2025/2026

From 20 to 22 January 2026, students Kristina Gagulić, Inga Pemper, Stella Edl, Klara Krnjić and Roman Šimunović, together with Ines Horvat, a lecturer at the Department of Information Sciences of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, participated in the international conference BOBCATSSS 2026 – Thinking for Tomorrow: Redefining Information Networks in the Digital Age, held at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu in Romania. The conference was organised by Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, the University of Barcelona and the UNESCO Chair on ICTs in Library Studies, Education and Cultural Heritage – ULSIT, Sofia, which facilitated an international exchange of knowledge and experience among students and researchers. Most of the presentations by students and lecturers of the Department of Information Sciences took place on the second day of the conference, 21 January:

Inga Pemper presented the results of the study Dementia-Related Materials in Osijek-Baranja County Public Libraries, in which she analysed the availability of dementia-related materials in local libraries. The study was supervised by Prof. Sanjica Faletar, PhD, and student Kristina Gagulić also participated in the research.
Stella Edl presented the paper Open Educational Resources – Tools for Cultural Heritage Education, in which she introduced tools for preserving cultural heritage within an educational context. The research was supervised by Prof. Damir Hasenay, PhD, and Ines Horvat, PhD, Senior Teaching and Research Assistant.
Kristina Gagulić presented the preliminary findings of the study Perceptions of Gender Inclusivity in Information Science Education – A Preliminary Analysis of Student Perspectives, which she developed in cooperation with Hajrija Osmanhodžić from the University of Sarajevo, highlighting students’ views on gender inclusivity in information sciences education.
In a parallel programme session, student Roman Šimunović held the interactive workshop Information Access: Libraries and LGBTQIA+ Inclusion for Tomorrow. Through an interactive approach, he emphasised the importance of inclusion and presented challenges such as the censorship of content by LGBTQIA+ authors in an academic context.

On the final day of the conference, 22 January:

Klara Krnjić presented the paper Automatic Transcription Versus Expert Interpretation: 16th Century Monument Through Algorithmic and Human Perspectives, in which she demonstrated the use of AI text-recognition tools through the example of Meštrija dobra umrtija, highlighting the differences between digital transcription and expert human interpretation. The research was conducted under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Tomislav Jakopec, PhD, and Assist. Prof. Vera Blažević Krezić, PhD.

During the conference, participants had an opportunity to explore the city of Sibiu, visit various parts of the University and attend a lunch organised by the hosts. Participation in the conference was highly valuable for the students, whose presentations and workshop addressed current and socially relevant topics. The participation of our students and lecturers in BOBCATSSS 2026 demonstrates the importance of international cooperation, interdisciplinarity and the promotion of an inclusive approach to information in the digital age.

Text: Roman Šimunović

Finnish Students Visit FFOS: Cultural Exchange, Language Learning and Community

On 17 October 2025, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Finnish students visiting the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek had an opportunity to experience an authentic cultural welcome in the Faculty’s Small Ceremonial Hall, organised by the PSIHOS Psychology Students’ Association. The aim of the visit was to introduce the students to Croatian culture through authentic food, music, language and stories.

The programme began with a warm welcome and an opening address by the Association’s members, followed by the promotional video Croatia – Full of Life, which provided a visual introduction to Croatia’s beauty and diversity. The students then listened to tamburica music and were particularly delighted by the songs Igraj moja Hrvatska by the group Zaprešić Boys and Baby Lasagna’s popular Eurovision hit Rim Tim Tagi Dim. The PSIHOS students also came up with the idea of using ChatGPT to translate the songs from Croatian into Finnish, bringing the Croatian themes closer to their guests and helping them understand the context and meanings behind the songs.

This was followed by a brief presentation about the necktie, a Croatian symbol now worn throughout the world. The students learned about its historical development, from seventeenth-century Croatian soldiers whose neck scarves became a recognisable fashion detail in France to its present-day status as a symbol of elegance. They also learned about the renowned Croatian chemical engineer and inventor Slavoljub Penkala and were reminded that the mechanical pencil and the solid-ink fountain pen originated in Croatia.

The cultural programme was followed by a food-tasting session. Among other delicacies, the Finnish students had an opportunity to try ajvar, napolitanke wafers, Braco and Seka chocolate, Cedevita and locally produced wine – flavours that, as they said, “told the story of the country”. They particularly enjoyed Kiki sweets, while Cedevita was not quite as popular!

Finally, the students took part in a Croatian-language session, during which the Finnish students learned basic expressions and phrases with plenty of laughter and assistance from their Croatian hosts.

The gathering concluded in a spirit of friendship and culture, with stories, songs and group photographs. As the guests said upon leaving, Croatia had not merely presented itself to them – it had opened itself to them through its warmth, energy and sense of community.

Text: Roman Šimunović

Photographs: Sven Bonet

Young Programmers Demonstrate Their Knowledge and Team Spirit at the LEGO Hackathon

The LEGO Hackathon was held on 17 October 2025 and organised by the “Libros” Student Club, which operates within the Department of Information Sciences of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. This full-day educational and competitive workshop was dedicated to popularising programming and robotics among primary school pupils. The principal organisers were Luka Marić and Klara Krnjić, who, with the assistance of their colleagues and the support of Professor Tomislav Jakopec, designed a programme intended to encourage creativity, logical thinking and collaborative learning through play and technical creation.

The competition lasted from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and participants had an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the programming capabilities of Lego Spike Prime robots. Following a brief introductory section in which the moderators explained the tasks and operating principles, the pupils began programming their robots in teams. Their task was to devise a solution that would enable the robot to follow a designated track and overcome a series of obstacles as precisely and quickly as possible, combining logic, creativity and coding accuracy.

The LEGO Hackathon brought together 24 pupils from three Osijek primary schools: Ljudevit Gaj Primary School – Sarvaš Branch School, Jagoda Truhelka Primary School and August Šenoa Primary School. During five hours of intensive teamwork, the pupils demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm and a strong desire to learn, while the final hour was devoted to presenting their projects and demonstrating the functionality of the programmed robots. Each team explained its approach to the task and presented the creative solutions developed through collaborative work. The activities were supervised and guided by students of the Department of Information Sciences Klara Krnjić, Tamara Mikić and Tina Jakić, with the assistance of Dorja Ivanović and Korina Bogdanović as external associates, who provided technical and organisational support throughout the event. In addition to the pupils, the coordinators of gifted-student programmes from the three participating schools also attended the Hackathon. They followed the competition with great interest and provided support and advice to their pupils. Their participation added a further pedagogical dimension to the event by connecting primary and higher education.

The event concluded with the presentation of certificates and symbolic prizes to the most successful teams. The Lege team from August Šenoa Primary School particularly distinguished itself and won first place thanks to its programming accuracy, innovative solutions and excellent teamwork. Their work demonstrated a successful combination of technical knowledge and an imaginative approach to the task. The LEGO Hackathon once again showed how important it is to provide young people with opportunities to learn through exploration, experience and cooperation. Through this project, the “Libros” Student Club successfully connected the academic community with primary education while promoting STEM values, creativity and the application of information technology in teaching.

Thanks to the organisers’ enthusiasm, the support of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek and the interest of the participating primary school pupils, the LEGO Hackathon made a positive impact and paved the way for future cooperation between information sciences students and educational institutions that support the development of talented young people.

