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.
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.
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.
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Dr. Dunja Bandelj graduated in the field of agronomy from the Biotechnical Faculty at the University of Ljubljana in 1998. As a young researcher, she continued her doctoral training in the field of agronomic sciences at the Biotechnical Faculty, where she focused on research in the molecular genetics of olives. In 2008, she was employed as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Information Technologies and became head of the Department of Applied Natural Sciences. Since then, she has been employed at UP FAMNIT and actively involved in the management of the faculty, as the head of the Department of Applied Natural Sciences, coordinator of the Agronomy study program, a member of the faculty and university Senate. In 2016, she became vice-dean for student affairs.
Dr. Simona Kralj Fišer graduated in behavioural biology from the Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Ljubljana in 2002. Between 2003 and 2004 she conducted research for her PhD thesis at the Konrad Lorenz Research Station for Ethology and at the University of Vienna. In 2006, she joined the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences (ZRC SAZU) as a young researcher and defended her PhD thesis, for which she received the ZRC SAZU prize, in 2009. In 2010, she was awarded a Humboldt Foundation project and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hamburg. In 2011 she returned to ZRC SAZU, where she was awarded an ARIS postdoctoral project. Since then, she has been continuously employed at ZRC SAZU, first as an assistant and now as a senior research fellow. In 2012 she obtained her habilitation in the field of ethology and since 2013 she has been working as a lecturer at the University of Primorska. Between 2019 and 2023, she worked as a coordinator of the Master's and PhD programmes at the Postgraduate School ZRC SAZU.
Marko Orel completed his bachelor degree study in Pure Mathematics in 2004 at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of University of Ljubljana. Then, he was employed as a young researcher at the Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics in Ljubljana. He completed his PhD study in mathematics in 2009 at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. After a short period of time working at the company Proinstal d.o.o. and as a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, in the school year 2009/2010 he got a temporary position as a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering of University of Ljubljana. His first experience with the University of Primorska was in the school year 2008/2009, when he had tutorials for the course Probability at UP FAMNIT. At the same faculty he got a position as an Assistant Professor in 2010. In the following years, the employment at UP FAMNIT was supplemented by partial employments at the Andrej Marušič Institute and at the Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics. In 2017, he was elected to the title of Associate Professor in Mathematics at the University of Primorska.
Dr. Hujdurović graduated in mathematics from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Tuzla in 2009. He completed his studies with a maximum average grade of 10,00. Since 2010, he has been employed at the University of Primorska. He was first employed as a young researcher at UP IAM. In 2013, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation under the supervision of Prof. dr. Dragan Marušič and the co-mentorship of Prof. dr. Klavdija Kutnar. He was then employed as an assistant with PhD at UP FAMNIT, and since 2015 as an assistant professor and research associate. In 2018, he became vice-dean for international and inter-university cooperation at UP FAMNIT. He obtained the title of associate professor in 2019. He has been the dean of UP FAMNIT since November 2019, and in June 2023 he was re-elected for a second term as dean of UP FAMNIT.
Dr. Russ Woodroofe was born and grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He moved across town to the University of Michigan for his bachelors degree. He finished his bachelors in science in 1998, with a double major in Mathematics and Computer Science (with honors in both). After a brief period working as a programmer, Russ moved to Cornell University for graduate study in Mathematics, where he completed his PhD in 2005. His dissertation was titled "Shelling the coset poset", and was directed by Ken Brown.
Dr. Miklós Krész completed his Master’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science in 1994 at the University of Szeged, Hungary. During his final year of study, he was awarded the Republic Scholarship for outstanding academic achievements. After graduation, he worked as an assistant researcher in the Research Group of Automata Theory at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He also spent one year at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, supported by a research scholarship from the International Soros Foundation, where he served as a teaching assistant. Upon returning, he gained industrial experience as an actuary (insurance mathematician) at Hungary’s largest insurance company and as a development mathematician at a research and development communication technology subsidiary of a German technology transfer center.
