture will be given by Dr. Alejandra Ramos Rivera, UP in IMFM.
Have you ever wondered if there is a method to what appears to be randomness? Join us on a journey into the fascinating world where order is created out of what appears to be chaos. During this talk, we will explore how patterns unexpectedly appear in seemingly unrelated things. From everyday situations to puzzles that baffle mathematicians, we will show the surprising cases where structure arises naturally. During this talk we will consider questions such as: how large must the set of numbers, points or objects be in order to find a pattern? Can we always find a highly regular pattern? We will look at some examples and open problems in different areas of mathematics that people are interested in nowadays.
Alejandra Ramos Rivera completed her undergraduate studies in applied mathematics at the Metropolitan Autonomous University in Mexico City (2012) and pursued a master's degree in mathematical sciences at the Mathematical Institute of UNAM (2014), where she worked in the field of abstract polytopes. She obtained her PhD in mathematics in 2019 at the Andrej Marušič Institute of the University of Primorska. She is currently employed at the University of Primorska and at the Institute of Mathematics, Physics, and Mechanics in Ljubljana. Her research interest lies in the application of algebraic tools for studying symmetry in discrete objects and related areas.
Thursday, 11 April 2024 Launch of the NEBA Alliance at the NEB Festival in Brussels
The NEB Academy, a flagship initiative of the European Commission, has set out to accelerate the up- and re-skilling of architecture, construction, and engineering (ACE) professionals and adjacent actors. Through a network of training hubs across Europe that bundle regional competencies and facilitate access to contents on sustainability, circularity and bio-based material knowledges. A strong partnership of universities, regional training centres, authorities and EU associations has kicked of the NEBA Alliance to co-create this novel platform for the construction sector.
The urgency of the climate crisis and the construction sector being responsible for more than 40% of GHG emissions requires accelerating the transfer and adoption of climate change mitigation skills and tools to workers, businesses, policy makers, and the public. Therefore, Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced the NEB Academy in November 2022 as a main flagship of the New European Bauhaus.
The initiative will make training materials easily accessible and offer courses in real-time. They are delivered through an international network establishing a growing number of Hubs across Europe that have regional coverage and expertise in specific topics. In this way, these tailored programs support the transition from a linear and fossil-based system to a more circular, regenerative and distributive economy designed to thrive within the planetary boundaries.
The NEB Academy aims to raise awareness, improve skills, and encourage commitment among stakeholders to drive change. Enhancing biobased industrialisation and digitalisation in the construction sector, the second largest industrial ecosystem in the EU, will create opportunities to attract young talent and skilled workers, contributing to the growth of the circular bioeconomy and the EU Green Deal. The initiative supports the goal of creating 160,000 additional green jobs in the EU construction sector through the Renovation Wave.
The NEB Academy will establish an open marketplace to match high quality training offers with skills needs and demands of different target groups. Setting up a central portal and database of certified training materials, courses, and modules, along with a selection of best practices in pedagogies it will enable widespread scaling of training on bio-based materials in sustainable construction. The curated NEB Academy course catalogue, validated according to thematic domains and NEB values, will allow trainers and trainees to immediately find the best suited training opportunities.
“Providing training for actors all across the construction ecosystem, and spread all around Europe, will help increase the use of biomaterials and ensure more people have access to healthy, beautiful buildings for work, living, and learning.”
Prof. Andreja Kutnar, University of Primorska, Slovenia, Coordinator of NEBA Alliance
“I welcome the New European Bauhaus Academy Alliance, a powerhouse of 14 European partners, ready to launch its EU-wide training network. It will be a solid support for Europe's construction industry, addressing labour shortages and promoting knowledge sharing including on sustainable bio-based solutions, like the circular use of wood and other innovative materials.”
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
“The New European Bauhaus is about bringing the European Green Deal to our living spaces. To make it a success, we need to equip our construction sector with the skills and knowledge it needs to tap into the potential of sustainable solutions. This is where the NEB Academy will make a difference.”