Text: Roman Šimunović

Photographs: Sven Bonet

2024/2025

Student Academic and Professional Conference Čita(j)mo klasike 2 Held

The academic and professional conference Čita(j)mo klasike 2 was held in a hybrid format on 16 April 2025. It was organised by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, its Department of Croatian Language and Literature, and the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature in Cetinje, Montenegro. The central theme of this year’s conference marked the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andrić on 13 March 1975 and the eightieth anniversary of the publication of his three iconic novels, The Bridge on the Drina, Travnik Chronicle and The Woman from Sarajevo, in 1945. Although it may seem almost impossible to discover an innovative approach to Andrić and his work, the thirteen studies presented at the conference testified to the timeless and universally relevant nature of his writing. The second session, Classics of World, Montenegrin and Croatian Literature, brought together nineteen presenters and featured research ranging from an interdisciplinary approach to one of the oldest epics of world literature, the Mahabharata, to a criminological reading of Goran Tribuson’s novel Sestrica s jezera.

The conference was opened by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, Prof. Ivan Trojan, PhD, who emphasised the importance of international cooperation, particularly where young researchers are concerned. He noted that the Faculty’s management has always supported every form of student work, with particular attention to extracurricular activities, which represent an additional quality increasingly recognised and valued by employers in today’s labour market. The participants were also addressed by Assist. Prof. Milan Marković, PhD, Vice-Dean for Research and International Cooperation at the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature, and Assist. Prof. Stephanie Jug, PhD, Vice-Dean for Research and International Cooperation at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. Both emphasised the value of international cooperation and the importance of introducing students to academic research.

The sessions were moderated by Ana Buljan, a second-year student of the doctoral programme Literature and Cultural Identity at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek; Teuta Kraljević, a first-year student of the same doctoral programme; Jovana Lipovina, a second-year master’s student at the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature in Cetinje; and Lucija Marija Zec, a first-year student of the single-major graduate programme in Croatian Language and Literature.

The conference was closed with concluding remarks by Assoc. Prof. Andrijana Nikolić, PhD, a member of the Organising and Programme Committee from the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature in Cetinje.

Marica Liović

PlanetA on the Radio Programme “Brtva glave”

The PlanetA environmental project is organised by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek and the FFOS Student Council. The project is being implemented from 23 February to November 2025.

The students explained what the project is about and presented it to the public on the programme Brtva glave on Thursday, 6 March 2025. Several of the project’s key points are outlined below.

The objective of the project is to raise awareness of the importance of incorporating healthy and sustainable habits into our busy urban lives. Another objective is to increase the reach of accurate and verified information through social media, presenting it in an educational and entertaining manner. The project’s primary target group and first beneficiaries are students, but it is also intended for the wider public, as anyone interested in acquiring knowledge and making changes is welcome to participate in its activities.

Throughout the project, numerous interesting and educational events will be organised, both online through social media and in person at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. These will include lectures, workshops and an interdisciplinary panel discussion with guest lecturers and panellists who are experts in biodiversity conservation and coexistence with nature.

Everyone is invited to take part in the project’s activities, not only to learn something new but also to incorporate the acquired knowledge into their lifestyle. Finally, take a look at the atmosphere on Brtva glave, where students Leonarda Nago and Izabela Jagačić presented the PlanetA environmental project – because there is no Planet B!

Izabela Jagačić, univ. bacc. soc. et univ. bacc. philol. angl.

Project Co-Manager | PlanetA

Communication and Cooperation Division

E: ekoprojektplaneta@gmail.com |

FB: Projekt PlanetA | IG: planeta_ekoprojekt

PlanetA on Slavonska Television’s “Otvoreni studio” Programme

The PlanetA environmental project was organised by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek and the FFOS Student Council. The project is being implemented from 23 February to November 2025.

The students explained what the project is about, described its opening on 19 March and presented its upcoming activities to the public on STV’s programme Otvoreni studio on Tuesday, 25 March 2025. Several of the project’s key points are outlined below.

Leonarda Nago, manager of the PlanetA project, and Izabela Jagačić, its co-manager, presented the project organised by the Student Council of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek and the Faculty itself. The project aims to raise awareness of the importance of incorporating sustainable habits into everyday life. By participating in lectures, workshops and activities throughout the project, students can learn how to practise sustainable habits.

The PlanetA project was designed primarily for students, but it is also open to the interested public. As a project created by young people for young people, it publishes educational content on social media each week (IG: @planeta_ekoprojekt, FB: Projekt PlanetA) to present the importance of protecting our planet – Planet A – in an appealing manner, because there is no Planet B.

You can watch their appearance on STV’s Otvoreni studio programme at the following link:

OTVORENI STUDIO – PlanetA Project: Small Changes towards a Major Goal

Izabela Jagačić, univ. bacc. soc. et univ. bacc. philol. angl.

Project Co-Manager | PlanetA

Communication and Cooperation Division

E: ekoprojektplaneta@gmail.com |

FB: Projekt PlanetA | IG: planeta_ekoprojekt

PlanetA Environmental Project Officially Opened

On Wednesday, 19 March, the PlanetA environmental project was officially opened. Thanks to a donation from the Fuderer family, a sweetgum tree was planted beside the gazebo of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The tree carries strong symbolic significance, as its leaves change from green and yellow to red over the course of the seasons. This process serves as a metaphor for change over time, while the natural and biological cycle that must be preserved intertwines with the project’s objectives and values. PlanetA is a project of the Student Council of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. Through lectures, panel discussions and workshops, the project seeks to inform the public about sustainability, the circular economy and environmental protection. A flea market is also planned.

Speakers at the opening included project manager and Student Council President Leonarda Nago, Dean of the Faculty Ivan Trojan, and the presidents of the partner associations: Darija Walter of PLANTaža, Dinko Župan of Eko-Karašica and Vatroslav Šrajer of SEZAM. The event was moderated by project co-manager Izabela Jagačić. Numerous students and Faculty lecturers also attended. During the planting, Vesna Fuderer explained how to care properly for the tree that will now adorn the courtyard. All partners and students share the same objective – to take the first step towards a sustainable way of life.

FFOS Dean Ivan Trojan delivered the opening remarks: “This is one of a series of projects responding to everything happening around us. Environmental awareness is fundamental to all of us and to our work, and our students gathered within the Student Council, the associations connected with FFOS and student associations are very much aware of this. All we need to do is follow them and provide logistical support, because they are the heart of this Faculty. There is no better promotion and no higher-quality faculty than one where students are simply allowed to reflect on the reality shared by all of us. When they want something and discover an area of interest, they will devote countless hours to researching it and critically considering what is happening around us.”

PlanetA Project Manager and President of the FFOS Student Council Leonarda Nago emphasised that planting the tree highlighted the importance of protecting the environment and demonstrated that small changes can genuinely lead to a major goal.

“We want to educate young people and the wider public so that they incorporate sustainable habits into their lives. Collectively, these small steps can mean a great deal for the entire planet. We face many problems with waste at both the local and national levels, but as citizens we must remain aware and persistent in our decisions. We must not be passive or afraid but must take action. At the beginning, only a handful of people were involved in the project, whereas today there are already twenty of us. Students are contacting us and looking forward to our events, and attendance shows that they are eager for change,” said Nago.

President of the PLANTaža Association Darija Walter expressed her satisfaction at being part of a student initiative.

“I am very pleased that we, as slightly older enthusiasts, can support young students who have taken on a global problem that will become increasingly prominent in the years ahead. I am glad that, on behalf of an association that has been active in Osijek for eleven years, we can support initiatives such as this, and I am even more pleased when those initiatives are led by students,” Walter added.

President of the SEZAM Association Vatroslav Šrajer stated that the Association had been pleased to support such a worthwhile initiative.