Dr. Lara Lusa je leta 1998 diplomirala iz statističnih in aktuarskih ved na Univerzi v Trstu ter leta 2002 doktorirala iz Uporabne statistike na Univerzi v Firencah. Po doktoratu je delala kot raziskovalka na Nacionalnem Inštitutu za proučevanje in zdravljenje tumorjev v Milanu, na Inštitutu molekularne onkologije v Milanu ter na Nacionalnem Inštitutu za rak v Bethesdi, ZDA. Od leta 2008 do 2016 je bila zaposlena na Inštitutu za biostatistiko in medicinsko informatiko na Medicinski fakulteti v Ljubljani, kjer je leta 2016 pridobila naziv izredne profesorice in kjer je še danes dopolnilno zaposlena. Od leta 2016 je zaposlena na Univerzi na Primorskem, na Fakulteti za matematiko, naravoslovje in informacijske tehnologije.
Dr. Rado Bohinc was the Rector of UP from 2007 to 2011, during which time he was also a teacher and researcher at UP. In almost 40 years of scientific activity (his first monograph was published in 1981), he has published 40 scientific monographs, 17 independent scientific papers or chapters in monographs, 52 original and 12 review articles. Dr. Rado Bohinc’s research interests have in many respects been characterised by his field of employment: business law, comparative corporate governance, social responsibility, economic democracy, social economics, property ownership, university and higher education, science and research, public governance (public administration, the public sector), EU law, political systems, human rights, and the media. He has been a long-serving lecturer in all three study cycles at both the University of Ljubljana and the University of Maribor. He was first employed at UP as a visiting professor, then in 2007 as Rector and later as a teacher at UP FM.
Dr. Aleksandar Tošić received his PhD at UP, where he completed all three cycles of his studies. He works at the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies at UP FAMNIT, where he regularly receives excellent evaluations as a lecturer. His scientific interest is distributed systems, especially distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) and blockchains. He has published several high-profile works, including 11 scientific papers in SCI-listed journals in the last three years, two of which were published in A’’ journals. The integration of his research with industrial projects is especially important, and is reflected not only in his successful work in industry but also in his applying for and supervising six Creative Pathways to Knowledge projects. These are aimed at introducing students to working on projects with companies, including projects with successful industrial applications. He is also extremely active in the popularisation and visibility of his research field: his smart floor innovation was exhibited at the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for several months. Lastly, he continues to inspire young people to get involved in computer science through designing, managing and organising the Faculty Programming Competition.
Dr. Anna Małgorzata Sandak completed her PhD studies in 2010 at the University of Poznan, Poland. She has been employed at UP since 2016, working as a researcher and transferring her knowledge to Master’s and PhD students of renewable materials and sustainable built environment at the Department of Applied Natural Sciences of UP FAMNIT. She is also head of the Materials research department at InnoRenew CoE. Since coming to UP, she has carried out scientific research, teaching and leading the way in popularising science and improving the visibility of UP. In particular, she has organised numerous international conferences and workshops, and is a member of the editorial boards of many international journals. She has published over 90 scientific papers, 7 of which were published in 2023. She is a world-renowned and internationally engaged researcher, which is demonstrated by the outstanding number of international grant projects she has been awarded, including the first ERC Consolidator Grant led by a female researcher. Her five-year ARCHI-SKIN project, titled “Bioinspired living skin for architecture”, worth almost €2 million, focuses on the development of a protective biocoating made from engineered living materials.
Dr. Jernej Vičič completed his doctoral studies at the University of Ljubljana in 2012 and has worked at UP since 2001. His research interest is language technologies, particularly language and translation models of natural languages and distributed systems. He is head of the UP Distributed Systems and Language Technologies Laboratory – D(LT)^2, and has interdisciplinary links with the Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts as well as with InnoRenew CoE. Particularly noteworthy is his leadership of the project Smart, Resilient and Sustainable Communities – European Digital Innovation Hub. In addition to conducting scientific research and teaching at UP, he is also responsible for the IT support of education and research. For many years now, he has been in charge of the Moodle learning platform at all the faculties. As head of the Centre for Application Design and Development (UP IAM CORA), he manages the development team of the UNIS personnel information system and the travel orders application – a unique open source integration system that allows the control and integrated use of information from different sources. The system also provides a comprehensive overview of the data of staff, research projects and other university projects, as well as extracts used in reporting, which is an essential element of the informatisation of the university.