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
“I welcome the New European Bauhaus Academy Alliance which, through its diverse expertise across the EU, will address skill gaps in the sustainable and circular construction sector and create better employment opportunities at the regional and national level, while promoting high-quality and inclusiveness in construction.
Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms
Source of original EC press release:
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6593
NEB Festival Forum 2024 – official launch of the NEBA Alliance:
https://new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu/festival/forum_en
Background information
NEBAP Hub: 1. University of Primorska, Slovenia, offers education in sustainable built environments research and education. It hosts the UNESCO Chair for Interpretation and Education for Enhancing Integrated Heritage Approaches and has established the first NEB Academy Pioneer Hub. upr.si
2. Holzbau Austria, the Federation of Austrian Carpenters representing SME-sized crafts enterprises and partner in national and European standardization (Timber Construction Europe). holzbauaustria.at
3. Lodz University of Technology, Poland, is a leading university in architectural and urban design, adaptive reuse, urban regeneration, heritage conservation, nature-based solutions in architecture and urban planning, and digital technologies (BIM, GIS). p.lodz.pl/en
Nordic Bauhaus Hub: 4. RISE Research Institutes of Sweden is the national institute and innovation partner, operating in transition management, applied research and development, testing, inspection and certification, and lifelong learning. ri.se
5. Aalto University brings together art and science and is a Nordic leader in higher education for design, architecture, art, art education, and media. The renowned Department of Architecture focuses on sustainable construction and is active in multidisciplinary research on living environments. aalto.fi
6. Estonian Academy of Arts is the only public university in Estonia providing higher education in fine arts, design, architecture, media, visual studies, art history, and conservation, and lifelong learning opportunities through the Open Academy. artun.ee
Central Hub: 7. Bauhaus Earth is a Berlin-based think tank, active on global climate impacts of buildings, policy roadmaps for biobased materials, transition management and capacity building programmes for public administrations. bauhauserde.org
8. TU Delft is among the top ranked universities in Europe in civil engineering, architecture, and mechanical engineering. A front runner in online education with over 3.5 million online learners worldwide, it offers 130 MOOCs, 10 online academic courses; 45 professional education courses; 35 short programmes by 400 dedicated instructors. https://online-learning.tudelft.nl
South Hub:9. IAAC Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Spain, is a pioneer in design & urbanism, sustainable construction, material technology, digital fabrication, advanced design computation, ecological design, robotics, hands-on design+build education. iaac.net
10. Regione Liguria is a territorial public institution that engages in intensive capacity building on NEB themes and culture for stakeholders such as municipalities, provinces, park authorities, research bodies, businesses, educational actors, citizens' associations and the tertiary sector. regione.liguria.it
11. CESEFOR Foundation of the Region of Castilla and Léon in Spain promotes the whole forest-based value chain towards sustainability, bioeconomy, and biodiversity conservation. A main priority is upskilling and new employment in wood construction and the habitat sector. cesefor.com
EU Outreach Hub: 12. InnovaWood is the European network for wood research, innovation and education with 70+ member organisations in 30 countries of Europe. IW chairs the Wood4Bauhaus Alliance of five European umbrella organisations in the wood sector. innovawood.com
13. EAAE European Association for Architectural Education is an international organisation of 150+ architectural schools aiming to advance the quality of architectural education and to promote the quality of architecture in Europe. eaae.be
14. BOKU / European Bioeconomy University is a network of eight leading universities in all sectors of the bioeconomy. EBU members share knowledge and educational formats, supporting each other in EU projects under Horizon, Erasmus, Marie Curie-Sklodoswka and other programmes. The BOKU University in Vienna holds the current presidency. european-bioeconomy-university.eu
EC CORDIS page cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101160532
Thursday, 11 April 2024 Successful conclusion of the ReNature project - restoring wetlands and meadows
After two years, the ReNature project - restoring wetlands and meadows successfully concluded in the Škocjan Caves Park, which are important for Natura 2000 and other protected species and habitat types in the Karst, the basin of Reka river and the Pivka intermittent lakes Nature Park.