“As an athlete, I always teach children to participate in sport and to live healthy lives through it. I am particularly glad that I can contribute to the health of our county in this way. I come from Donji Miholjac, where we have a major waste problem, and I do not want Slavonia to become a dumping ground. It is absurd to teach children to live healthily in an unhealthy environment. We congratulate the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences on this project. Our Association always participates in nature-conservation activities, and public awareness of the issue should be greater,” Šrajer said.

Following the opening, lecturer and President of Eko-Karašica Dinko Župan, PhD, delivered a lecture entitled A Drinkable History of the World, in which he presented the influence of particular beverages on world history. The second part of the lecture was devoted to water as the beverage of the twenty-first century, addressing global water-related challenges and the current situation in Croatia and Slavonia.

“Our Association has been active for almost fifteen years, and we face a major challenge in involving young people in our air- and water-quality campaigns, which makes this an excellent opportunity. This year’s theme for World Water Day is glaciers. The snows of Kilimanjaro will soon become a thing of the past, while well-known glaciers are already disappearing by metres. These are reserves of drinking water, of which only one per cent is available to us. According to Eurostat, Croatia has 30,000 cubic metres of renewable fresh water per capita, placing us first in the European Union, but that is a sign that we must protect it. It is essential to work on water purification, protect water from pollution and transition to organic agriculture. Slavonia’s greatest resources are its artesian wells and open watercourses, which must be protected through purification systems. Single-use plastic is now another major problem, as it ends up in our waters and in the fish we eat, together with microplastics and nanoplastics. These disrupt hormones in the human body and cause a range of autoimmune diseases, which represents a serious danger. We must preserve our water resources, and I am glad that students are moving in the right direction,” Župan concluded.

The lecture concluded that the first priority of environmental initiatives should be waste prevention, followed by preparation for reuse, recycling and waste disposal.

Leonarda Nago, President of the FFOS Student Council,

Project Manager

E-mail: ekoprojektplaneta@gmail.com

Contact: Leonarda Nago, Project Manager

Mobile phone: +385977671488

Students and Lecturers of the Department of Information Sciences at the BOBCATSSS 2025 International Conference

From 21 to 23 January 2025, Stella Edl, a third-year student of the double-major undergraduate programme in Information Sciences, and Irena Poje and Borna Petrović, second-year students of the double-major graduate programme in Information Sciences, participated in the 33rd BOBCATSSS International Student Conference in Istanbul. They were accompanied by their supervisors, Prof. Sanjica Faletar, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Snježana Stanarević Katavić, PhD, and Ines Horvat, PhD, Senior Teaching and Research Assistant.

This year’s conference theme was Artificial Intelligence in Library and Information Science: Exploring the Intersection. The conference brought together more than 200 participants from over ten countries, including India, China, Türkiye, Hungary, the United States, Spain, Bulgaria, Kuwait, Norway and Sweden. The presentations focused on the application of artificial intelligence in libraries and other information institutions, ethical and legal questions surrounding its use, and artificial intelligence in the context of information literacy, information management and knowledge management. In addition to presentations by other colleagues, participants had an opportunity to attend several invited lectures on generative artificial intelligence and its professional applications, librarians’ perceptions of its use, and the financial and energy sustainability of using chatbots. Several workshops dedicated to artificial intelligence were also held over the three conference days.

Students and lecturers of the Department of Information Sciences also participated in the conference and delivered presentations.

Presentations:

Artificial Intelligence Application in Written Heritage Preservation and Access (Stella Edl, Ines Horvat)
Artificial Intelligence in Library and Information Science Schools: Content Analysis of Curricula (Borna Petrović, Irena Poje, Sanjica Faletar)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in European LIS Schools: Short Overview of an Exploratory Study (Sanjica Faletar, Sara Martinez Cardama, Kornelija Petr Balog, Jenny Bronstein, Debbie Meharg)
Exploring AI Tool Adoption Among Humanities and Social Sciences University Students (Borna Petrović, Irena Poje, Snježana Stanarević Katavić)

Poster presentation:

Advancing Gender Inclusion in Information Science: Transformative Approaches in Higher Education (Juan-José Boté, Georgina Martínez, Sylvia Jaki, Kristina Feldvari, Alica Kolarić, Lejla Hajdarpašić, Eithne Knappitsch).

The presentation Artificial Intelligence Application in Written Heritage Preservation and Access received the award for best paper at the conference. Stella Edl and her supervisor, Ines Horvat, PhD, were awarded free registration for BOBCATSSS 2026, which will be held in Romania.

The participants used their free time to walk around Istanbul, visit its landmarks and become acquainted with the city’s culture.

Borna Petrović

Student Session “Kant and Education” and Student Workshop “Kant as an Educator” Held as Part of Philosophy Week

Philosophy Week was held at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek from 20 to 22 November 2024. Organised by the Department of Philosophy and the Department of German Language and Literature to mark World Philosophy Day, the event commemorated the 300th anniversary of Immanuel Kant’s birth and the 220th anniversary of his death. It included two student events: the student session “Kant and Education” and the student workshop “Kant as an Educator”.

On the final day of Philosophy Week, Friday, 22 November, a student session devoted to Kant in the context of education was held. The session was opened by the Vice-Dean for Teaching and Students, Assoc. Prof. Sanja Jukić, PhD, and Assoc. Prof. Pešić, PhD. The presentations and discussions addressed the relationship between culture, ethics, freedom and education; the distinction between public and private uses of reason; the understanding of physical education and the development of children’s morality; Kant’s contribution to the concept of civic education; contemporary educational challenges; and comparisons between Kant’s relevant views and those of Karl Marx. Participants included Ivana Šojat, Marijana Mijić, Karla Pružinac, Luka Prijić, Ida Polak, Ante Klisović, Luka Mustapić, Irena Kapović and Martina Ivanović.

Philosophy Week concluded that same day with the workshop “Kant as an Educator”, moderated by student Karla Pružinac and student David Mrđanov. Students of the Department of Philosophy joined secondary school pupils from Osijek and Vukovar in reflecting on Kant’s views regarding pedagogy and educational sciences in general. Within the broader framework of Kant’s philosophy and his pedagogical ideas in particular, the workshop used practical activities, discussion, evaluation and reflection to emphasise the concepts of autonomy, freedom, morality, moral laws and critical thinking – areas in which the crucial educational role of teachers becomes apparent.

Damir Sekulić

2023/2024

Project: Leisure Time and Young People

The project “Leisure Time and Young People” was implemented from November 2023 to June 2024 with the aim of encouraging social interaction between students and socially vulnerable groups at risk. Its principal objective was to reduce the stigmatisation of at-risk groups in society, promote respect for and acceptance of diversity, and develop skills that contribute to improving the quality of life of both students and people at risk of social exclusion. Project participants included first-year students of the graduate programme in Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, socially vulnerable groups and young people.

The project included a series of activities focused on recognising and addressing the problems of social exclusion and improving the quality of young people’s leisure time. The first workshop focused on identifying and defining risks faced by young people in the community, the problems encountered by at-risk groups and methods of combating stigmatisation in society. The second workshop aimed to encourage teamwork among young people to reduce social exclusion. As part of the workshop, the students spent a day volunteering with girls experiencing behavioural difficulties. The third workshop involved an exchange of knowledge through candle-making, which encouraged creativity and cooperation among young people. Research was also conducted into the specific ways in which young people spend their leisure time, particularly in the context of the influence of digital media.

The project concluded with a round-table discussion entitled “Communication among Young People during Leisure Time”, during which participants discussed challenges and opportunities for improving the quality of leisure time. The discussion involved Prof. Katarina Dodig Ćurković, PhD; Zorica Pichler, School Counsellor; Suzana Vargović, Social Pedagogue; Mislav Šušak, a third-year Sociology student; and project manager Assist. Prof. Ivana Perkušić, PhD. The round table examined how young people used to spend their leisure time and how they spend it today. It also addressed young people’s mental health, behavioural problems resulting from excessive use of social media, and methods and consequences of communication on social networks. The conclusions emphasised the importance of responsible and inclusive parenting as a factor contributing to successful development. The importance of awareness regarding the high-quality use of young people’s leisure time was also highlighted.