Ana Kuder has graduated from the Psychology MA programme at UP FAMNIT. She approached her excellent Master’s thesis with extraordinary independence, a remarkable ability for analytical thinking, use of the latest scientific sources and detailed familiarity with statistical analytical methods. Her work, which perfectly integrates various contemporary areas of knowledge in cognitive psychology and the use of psychodiagnostic tools, explores the cognitive functioning in people who have survived a mild or moderate case of COVID-19 and compares them with those who have not been affected or who had been affected more than a year before. Her research work includes setting up and carrying out Biological-Psychological Student Conferences at UP. She is also a member of SiNAPSA, the Slovenian Neuroscience Association, where she helps to organise the annual Neuroscience Conference. She has already published two scientific papers in indexed journals and presented her work at several conferences and symposia. Shortly after graduation, she completed her traineeship in healthcare and passed her professional examination. At the beginning of this academic year, she became a research assistant in clinical neurophysiology at University Medical Centre Ljubljana.
Dr. Sara Zupan completed her PhD in Geography at UP FHŠ with an extremely extensive and multifaceted doctoral thesis, whose results have been published in five scientific papers. The PhD thesis excels at applying an outstanding interdisciplinary approach, in which the author combines elements of geography, genetics and ecology, thus providing a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the habitat and populations of the false ringlet butterfly (Coenonympha oedippus) in Slovenia, an endangered species of pan-European importance. Dr. Sara Zupan is employed at the Department of Biodiversity of UP FAMNIT, where she is active in both the scientific area and in education. Her innovative teaching and her involvement in the INOVUP project show her desire to improve the quality of higher education. She has also participated in several projects, helped organise conferences and brought together four institutions in the Interreg Italy-Slovenia Kras4us project application. She is an exceptional researcher and educator who exceeds high expectations in all areas of her work.
Specialist trends point to the need for an inclusive approach to heritage management. In August 2021, the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris approved the establishment of a new UNESCO Chair for Interpretation and Education for Enhancing Integrated Heritage Approaches at UP FHŠ, which became operational in 2022. It is only the fourth Chair in Slovenia and the first in the humanities. The Chair fills a gap in the existing UNESCO Chairs around the world, recognising that the key to sustainable heritage management lies in interpretation and education through integrated heritage approaches. The activities of the Chair are based on the world-renowned International Summer School of Museology and other educational and research activities of UP FHŠ, organised in collaboration with the Škocjan Caves Regional Park, Slovenia’s oldest UNESCO destination. The newly established Chair has thus put UP on the world map of the most prominent and excellent institutions in heritage studies, strengthening its reputation, excellence and visibility at the international level. The following people have made the establishment of the Chair possible through their long-standing heritage research and teaching: Prof. Irena Lazar, Assist. Prof. Neža Čebron Lipovec, Assist. Prof. Zrinka Mileusnić, Assoc.Prof. Katja Hrobat Virloget and Assoc. Prof. Alenka Tomaž.
Dr. Žiga Kozinc received his PhD from UP FVZ in 2021, having been employed there since 2020. Immediately after his PhD, he obtained an internal university postdoctoral project, and, this year, also an ARIS postdoctoral project. He has contributed to strengthening the international visibility of UP both through established collaborations with a number of experts from abroad and his scientific excellence in foreign journals, which is recognised in his appointment to both editorial and review boards. He is the author or co-author of 113 scientific papers, ranks 2nd among sports researchers with 2,863 points (SICRIS) and is a co-author of a patent in metrology. Moreover, he is an excellent teacher, being one of the most highly rated lecturers. He supervises students in their final theses in all study cycles (including those who have won some faculty- and university-level prizes) and in the publication of scientific papers. On his own initiative, several students have presented their papers at conferences. He has been involved in curricular renewal, has designed lifelong learning courses and co-authored a textbook. He is singled out by students as one of the best teachers – extremely accessible, responsive, professional and fair.