As part of the project, experts from UP Famnit (Department of Biodiversity) in the fields of biology, ecology, and nature conservation, as well as partners from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, collaborated. They mapped and described ecosystem services (human benefits from the local landscape and nature) provided by meadow and wetland ecosystems.
On Tuesday, 9 April 2024, the presentation of activities carried out over the past two years, followed by a press conference, and an excursion through the Karst Biosphere Reserve with a visit to restored wetlands, newly established grasslands, and high-stem orchards.
The most extensive renovation of meadows was carried out in the area of Vremščica, where, under the guidance of the Veterinary Faculty (University of Ljubljana), they cleared 39 hectares of overgrown land, thus providing additional grazing space for the flock of indigenous Istrian Pramenka sheep, which will prevent re-overgrowth.
A few more than five hectares of meadows have also been restored in the municipality of Pivka, thus contributing to the preservation of habitat for important bird and butterfly species. Near the Ravne Castle, they planted a small meadow orchard, as these are also becoming rare, yet they provide a home to several bird species. In the Brkini area, the Škocjan Caves Park has restored several wetland habitats, eight ponds, and one arched or locally known "velban" spring, which is a characteristic feature of the Brkini region.
Experts also teamed up with locals, jointly recognizing the importance of preserving cultural landscapes and heritage. Village communities took over the task of maintaining the ponds. They reached agreements with farmers to assist in preserving the meadows.
The areas areconsidered highly efficient carbon sinks and habitats for European protected species of animals and plants under the Natura 2000 network. Their functions are vital for the survival of various plant and animal species as well as for human activities, which are rapidly disappearing due to climate change, drought, erosion, changes in land use, and the introduction of alien plant and animal species. The project aimed to stop with disappearance.
ReNature is implemented within the framework of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation programme.
In addition to UP Famnit, the Municipality of Pivka, the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) were participating in the project, whose leading partner is the Škocjan Caves Public Institute. The 1.2 million euros worth project was financed in part by funds from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
Wednesday, 10 April 2024 Taking Citizen Science in a New Direction: The international project Step Change concludes
Last week, the 5th conference of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) took place in Vienna, including the closing event of the international Step Change project. Under the slogan »Taking Citizen Science in a New Direction, One Step at a Time,« partners presented the results of all working groups (Citizen Science Initiatives) and horizontal activities. Representatives of UP FAMNIT, the leading partner of the project, also attended the event.
As part of the conference, an associated event titled »Citizen Science Day« took place at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Representatives from the molecular ecology group at UP FAMNIT presented various methods for monitoring wildlife in Slovenia (camera traps, the SRNA app, eDNA) and conducted a short memory game with children related to the SRNA app (for monitoring wildlife).
ECSA 2024 was held under the patronage of Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal President of the Republic of Austria.
About the Step Change Project
The international Step Change project is conducted under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. It is led and coordinated by the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT with prof. Elena Bužan as the project leader. The project, worth over 2 million euros, launched in March 2021 and is based on the expertise of 11 partners from 7 European countries and Uganda.
STEP CHANGE builds on the assumption that citizen science can play an even broader societal and scientific role than is generally acknowledged. The overall objective of the project is to explore the potential of citizen science and to formulate recommendations and instruments for better cementing this approach within R&I institutions as well as changing researchers’ mindsets on its value.
In Slovenia, the initiative focuses on wildlife conservation in Slovenia, which will contribute to additional development of the Hunting Information System (HIS) and further the cooperation between leading researchers of game in Slovenia and the Hunting Association of Slovenia.
The project will officially conclude on April 30, 2024.
Wednesday, 10 April 2024 WINGS FOR LIFE GROUP RUN WITH THE APP ORGANISED BY UP
For several years now, the first Sunday in May (5 May) has been marked by the Wings For Life run, which takes place in three ways - at a larger event, where runners are chased by a pursuit vehicle (this will be in Ljubljana) or with an app. This can be used by anyone who is going to run on Sunday at 13:00, or you can join one of the "app runs" organised by the app, where you are chased by a virtual car. This year, for the second time, this type of run will take place by the sea, organised by Sport UP, which is responsible for the recreation of students and staff at the University of Primorska. We will run from the building of the UP FTŠ Turistica to the last pier of the Portorož beach (short run, turning point after 2 km), to Seča (medium run, 4.4 km one way) or to the Sečovlje Salt Pans (8 km). This year our event is also supported by Radio Capris.