The project successfully achieved its objectives by promoting social cohesion and understanding between young people and socially vulnerable groups.

InfoDASKA 2024

The 15th InfoDASKA International Student Conference was held on 23 and 24 May 2024 at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. This year’s conference was organised by students of the Department of Information Sciences, with the support of the Department’s lecturers and the Faculty’s management. The conference theme was “Artificial Intelligence – Challenges and Opportunities”, and information sciences students from Mostar, Osijek, Sarajevo, Zadar and Zagreb presented 22 papers.

The first day began with an invited lecture by Assist. Prof. Milijana Mićunović, PhD, from the Department of Information Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. Bearing the same title as the conference’s overarching theme, the lecture provided an excellent and engaging introduction to the challenges society faces when using artificial intelligence, while also highlighting its numerous potential applications. The invited lecture was followed by three sessions featuring a total of eleven presentations.

Students of the Department of Information Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek also presented their work on the first day. Borna Petrović and Irena Poje presented “Artificial Intelligence Literacy among Information Sciences Students”, Lea Mihaljević presented “AI Literacy”, and Klara Krnjić delivered a presentation entitled “Awakening Emotions: Can Robots and AI Develop Emotions?”

On the second day, the students delivered the remaining eleven presentations in three sessions. Bernarda Bošnjak, editor of the journal Libros, presented the thirteenth and final issue of the student journal of the Department of Information Sciences. Alumna Donata Szombathelyi also delivered a presentation entitled “Defending the Digital Sky with AIDefender”.

Topics presented by students from Zagreb, Sarajevo and Mostar included “Artificial Intelligence as a Methodological Tool in Personality Assessment”, “Digital Aristotle”, “An AI Chatbot as a Librarian at the Information Desk”, “Artificial Intelligence in the Music Industry” and “Can Machines Think?” The presentations prompted engaging discussions, which continued during coffee breaks after the formal questions and answers. In the evening, interested students took part in organised entertainment consisting of a pub quiz and a cocktail party.

It is important to note that the conference was held under the patronage of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek and the Croatian Library Association, with sponsors Red Bull, Hell, Gondola and BalkanPharm providing refreshments during coffee breaks. Participants acquired new knowledge through engaging and comprehensive subtopics and had an opportunity to share their knowledge with colleagues. In addition to knowledge, the conference brought new acquaintances, experiences and unforgettable entertainment.

WE PARTICIPATED IN THE 38TH EFPSA CONGRESS!

From 22 to 28 May 2024, my colleagues Iva Vlašić and Aleksandar Zjalac and I participated in the EFPSA International Congress held in Volos, Greece.

At the 38th Congress organised by the European Federation of Psychology Students’ Associations, we explored emotions through the perspectives of different schools of psychology. Through lectures and workshops delivered by professionals and students, we learned about the importance of emotions in different areas of psychologists’ work and exchanged experiences and ideas with colleagues.

In addition to actively learning and benefiting from the experiences of others, we presented our own work – the Croatian Emotional Eating Scale, which we constructed and validated as part of a graduate-level course. The scale is intended to assess emotional eating in Croatia’s general population.

Alongside learning, we became acquainted with Greek culture, landmarks and cuisine and established wonderful connections with colleagues from across Europe.

The Congress was a wonderful experience and provided encouragement for our further work and development. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity and for the recognition of our effort and work, which allowed us to interact with other professionals and students. It was an unforgettable experience, and we hope it will not be our last of this kind!

Romana Storjak, second-year student of the graduate programme in Psychology

Celebrating St Nicholas Day at the Down Syndrome Association Osijek

To mark St Nicholas Day, students from the Faculty’s USPOS Pedagogy Students’ Association visited the Down Syndrome Association in Osijek on 7 December. Working together and inspired by goodwill, students from the ISHA, German Language and USPOS associations encouraged humanitarian cooperation among the Faculty’s associations and prepared more than forty gift packages. They filled the packages with products available to students from the Faculty café or student restaurant and added a set of coloured pencils and a kind holiday message. To make the gathering even more special, the students brought St Nicholas with them, putting even bigger smiles on everyone’s faces before continuing the celebration with music and dancing.

We thank all the students who participated in this humanitarian activity, as well as the USPOS students who packed and prepared the gifts.

Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Pedagogy students held a workshop with pupils of class 6.b from Franjo Krežma Primary School, our familiar neighbours, who visited us at the Faculty for the occasion. The pupils demonstrated empathy and a willingness to learn about different disabilities. They actively participated in the activities and discussion and helped create a better understanding of people with disabilities.

As a sweet surprise, at the end of the workshop the pupils also received St Nicholas gift bundles

We thank all the pupils, the school counsellor and the teacher for helping us organise this important workshop!

FFOS Students Participate in the 10th International Conference “Contemporary Trends in Psychology”

Third-year undergraduate Psychology students Mirna Grujić and Gabrijella Stella Stanković represented the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek at the 10th International Conference “Contemporary Trends in Psychology” (STuP 2023), held from 26 to 28 October 2023 at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad and organised by its Department of Psychology.

The conference brought together more than 200 presenters, four of whom delivered plenary lectures: Prof. David Funder of the University of California, Prof. Chris Fullwood of Birmingham City University, Prof. Jessica de Bloom of the University of Groningen and Prof. Peter Kindermann of the University of Liverpool.

The students actively participated in the conference by presenting the results of research conducted through additional classroom activities within the elective course Psychology of Pain. Their paper, entitled Differences in the Experience of Pain between People with Chronic Headache and Chronic Low Back Pain, was supervised by Prof. Gorka Vuletić, PhD.

In addition to presenting their paper, the students were actively involved in the conference by exploring the latest trends and broadening their perspectives in psychology and research into patients’ quality of life. Their participation included attending plenary lectures by prominent international psychology experts and actively exchanging ideas with other participants, contributing to a dynamic and enriching conference experience.

Prof. Gorka Vuletić, PhD

2022/2023

FFOS STUDENTS AT THE GEEK GATHERING CONFERENCE

The Geek Gathering is a well-known IT conference for technology professionals, creators of ideas and innovators. It was held in Osijek from 5 to 7 October at three locations: Urania Cinema for Geeks on the Big Screen & Workshops; the City and University Library Osijek and Lumiere Restaurant for Masterclasses; and the Trica café for Discussion and Chill.

Our students participated as volunteers and conference attendees. The volunteers were Martina Bošković, Katarina-Marija Radaković, Kristina Gagulić, Leonarda Litvić, Monika Ageljić, Klara Krnjić, Dorotea Dražić, Luka Marić, Monika Brandić and Mijo Marković.

The conference participants were Martina Slobođanac, Lucija Smolka, Anna-Marie Gašparović, Dario Alduk, Sven Kroflin, Marija Milošević, Katarina Ćulap, Dominik Ivančić, Kristina Ćukac and Tamara Orihovac.

The conference is best described by one of the students who attended it, Dario Alduk.