Dr. Štefan Bojnec completed his doctoral studies in 1988 at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Zagreb, and has worked at the University of Primorska since 2003. He is head of the Department of Economics at UP FM and a lecturer and teacher in seven courses. In 2023, he published a total of 19 original scientific papers, 9 of which were published in top international social science journals indexed by SCI, SSCI and A&HCI. His high-profile work is confirmed by the numerous citations of his publications – 1,696 in WOS and 2,112 true citations in Scopus in the last 10 years. He has also been awarded numerous projects, especially in the last few years. The most recent ones are AGRIGEP from the prestigious Horizon programme, WE-GREEN from the Erasmus+ KA2 programme and one ARIS basic project. He is also involved in three targeted research projects. His international engagement is evident in the five bilateral cooperation projects he has carried out in the last year and in his membership of the editorial boards of more than 20 international journals. He is also a member of around 10 international professional associations, an evaluator of Horizon 2020 projects and a member of the German Scientific Advisory Board of IAMO. 
Dr. Andreja Istenič completed her doctoral studies in 2002 at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana, and has been employed at the Department of Educational Sciences of UP since 2005. She is in charge of the in-house research programme Post-digital Learning Environment and Educational Technology for Innovative Learning and Career Paths. She is one of the leading researchers in education and has a high citation record (593 WOS citations and 847 Scopus citations), with 829 true citations and 138 citations for her most outstanding work over a five-year period. Her career is characterised by successful and dedicated teaching, supervising students in all study cycles, and by strong international engagement. For example, she has been appointed to a five-year term by the American Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) as a member of an expert panel formulating educational development policies in the USA. She is currently an editor at Taylor & Francis and has served as editor of various journals and special anniversary issues of foreign journals. Her good cooperation with foreign organisations is reflected in the extensive list of guest lectures and degrees awarded by foreign universities in Russia, Australia and the US.
Dr. Armand Faganel completed his doctoral studies in 2015 at UP FM, where he has been working since 2003, currently as an associate professor in marketing. He is a lecturer and teacher of several courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. He is a dedicated university teacher, a thesis supervisor and a long-standing head of the Marketing Department. His research interests include inter-organisational and consumer marketing, sales, service quality perception in higher education and brand management. His dedication to teaching is evident from the many reviews from his students, who describe him as a lecturer who approaches the subject in a way that is always new, innovative and exciting. In his work with students, it is clear that he wants to give the best experience possible since he constantly involves them in his scientific work, while at the same time familiarising them with the real-world working environment during their studies. He keeps in touch with his graduates, thus forming a bridge between theory and practice, which he understands very well thanks to his many years of experience as a manager in retail, wholesale and the automotive industry.
Matej Vrečič has graduated from the Management BA programme at UP FM. In his thesis, he dealt with the highly topical area of cryptocurrencies. Applying a clear theoretical background, he explained the existence and functioning of cryptocurrencies and the pitfalls of investing in cryptocurrencies for individual investors and society as a whole. The thesis demonstrates an in-depth and comprehensive knowledge of the chosen topic. At the end of the thesis, he even puts forward suggestions for improvement and specifically points out that the lack of regulation in this area may lead to crypto crime. He displayed remarkable independence and research curiosity when drawing up his final project thesis. The fact that this is an area where research is lacking and few sources are available confirms that the thesis is a particularly significant contribution to the profession and to raising financial literacy in cryptocurrency investing. His thesis is extremely topical, as it deals with one of the most exciting yet relatively poorly researched areas in the financial world. As one of the first in Slovenia, it represents an important step towards awareness and knowledge of the risks and pitfalls of cryptocurrencies.