With the run, we want to first of all encourage students and staff to enjoy additional recreation and pleasant socialising, and above all to help the charity project, as we are aware of the importance of supporting good research projects. We would like to invite local and regional runners who have not chosen to run in the capital but would prefer to run in the company of others to join us. And we will all follow the slogan of the run - I run for those who can't.
We will be especially inspired by the SportUP Wings for life World Run 2023 - App Campus Run UP ambassador, namely our alumnus Aljoša Habjan, a graduate of Applied Kinesiology at UP FVZ. Aljoša was severely injured during his studies and became a tetraplegic. Nevertheless, he persevered and passed all the missing courses and subjects and successfully defended his final thesis entitled »Physical/sport activity of tetraplegics« in December 2022, under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Matej Plevnik. His story about the accident that did not stop him will surely be a motivation for all of us.
You can register for the run via the run app, where you can also make a donation of 18,00 EUR. There are no other costs for joining the organised run, and the UP Faculty of Education will also provide animation and childcare for the runners' children (from the age of 5, with prior registration HERE). After the run, all runners will be offered a drink and a snack on the terrace of the UP Turistica, where they can mingle and share impressions.
Not a runner, but interested in helping? We need hard-working hands to help direct runners along the route, hand out water and other refreshments and food, and help set up the event with us. Are you coming? Please sign up HERE.
Wednesday, 10 April 2024 Two new projects at UP FAMNIt and UP IAM in March
EUROPEAN COMMISSION'S EU4Health PROGRAMMEEUROPEAN COMMISSION'S EU4Health PROGRAMME
Modular Mental Health Toolbox, partners, lead organization: European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD), UP IAM, UP lead: dr. Vita Poštuvan
The MentBox project aims to bridge the gap between existing good practice in the field of mental health and the capacity of EU Member States to implement it effectively. The project aims to identify and adapt promising mental health interventions, especially those focusing on depression, suicide and non-clinical mental disorders. Through the Modular Mental Health Toolbox (MH Toolbox), the project will provide detailed guidance for implementation, including evidence-based interventions from past and ongoing EU-funded projects. These interventions will be optimized in collaboration with ministries, health professionals, patients and minority groups and tailored to the different EU Member States. Patients and people with experience will also contribute to the development of the measures to ensure their relevance and acceptance. Following the project, the MHToolbox will be managed by the European Alliance for the Prevention of Depression (EAAD), which is coordinating the project with partners UP, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Fundación Pública Andaluza Investiga and the Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks AISBL.
ERC COMPLEMENTARY SCHEME (ARIS)
Beyond sparsity: graph classes and width parameters, lead partner UP FAMNIT, partner UP IAM, project leader: dr. Martin Milanič, partner leader: dr. Nina Chiarelli
Graph Sparsity Theory by Nešetřil and Ossona de Mendez is a very active and rapidly developing topic in combinatorics and graph theory, with applications in many areas such as algorithmic graph theory, complexity theory and property testing. A recent focus of structural and algorithmic graph theory is the extension of the theory of sparsity of graphs to dense graph classes. The proposed project aims to present new ways and methods to achieve this goal. This is done along the following two interrelated lines of research: first, by advancing the recently emerged and rapidly evolving theory of graph width and depth parameters through a general framework based on graph measures and an in-depth analysis of known and novel graph parameters; second, by developing a biparametric theory of hereditary graph classes in which one parameter is bounded by a function of another, with the aim of identifying nontrivial structural and algorithmic implications. Our approach complements the theory of graph classes with bounded flip-width recently developed by Toruńczyk and will lead to a better understanding of tractability bounds for the maximum independent set and several other practically relevant graph optimization problems.
Tuesday, 9 April 2024 Elham Motamedi Mohammadabadi, new Doctor of Science
Today, 9 April 2024, we welcomed another Doctor of Science at UP FAMNIT.