The first day of the conference was held at the Trica café. The first lecture, delivered as a discussion and entitled Startin’ Up in Croatia – Raising Money from the US, was given by Vladimir Bosiljevac and Srđan Kovačević. They spoke about the beginnings of start-ups in Croatia, drawing on the model of American investors, and described the approximate process from developing an idea to securing financing. The next lecture, entitled Aircash – A Rising Star of Fintech, was delivered by Hrvoje Ćosić, CEO of the rapidly growing company Aircash. He presented Aircash, a card that enables secure digital payments. Ivan Hendija then delivered a lecture entitled Today a Gadget – Tomorrow Waste?, in which he discussed the increasing gadgetisation of society. The final lecture, Brainwaves to Bytes: Engineering the Digital Brain, was delivered by Zvonimir Vrselja. The first day concluded with a party.

The second and principal day of the conference was held mainly at Urania Cinema, with some activities taking place at the Trica café and the American Corner at the City and University Library Osijek.

Dominik Vidaković delivered a lecture entitled A New Feature Is Worthless If the End User Does Not Use It. He presented the importance of a positive user experience and explained why it should be developed on the basis of feedback and collected data rather than users’ stated wishes, since their actual experience often differs from what they say they want. The lecture How to Know What Your Customers Want – Before They Realise It Themselves? was delivered by Kaja Pavlinić, an IT project manager. She shared her experience and knowledge of methods for understanding users’ needs, behaviours and wishes. Matej Dragun delivered the lecture Smart People Write It Down, Fools Try to Remember, and We Ask AI, in which he presented AI chatbots that have become part of everyday life.

Through the lecture How to Have an Amazing Career Working in the Same Place and on the Same Things for Ten Years, Merlin Rebrović shared his experience of working for a Google team. Domagoj Blažanin delivered the lecture and workshop Fast (and Furious) Prototyping: Staying Ahead of the Competition. From a developer’s perspective, participants heard examples of best practice from the field of development. The final lecture, Why FinOps Certification Is the Next Step for IT Professionals, was delivered by Dean Mišić. He explained the meaning of FinOps in the IT industry, why demand for this role is growing rapidly and how to become a certified FinOps professional and distinguish oneself in the global labour market.

The conference aimed to connect participants through interactive lectures, workshops, round tables and informal gatherings, provide insights from professionals, facilitate discussion of strategies and explore different approaches to solving problems.

Assist. Prof. Tomislav Jakopec, PhD, and Dario Alduk, third-year student of the single-major undergraduate programme in Information Sciences

Summer School in Bovec – Cross-Border Concepts and Practices

Thanks to a scholarship awarded by our Faculty, I participated in the summer school held in Bovec, Slovenia, whose theme this year was Cross-Border Concepts and Practices.

The summer school took place from 9 to 23 July 2023. Its theme was explored through various activities and classes. Professors and students from Italy, Croatia, Austria and Slovenia participated, and attendees could take a two-week course in any of the four national languages, as well as Friulian. As a second-year student of German Language and Literature, I attended German-language classes.

On the first evening, after we had settled into our rooms at Hotel Alp, an introductory lecture was held. The organisers made sure that each of us shared a room with someone from another country to encourage us to use a foreign language and get to know one another. My roommate came from Vienna and was learning Croatian as a beginner. As I attended the advanced German-language group, we were able to communicate very well and help one another with our assignments.

Every day except Sunday, we attended classes from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We covered various topics and played games, which encouraged us to get to know one another and use the foreign language. I was in a group with students from Italy, so we communicated mainly in German. Various activities took place after classes and lunch.

The many weekday activities included workshops in all the participating languages, a screening of the film The Constitution, prepared by the organisation for deaf and hard-of-hearing people Film svima! – Kultura svima!, a board game evening and a concert in the main square in front of the hotel.

In addition to the various events held during the week, we also went on Sunday excursions. One involved hiking to Kluže Fortress. On another trip, we visited Duino in Italy and its castle. This excursion embodied the theme of crossing borders and brought us closer to Italy’s culture and landscape. The natural environment is beautiful in Bovec and in all the places we visited during our two-week stay. In addition to an independent excursion to Kluže Fortress, we organised rafting on the Soča River.

On the final day, several groups gave musical and theatrical performances at the closing ceremony and presentation of certificates. The lecturer teaching the beginner German group prepared our group for an improvised play, which we performed. Standing in front of so many people was both very entertaining and challenging, but I believe we learned a great deal from the experience.

The Bovec Summer School taught me a great deal about borders and other cultures and ways of thinking. I also had an opportunity to speak German continuously, which was the main reason I chose to attend the summer school. I left the experience with numerous new acquaintances, friendships and anecdotes. It also enabled me to approach spoken German more confidently and naturally, which is extremely important in my study programme.

Marijana Jugović

FFOS Student at the CECIIS 2023 Conference

CECIIS, the Central European Conference on Information and Intelligent Systems, is a European academic conference devoted to information and intelligent systems. It was held in Dubrovnik from 20 to 22 September 2023 and organised by the Faculty of Organization and Informatics in Varaždin, the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology Osijek.

This year’s theme was Digital Human. Professors, lecturers, students and other experts were invited to share their knowledge in various formats, including workshops, poster presentations, research presentations and three-minute pitches. Twelve different sessions were held.

Donata Szombathelyi, a student of our Faculty, also participated. Under the supervision of Assist. Prof. Tomislav Jakopec, PhD, and Assist. Prof. Josipa Selthofer, PhD, she successfully presented a paper and the results of research entitled The Impact of Using ChatGPT on Employees of Croatian IT Companies in the Software Engineering Trends section. The paper will soon be published in the conference proceedings.

The conference programme included workshops, poster presentations and pitches. Evening activities included pub quizzes and cocktail gatherings in the courtyard of the Academia Student Residence. During free time, organised bus tours of Dubrovnik’s Old Town and Pile district were provided, as well as a boat trip to the island of Lokrum, a popular and mystical destination with beautiful flora and fauna where the famous television series Game of Thrones was filmed.

The conference concluded with a cocktail gathering for participants.

This exceptionally well-organised conference broadened educational perspectives, deepened knowledge of software engineering and strengthened English-language communication skills. It provided an excellent opportunity to connect theory and practice and build bridges between professionals and students from different parts of Europe. Presenting at CECIIS was challenging but also resulted in valuable feedback. In addition to professional growth, the experience led to lasting friendships with colleagues from different countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Türkiye and Croatia. Dubrovnik provided an ideal setting for the conference, offering not only intellectual inspiration but also unforgettable moments in a beautiful environment.

Donata Szombathelyi and Assist. Prof. Tomislav Jakopec, PhD

Photographs: Tomislav Jakopec

FFOS STUDENTS IN EDINBURGH

We Participated in the Summer School on Modernism in British and Irish Literature

Thanks to the Faculty’s support, in July we participated in the Summer School on Modernism in British and Irish Literature in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.

The summer school was organised by the association of Scottish universities under the name SUISS: Text & Context and was held from 10 to 21 July. It gave students an opportunity to become better acquainted with Scotland’s capital city, Scottish culture and numerous important and recognisable locations.

The first day included moving into student accommodation, a social gathering and introductions to the other participants. Lectures began the following day and were delivered by distinguished professors from universities across the United Kingdom. Each lecture was followed by a seminar during which participants could continue discussing the day’s work and author with their colleagues and the lecturer acting as their mentor.

After the seminars and lunch, numerous activities were organised, beginning on our second day in Edinburgh with a climb to Arthur’s Seat, a hill associated, like many other similarly named locations, with the legend of King Arthur. Our next activity involved meeting the Scottish author Rachel Plummer. During the event, we had an opportunity to hear some of her work, purchase her book and have it signed. We also visited the modern Scottish Parliament and Mansfield Traquair, a church regarded as the Scottish equivalent of the Sistine Chapel, and met another writer, Susan Sellers. We participated in organised visits to local and university libraries and bookshops.