Lana Erjavec has been actively engaged in the curricular and extracurricular life of the Faculty and the University since her enrolment at UP FVZ. She has become a role model for many students through her actions, commitment, motivation, her genuine empathy and self-sacrifice. She has thus contributed to building a community and a sense of belonging, which was lost among students in the post-COVID era, raising awareness of social responsibility among students. She has helped develop and promote the entire tutoring system and the UP FVZ and UP Student Councils. She has been involved in the launch of the student magazine Ad Salutem and helped break down taboos and stigma surrounding several social issues among students. She has also promoted the acquisition of informal skills and participation in the UP FVZ and UP Alumni Clubs. Since November, she has been the UP representative on the Transform4Europe (T4EU) Student Council. Besides competently handling many tasks, she is above all an admirable person, still finding time for voluntary work to which she has been committed for many years, at SOS telefon, a helpline for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Lana Erjavec proves that by being organised, determined and willing it is possible to successfully balance one’s studies and extracurricular activities.
Alja Polanec has shown outstanding dedication and commitment at faculty and university level. After having taken over the organisation of events for students, her work has developed into active participation in both the Student Council and the tutoring team. As the coordinator of UP PEF Tutors, she has monitored and advised students and new tutors, and has transferred her experience to the university tutoring system, which has gained new dimensions, success and momentum with her involvement. She has demonstrated versatility and the ability to handle a wide range of responsibilities, which she does with pleasure, great energy and conscientiousness. She is a member of the Faculty Student Council, Vice President of the University Student Council and a member of the Transform4Europe (T4EU) Student Council. In addition, she is extremely passionate about acquiring new knowledge, as she is a student of Adult Education at UP PEF and Biopsychology at UP FAMNIT, and takes part in conferences both as a volunteer and as an active participant. Her work in different capacities reflects a high level of responsibility, organisational skills and an outstanding commitment to the student community.
Blanka Palčič joined the UP team in December 2010. Today she is in charge of the sound operation of the Scholarship Fund, is a trustee of the UP Board of Trustees and has established the UP Alumni Office. She has been entrusted with the management of the important GDI UP project – Green, Digital and Inclusive UP, co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. Thanks to her effective organisational skills, she is in charge of the timely reporting and implementation of the project in accordance with the provisions set by the funding bodies. She demonstrates a high sense of protocol and precision in the organisation and high-quality delivery of various events and workshops. She has earned the respect and trust of the various stakeholders involved in her work and tasks by constantly reinforcing the reputation of UP, while also demonstrating a high level of loyalty to the University.
Pietro Giovacchini attained his Master's degree in Natural Science in 1997) and his Professional Master program in Biomonitoring and Management of the Coastal Zone in 2004, in both cases at the University of Siena. Currently, he is doing his PhD at the Department of Environmental, Geological and Polar Sciences and Technologies at the University of Siena University, his PhD thesis Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the management of Protected Areas through the Use of objective indicators: An Application to a system of zones wetlands of the Tyrrhenian coast. Apart from his PhD, he works as an officer of the public authority “Regione Toscana”, where he mainly deals with natural resources and management of the Natura 2000 network.
Blas Fernandez, born in 1992 in Alberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina, finished his Master’s thesis in Mathematics at the National University of La Plata in 2018. Before defending his thesis, he was at the University of Primorska as part of the Erasmus programme. At the beginning of the academic year 2018/2019, Blas enrolled in the doctoral Mathematics study programme at the University of Primorska, where he made remarkable progress in the field of algebraic combinatorics. He is the author of twelve high-quality articles and has presented several results from his doctoral dissertation at international conferences and research seminars.
Associate Prof. Dr. Patricia Blatnik
Urška Gerič
Dr. Urša Mars Bitenc,
The field of women's health is of great importance for the success of society as a whole, and it is in this context that 
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Karmen Medica (
The European Commission published the report »Incentives and Skills: Focus on Research Talent. Mutual Learning Exercise on Knowledge Valorisation – Focus on Skills, Intersectoral Cooperation and Incentive Systems«, which is focused on how to cultivate research talents, essential for effectively harnessing knowledge.
The research institute InnoRenew CoE is presented in the section dedicated to the best practices, as it fosters a dynamic collaboration environment that promotes intersectoral mobility. One of the main topics in the report addresses also the importance of providing incentives to researchers and their teams through funding opportunities, career progression, and visibility, which are essential for advancing knowledge valorisation efforts.
Read the whole report here.