Elham Motamedi Mohammadabi, student of the doctoral study programe Computer Science at UP FAMNIT has successfully defended her doctoral thesis User and Item Modelling Using Eudaimonic and Hedonic Characteristics for Personalised Recommender Systems; under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Marko Tkalčič, PhD and co-mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Mehdi Elahi, PhD.
We sincerely congratulate the new Doctor of Science and wish her much success on her future journey in research!
Tuesday, 9 April 2024 UP FAMNIT student won 3rd place at the final of the POPRI competition
Last week, on April 4th, 2024, the final of the National Youth Entrepreneurial Ideas Competition - POPRI took place in Nova Gorica, where as many as 103 aspiring young entrepreneurs competed in the final.
Teams were categorised by primary school students, high school students, and young participants up to the age of 29, who obtained cash prizes and the opportunity to participate in international competitions and professional excursions abroad. Distinguished entrepreneurs on the jury decided who best developed their idea into a business model and presented it most confidently.
Matic Bončina, recipient of 3rd place in the final of the POPRI competition
In the category of young participants up to the age of 29, Matic Bončina, a first-year student in the Computer Science programme (UP FAMNT), together with Matej Aleksov (University of Ljubljana), presented their idea in the final of the competition, where they introduced the online service Repono and secured an excellent 3rd place. A month earlier, they had won an excellent 1st place at the regional competition.
Repono Website
The online service is intended for students living in dormitories or private accommodations, allowing for the safe storage and relocation of belongings during vacations or off-season periods. The main purpose and operation of Repono are summarized by Matic Bončin, the service developer: “At Repono, we take care of everything, from providing packing materials to safely storing students' belongings and arranging pickup and delivery, all facilitated through a user-friendly online platform. This enables students to focus solely on their studies during exam periods without the additional stress of moving.”
The top three teams in the category up to the age 29, will also be able to benefit from entrepreneurial training abroad within the Erasmus programme, facilitated by Ljubljana Technology Park.
This year, compete almost 30 percent more young people in the national competition for entrepreneurial ideas, which means 607 participants who have developed 203 innovative business models.
Popri competition is organised by the Primorska Technology Park in cooperation with the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, SPIRIT Slovenia Business Development Agency, and the Slovene Enterprise Fund (SEF), which also provides the prize pool of the competition. Other organizers are the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, the City Municipality of Nova Gorica, and the Municipality of Šempeter-Vrtojba.
Congratulations!
Monday, 8 April 2024 Open Call for Young Researchers at UP for 2024
The University of Primorska has published a Call for Young Researchers who will be trained over the next four years in a research and study programme. Each young researcher will carry out a research project under supervision, which will be structured within the framework of the specific research programme.
In 2024, there are four positions open for young researchers, with two positions available at UP IAM.
Candidates can apply to the call for the following mentors, in the following research fields and within the framework of the institution's research programmes.
Prof. Dr. Michel Lavrauw – research field Mathematics, research programme P1-0285 Algebra, diskretna matematika, verjetnostni račun in teorija iger, UP Andrej Marušič Institute (UP IAM),
Prof. Dr. Enes Pasalic – research field Mathematics, research programme P1-0404: Matematično modeliranje in enkripcija: od teoretičnih konceptov do vsakodnevnih aplikacij, UP Inštitut Andrej Marušič (UP IAM).
Candidates must have completed a second-level degree programme within the last four years and have an average grade in all final assessments and examinations, including the Master's thesis, of at least 8.
Only one candidate can be selected per mentor. The candidate will be offered a full-time contract for up to four years. If there are several applicants, they will be ranked according to their overall score. The candidate with the highest score will be selected. In the event of two candidates scoring the same number of points, preference will be given to the candidate from the under-represented gender in the specific research field, if the research field is characterised by a gender imbalance of researchers at UP (more than 60 %/40 % in favour of/to the detriment of one gender).
The submission deadline is 15 June 2024, by the end of day. Applicants should submit their applications and supporting documents in electronic format (scanned PDF documents) to the following e-mail address: razpis.mr@upr.si.