We used our free time to explore the city and its surroundings. We visited the National Museum of Scotland, the National Gallery, the Royal Botanic Garden, Hibernian Football Club’s stadium, the British Royal Family’s palace and numerous landmarks, including Calton Hill.

We also experienced unforgettable moments during the jazz festival and the Edinburgh Carnival, which featured performers from around the world and showcased the many cultures represented among Scotland’s residents.

Visits to castles were essential, including Craigmillar Castle, one of the best-preserved castles in Scotland, and Edinburgh Castle. The visit to Edinburgh Castle, one of the best-known and most frequently visited symbols of Edinburgh and Scotland, was organised on the final day of our stay. It completed our Scottish experience, allowing us to see numerous exhibits from Scottish military history, the Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny used at the coronation of every British monarch. We said goodbye to Edinburgh by attending the firing of the One o’Clock Gun, which has traditionally reminded sailors to set their clocks at one o’clock each day throughout its long history.

The summer school proved to be an excellent opportunity not only to improve our knowledge of English through interaction with colleagues from different parts of the world but also to deepen our understanding of modernism in English literature. Through numerous discussions about literary works, history and the culture of the modernist period, we also engaged in interdisciplinarity, an extremely important concept with many applications in teaching. Finally, the summer school provided room for imagination and the expression of personal opinions and emphasised the need to prepare for lectures and, consequently, for teaching in our future profession.

Gloria Benčina, Karlo Čavlović

First Amateur Short Film Festival Held at the Department of German Language and Literature

The first Filmfestival der Germanistik was held in the Ceremonial Hall of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences on Tuesday, 6 June 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Four short films created as part of classes at the Department of German Language and Literature were screened: Faust, Die Verwandlung, Spuren der Vergangenheit und Gegenwart einer Essekerin and Einführung in die deutsche Literatur Slawoniens.

The final two films listed above are brief and imaginative reflections on course material by student Irina Dmitrović. The films are available on the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences’ YouTube channel.

The film Faust was the final project for the course Theatre Workshop II, taught by DAAD lecturer Mareike Korte. In their short film, students Santino Del Duca, Nina Đokić, Sara Hes, Mia-Sofi Mišetić and Andreja Mozer successfully and humorously adapted the canonical source material to the contemporary era. The screening was followed by an engaging discussion of the different possible interpretations of Faust and the continuing relevance of the literary work.

The film Die Verwandlung was the final project for the course Film Interpretations of Literature, taught by Assist. Prof. Stephanie Jug, PhD. It was created by students Ivan Božić-Pavletić, Tomislav Fadljević, Davor Gavran, Dario Jakšić, Lucijana Ljubić, Lucia Maurus, Maria Mihatović, Sara Stanušić, Angelina-Ika Stojanović and Iva Nedić. Following the screening, a discussion developed about the process of creating the adaptation. The students chose a highly innovative approach and reinterpreted Kafka’s transformation as the transformation of an individual into a member of the queer community who experiences the highs and lows of self-discovery in a narrow-minded social environment.

Final Gathering with Retirees from the Associations Active Retirees Osijek and Trade Union of Croatian Retirees Osijek

The final gathering with retirees from the associations Active Retirees Osijek and Trade Union of Croatian Retirees Osijek was held on Tuesday, 6 June, in the Ceremonial Hall, room 60, beginning at 1:15 p.m. A working version of a handbook for gerontological education and work with older people was presented. Assoc. Prof. Renata Jukić, PhD, and Teaching Assistant Mia Filipov developed the handbook in cooperation with Pedagogy students during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years as part of the Andragogy course. On behalf of the Faculty’s management, the gathering was opened with welcoming addresses by the Vice-Dean for Teaching and Students, Assoc. Prof. Sanja Jukić, PhD, and the Vice-Dean for Research and International Cooperation, Assist. Prof. Stephanie Jug, PhD. The attendees were also addressed by the Acting Head of the Department of Pedagogy, Assoc. Prof. Goran Livazović, PhD, followed by the presidents of the retirees’ associations, Mato Obradović and Jelena Dodig. The handbook was presented by the Andragogy course leader, Assoc. Prof. Renata Jukić, PhD, and Teaching Assistant Mia Filipov, while the meeting was moderated by student Magdalena Bilić.

After the handbook was presented as a result of cooperation among students, retirees and course lecturers, the creative section of the gathering began. Its aim was to obtain feedback from retirees, students and researchers from the Department of Pedagogy regarding the completed activities, as well as ideas for continuing to support Pedagogy students in developing professional competencies for working with older people and contributing to the quality of leisure time among older residents of Osijek. Particular emphasis was placed on the professional role of pedagogues in providing educational support to older people in Croatia, which requires the development of relevant professional competencies during university study. The discussion therefore also addressed the possibility of introducing a Gerontagogy course into the Pedagogy programme or establishing a graduate programme in Andragogy, as well as other non-formal and informal methods of supporting students’ development of competencies for working with older people, including volunteering and professional placements. The gathering concluded with refreshments and informal socialising. All participants received certificates of appreciation for contributing either to the development of the handbook for gerontological work with older people, in the case of students, or to gerontological workshops conducted with Pedagogy students as part of the Andragogy course, in the case of the retirees.

Workshop Held to Mark International Museum Day

To mark International Museum Day, the Department of Information Sciences of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek organised another workshop at the Active Retirees Osijek association. Approximately twenty retirees tried a board game dedicated to Osijek’s local cultural heritage, and the most successful players won symbolic prizes. The workshop was organised as part of the project Building Dementia-Friendly Public Libraries. Participants included students Mia Ćosić, Lucija Pintek and Katarina Mataija, as well as Prof. Kornelija Petr Balog, PhD, and Prof. Sanjica Faletar, PhD.

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Student Workshop Held on the Borders of Slavonia and Cartographic Representations of the Slavonian Borderlands

The Branch for the History of Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranya of the Croatian Institute of History in Slavonski Brod, in cooperation with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, organised the student workshop “The Borders of Slavonia – Slavonia as a Borderland: Cartographic Representations”. The workshop was held on 4 and 5 April in the Faculty’s Small Ceremonial Hall. It formed part of the research project “S(c)lavoni(j)a: Its Name, Extent and Border Position in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period”, funded by the Croatian Science Foundation.

The programme began with a welcoming address by Robert Skenderović, PhD, who explained that the project’s task was to reconstruct the historical concept of Slavonia and compare its present-day territory with that of the medieval and early modern periods. Experts participating in the project presented findings that had contributed to Croatian historiography. Cooperation with the academic community and higher education represents an important part of the project. The purpose of the student workshop was to make history students active participants and engaged listeners.

The first day featured presentations by Stanko Andrić, PhD, Robert Skenderović, PhD, and Assoc. Prof. Hrvoje Kekez, PhD, as well as a student workshop. Stanko Andrić presented his research topic “The Choronym Slavonia and Its Uses in the Early Middle Ages”. He discussed the meaning and distinction between the ethnonym and exonym Slav and their possible origins, the ethnic components of the Holy Roman Empire and the importance of the historical source known as the Primary Chronicle, which represents a valuable contribution to the history of Slavic peoples. Robert Skenderović presented “The Pivotal Seventeenth Century – the Eastward Shift of the Concept of Slavonia”. His lecture examined differences in historical representations of Slavonia through the example of Mercator’s sixteenth-century map, historical maps of Slavonia and Ottoman sources concerning the Požega Sanjak, which encompassed the territory of present-day Slavonia. The expansion of Slavonia in the seventeenth century changed perceptions of the historical territory in maps and other historical sources and influenced definitions of Slavonian and Croatian identity. Skenderović emphasised the importance of the population’s ethnic structure, the positioning of Croatian military forces in the border region, and the activities of Slavonian Franciscans and the Diocese of Zagreb, which recognised the beginning of the Ottoman Empire’s decline.

Assoc. Prof. Hrvoje Kekez, PhD, presented “Representations of the Brod Posavina Region in Cartographic Sketches from the Legacy of Count Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli in Bologna”. The introductory part of the lecture addressed the context of the Great Turkish War and the liberation of Slavonia. Count Luigi Marsigli’s cartographic legacy made a significant contribution to the reconstruction of Croatian and Hungarian borderlands, authentically representing the final period of Ottoman rule in Slavonia. After a brief overview of Marsigli’s biography, Professor Kekez discussed the historical development of military cartography in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The first day concluded with the student workshop “Cartographic Representations of Slavonia from the Fifteenth to the Seventeenth Century”, led by Professor Kekez. The workshop involved second-year undergraduate History students. Dividing the students into several groups, Professor Kekez instructed them to examine and describe the toponyms of counties and settlements, mountainous, forested and river areas, transport routes, medieval roads, and the borderlands of Slavonia and Syrmia under Ottoman rule.

The second day featured presentations by Assist. Prof. Anđelko Vlašić, PhD, Milan Vrbanus, PhD, and museum adviser Ante Grubišić, followed by another student workshop. The programme opened with Assist. Prof. Vlašić’s presentation “The Administrative Division of Slavonia under Ottoman Rule”. The introductory section addressed the historical turning points represented by the conquest of Bosnia, the conquest of Belgrade as the key to Hungary and the Battle of Mohács, which were followed by the Ottoman conquest of the entire territory of present-day Slavonia. After Slavonia fell under Ottoman control, the administration was organised into several sanjaks, of which the Požega, Cernik, Krka and Klis sanjaks were the most important for Croatian territory. The possible existence of an Orahovica Sanjak remains uncertain because sources from 1586 mention a bey of Orahovica. Professor Vlašić emphasised that administrative reorganisations of nahiyahs and kadiluks were common under Ottoman administration. The conclusion of the lecture was preceded by an overview of feudal estates and market towns in the pre-Ottoman period.

Milan Vrbanus, PhD, presented “Administrative Changes in Slavonia during the First Half of the Eighteenth Century”. At the beginning of the lecture, Vrbanus discussed turning points in the liberation of Slavonia at the end of the seventeenth century. He highlighted the problems caused by the dual authority of the Court Chamber and the Aulic War Council in Slavonia, which resulted in the establishment of the first provisional administrative districts headed by provisional administrators. Vrbanus explained that commission activities at the end of the seventeenth century installed the first owners of Slavonian estates, marking the creation of the Slavonian and Cernik lordships. He also discussed the economic and administrative consequences of creating lordships in Slavonia. In conclusion, Vrbanus addressed the reorganisation of chamber administration between 1725 and 1743, when local administration in Slavonia was transformed as a result of social changes in Slavonia and Vienna. Despite a shortage of educated officials, local administration became increasingly functional.

Museum adviser Ante Grubišić spoke on “The First Objective Cartographic Representations of the Slavonian-Syrmian Estates”. Grubišić emphasised the importance of historical cartography as a historical discipline and the presence of historical maps in historiographical works. He presented the history of cartography from the Treaty of Passarowitz and Ottoman Osijek to Joseph II’s tax-system reforms and the organisation of the Valpovo Estate district. As on the previous day, the programme concluded with a student workshop. Led by museum adviser Grubišić, the workshop was entitled “Cartographic Representations of Slavonia in the Eighteenth Century”.

Grubišić presented approximately thirty large maps showing various settlements in the wider Vukovar and Osijek area as they appeared during the eighteenth century. Some maps depicted settlements of the Vukovar Estate with detailed representations of forests, cultivated fields and strategically important river crossings. The students had an opportunity to ask numerous questions about different details on the maps, including cartographic markings and symbols that would be unfamiliar to non-specialists and details from the map legends. Grubišić highlighted the maps’ mathematical accuracy and attention to detail and praised the foresight of the owner of the Vukovar Estate, who employed a cartography expert from Austria in the eighteenth century. This enabled the production of high-quality maps whose standard would not be surpassed for another two hundred years. At the conclusion of the workshop, the organisers thanked colleagues Vlašić and Jelaš for their cooperation and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences for its warm hospitality. Robert Skenderović, PhD, assessed the workshop as highly successful and expressed his hope that the Institute’s Branch and the Faculty would continue to organise similar joint projects.

Extracurricular Activity of Eleven Graduate Students of the English Language and Literature and German Language and Literature Teacher-Education Programmes at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, Conducted as Part of Teaching Methodology Courses and Accompanied by Assist. Prof. Draženka Molnar, PhD, and Assist. Prof. Manuela Karlak, PhD

Vukovar, 1 April 2023 – Visit to Dragutin Tadijanović Primary School

On 1 April 2023, students of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, accompanied by Assist. Prof. Draženka Molnar, PhD, and Assist. Prof. Manuela Karlak, PhD, visited Dragutin Tadijanović Primary School in Vukovar for the Language Weekend event, which promotes cultural and linguistic diversity in teaching.

The successful cooperation between the Department of English Language and Literature and the primary school in Vukovar dates back to 2017. It continued this year with the additional participation of the Department of German Language and Literature, at the initiative of Assoc. Prof. Melita Aleksa Varga, PhD. We were pleased to accept the invitation from the school’s English teacher and former Faculty student Domagoj Rapčak to participate in this year’s event, which, because of its symbolic date, focused on humour in foreign-language teaching.

The extracurricular activity was conducted as part of the courses Teaching English/German to Young Learners and English/German Language Teaching Methodology. The students independently prepared and delivered five workshops in English and German in three successive sessions lasting 60 or 120 minutes. The workshops were intended for pupils from both lower and upper primary school grades.

Seven first- and second-year students of the double-major graduate English Language teacher-education programme participated in independently preparing and delivering the workshops: Anamarija Plečić, Zvonimir Tokić, Tea Horvat, Mirna Krasnić, Čarna-Senka Kolar, Tomislava Ćavar and Nera Kovač. They were joined by four first-year students of the double-major graduate German Language teacher-education programme: Antonija Pavić, Veronika Bućo, Sara Kralj and Nives Peić.

The value of this extracurricular student activity lies in acquiring experience in the practical application of methodological and didactic approaches in the fields of culture and civilisation and in deepening interculturality in English- and German-language teaching. We thank all participants and extend an open invitation for future cooperation.

Poetry Evening and Student Creative-Writing Workshop in German

A literary and poetry evening was held in cooperation with the German Community in Osijek on Wednesday, 22 March 2023, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in classroom 25 of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. Assist. Prof. Stephanie Jug, PhD, introduced participants to the characteristics of regional German-language literature in Slavonia, with particular emphasis on the life of Ilka Maria Ungar and her poetry collection Feierabend. The pupils, students and Faculty guests then participated in a creative-writing workshop led by Assist. Prof. Sonja Novak, PhD. Approximately ten German-language poems were created during the workshop and read by their authors during its concluding section. The German Community will publish the poems in its journal Njemačka riječ – Deutsches Wort. At the end of the workshop, participants were also able to take free books about regional German-language literature.

Coordinators: Hanna Klein on behalf of the German Community – Deutsche Gemeinschaft,

Assist. Prof. Stephanie Jug, PhD, and Assist. Prof. Sonja Novak, PhD, on behalf of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek

Photographs: Hanna Klein

Student Attends Workshop on Psychologists’ Therapeutic Work

Ana Pašalić, a second-year student of the graduate programme in Psychology, attended an introductory workshop on psychologists’ therapeutic work entitled TA 101 – Fundamentals of Transactional Analysis.