Call for Young Researchers 2024 // Application Form MR 2024
Monday, 8 April 2024 YOU ARE KINDLY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS FESTIVAL
The European Commission will organize the second New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels during 9-13 April 2024. Among speakers will be also Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director and the NEBA Academy coordinator, while the European Commissioner Iliana Ivanova officially opened the NEBA Academy, which is led by University of Primorska.
The European Commission in cooperation with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, is organizing the New European Bauhaus Festival which aims to bring together a wide range of stakeholders – industry representatives, opinion leaders, innovation experts, scientists and artists – to discuss the key issues enabling a sustainable transformation of our society.
Among the festival’s speakers will be Dr. Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director and the NEB Academy coordinator: “At the festival I will present the story and the process of creating the NEB Academy at the University of Primorska and highlight the planned activities of the alliance which is composed of 14 partners from Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands.”
Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, will officially launch the New European Bauhaus Academy at the festival, whose key objective is to develop an international alliance of education and training providers across Europe to offer tailored and high-quality services and training programmes in the field of sustainable buildings. The European Commission is convinced that the NEBA Academy is a strong support for the European construction industry, as it also addresses the important issue of labour shortages and promotes the exchange of knowledge on sustainable solutions, such as the circular use of wood and other innovative materials.
The festival will bring together people from all over Europe to share their vision and actions for a sustainable, beautiful and inclusive future. Various activities will include the announcement of the New European Bauhaus Prize 2024 winners. InnoRenew CoE is also among finalist to receive the prize.
Participation in the festival is free and open to all, but the registration is required. You are kindly invited to attend!
Thursday, 4 April 2024 The doctoral thesis defence of the student Elham Motamedi Mohammadabadi
Elham Motamedi Mohammadabi, student of the doctoral study programe Computer Science at UP FAMNIT will defend her doctoral thesis User and Item Modelling Using Eudaimonic and Hedonic Characteristics for Personalised Recommender Systems; under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Marko Tkalčič, PhD and co-mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Mehdi Elahi, PhD.
The defence will take place on Tuesday, 9 April 2024 at 10:00 in Famnit-VP1.
The doctoral disertation will be available in the library at UP in the following days.
Cordially invited!
Tuesday, 2 April 2024 THE MASTER'S AND DOCTORAL DEGREE FAIR "UPGRADE - EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE!"
Do you know where to go from here? Know all your options? Are you hungry for new knowledge but think you're too old to study? Come and find out!
The University of Primorska is organising the second Master's and Doctoral Programmes Fair "UPgrade! - Expand Your Knowledge", which will take place on Wednesday, 17 April between 11 am and 5 pm at the Museum Square next to UP FAMNIT (in the case of bed weather we will be in the UP FAMNIT hall).
The event, which will offer much more than just a presentation of 2nd and 3rd cycle study programmes , will also provide visitors with information on
- international mobility,
- enrolment conditions and procedures,
- the importance of competences,
- career opportunities at UP, and
- the reasons why you should choose to study alongside work in your later years.
From 3 pm onwards, students, alumni and staff will be available at various talking points to chat with you over coffee about their experiences and impressions, and to help you decide what to do next. They'll chat to you about:
- parallel study,
- changing course completely,
- partial change of course - gaining other competences,
- re-entering the same level of study after graduation,
- working as a young researcher at UP
- working in the professional services of UP
- studying in mature years; and
- completing your studies after you have only your diploma/final thesis to write.
Coffee and our great team are waiting for you!
Tuesday, 2 April 2024 Nuwan Tharanga Attygalle, new Doctor of Science
Today, 2 April 2024, we welcomed another Doctor of Science at UP FAMNIT.
Nuwan Tharanga Attygalle, student of the doctoral study programe Computer Science at UP FAMNIT has successfully defended his doctoral thesis Improving interaction with radar-based gesture recognition when sensing through materials; under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar, PhD and co-mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Kljun, PhD.
We sincerely congratulate the new doctor of science and wish him much success on his future journey in research!