The workshop was held on 10 and 11 March 2023 at the Budi svoj Centre in Zagreb. The training was delivered by licensed transactional-analysis psychotherapist Petra Goršić. During the twelve-hour programme, participants acquired the fundamental concepts associated with transactional analysis and its application in psychotherapy and counselling. This enabled the student to expand and enrich her understanding of content covered in the course Psychotherapeutic Approaches, a compulsory first-year course in the graduate Psychology programme.

The training followed an experiential approach. In addition to attending lectures, all participants applied the concepts and constructs they had learned from this therapeutic approach and took part in exercises in which they applied the acquired knowledge to their own experiences. The training expands the knowledge gained through the compulsory graduate Psychology course Psychotherapeutic Approaches. It will also be used to improve communication and interpersonal relationships in the student associations of which the student is a member, contributing to better synergy and more successful functioning of student associations and the Student Council and thereby supporting greater satisfaction and well-being among students of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek.

Prof. Gorka Vuletić, PhD

STUDENT CONFERENCE “WOMEN YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW”

The student conference “Women Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” was organised by students Mihael Cojić, Karolina Hegediš and Anamarija Plečić in cooperation with the Department of History of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. The conference was held on 8 and 9 March 2023 in the Faculty’s Ceremonial Hall, room 60. Its aim was to show how the past affects the present and how the present will shape the future, particularly regarding the position of women in different private and professional areas. The conference was officially opened at 9:30 a.m. on 8 March, and the programme continued until 5:35 p.m. On the second day, it began at 9:00 a.m. and concluded at 5:50 p.m.

The first presenter on 8 March was Assoc. Prof. Anita Dremel, PhD, from the Chair of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. Her presentation was entitled “Feminisms Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. She was followed by Gabriella Dobsai, PhD, from the Chair of Hungarian Language and Literature, who delivered a lecture entitled “How Did Women Contribute to the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848–1849?” Petra Plantosar then presented “Female Servants, Handmaids and Enslaved Women in the Middle Ages”. This was followed by two student presentations. The first student presenters were Beatriz Brkić and Sandra Naletilić from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, whose topic was “Marija Jurić Zagorka: A Defender of Croatian and Women’s Thought”. Student Luka Grbavac then delivered the presentation “Woman, Mother, Basileus – the Position of Women in the Byzantine Empire”.

A lunch break followed and lasted until 2:00 p.m., after which the conference programme continued.

The first presenters after lunch were Tatjana Topalov and Nikolina Baškarad from the Đola Association, who delivered the presentation “Mystical Baranya and the Women Who Make It So”. They were followed by former students of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek Katarina Tomašević and Sonja Erceg, whose topic was “The Representation of Women in History Textbooks”. Faculty students Dejana Đurić and Leonarda Perić then presented “The First Lady of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia”. Faculty student Franka Maslov presented “Harriet Tubman – Heroine of the Underground Railroad”. The final presentation of the conference’s first day was delivered by Vedrana Kuti, Master of Preschool Education, and Faculty student Marta Keglević, entitled “Learning Equality from an Early Age”.

The first presenters on the second day, 9 March, were Faculty students Maja Grgić and Nera Tomić. Their presentation was entitled “The ‘Perfect Woman’ in Visual Media – Human Being or Object?” They were followed by former Faculty student Valentina Markasović, whose topic was “Girl, Grandmother, Wolf: Adaptations of Little Red Riding Hood and the Development of the Female Character in the Fairy Tale”. Mirna Šostarko, an expert associate at DKolektiv – Organisation for Social Development, then delivered the presentation “Women’s Activism in Croatia – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. The next presentation was delivered by former Faculty student Dora Rašić and Lara Rašić, a student of the Faculty of Law in Osijek, on “Madame de Pompadour – More than a Mistress”. Faculty students Filip Lasić and Dora Bašić then presented “The Ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Influence on the Development of Feminism”. Faculty student Lucija Tomašević delivered the presentation “Slavenka Drakulić: As If I Am Not There”.

A lunch break followed and lasted until 2:00 p.m., after which the conference programme continued.

The first presenter after lunch was writer and translator Ivana Šojat, who delivered the lecture “Woman – Strength Reduced to the Superficiality of Beauty”. Faculty student Tomislava Ćavar then presented “Does a Female Gaze Exist?” Faculty student Dorotea Drnasin delivered a presentation entitled “The Position of Women in the Family and Marriage in Late-Eighteenth-Century England”. She was followed by Faculty student Katarina Mikulić, whose topic was “‘Help Me Do It Myself’ – Montessori Education for Peace, Justice, Independence and a Better Tomorrow”. Faculty student Petra Pekarić delivered the presentation “Dora Maar – Picasso and Me”. The next presentation, “Menstruation: From a Taboo Topic to the Stars”, was delivered by Faculty student Vanesa Jalšovec. Student Nera Kovač then presented “Women’s Contribution to the Development of Information Technology”. The final student presentation and final presentation of the conference was delivered by Faculty student Irena Kapović on “‘What Is a Woman?’ – A Contemporary Definition of Woman”.

The conference featured numerous interesting and high-quality presentations. Its success was also demonstrated by the many compliments received from presenters, the Department of History and conference visitors.

Assist. Prof. Anđelko Vlašić, PhD

Head of the Department of History

Bovec Summer School 2022

Every year, the Bovec Summer School attracts students from universities in Italy, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia with its unique themes and programme. The multicultural and multilingual two-week course is held in the small, picturesque Alpine town of Bovec in Slovenia, near the Italian and Austrian borders. The initiative aims to facilitate an exchange of knowledge among participating students in the multinational Alps–Adriatic region. Each year, the courses address a different specific theme related to social, historical and cultural issues shared by the Alps–Adriatic region. Language courses are held in Italian, Slovenian, German, Croatian and Friulian. The Summer School programme also includes various workshops delivered by visiting university lecturers, discussions and optional and compulsory fieldwork conducted in the Bovec area. The general theme of the 2022 Bovec Summer School was Geteilte Erinnerung – Erinnerungskulturen / Deljeni spomin – kulture spominjanja / Memoria (con)divisa – Culture della memoria / Memorie (con)dividude – Culturis de memorie / Podijeljeno sjećanje – kulture sjećanja.

The history of the Alps–Adriatic region is characterised by centuries of peaceful coexistence among different linguistic and social communities and by the exchange of shared and individual cultural customs, but also by tragic periods of armed conflict. These powerful contexts can influence the formation of memory in the different cultures of the Alps–Adriatic region in different ways, just as those memories can give rise to new and undesirable conflicts. The central issue of this Summer School was therefore whether a shared memory could be formed – a culture of remembrance that would foreground the features connecting these different cultures and thereby enable the residents of the Alps–Adriatic region to coexist peacefully and harmoniously.

As already noted, learning the languages of the region is an important component of the Summer School. The entire programme was therefore directed towards multilingualism and its integration into the lives of the participating students and professors.

In addition to its important educational component, the Summer School and the special environment in which it takes place provide opportunities to form new acquaintances, gain new experiences and learn naturally and mutually about the cultures and languages of the participating students. Thanks to the excellent organisation of the Summer School and the kindness and helpfulness of all the professors, visiting lecturers and participants, particularly the two people without whom this initiative would not be possible, Cristina Beretta and Andrea Wernig, I believe that the Bovec Summer School and the town in which it is held will remain a very positive shared memory for all its participants.

Lorena Ober, third-year undergraduate student of Information Sciences and Art History

Student Participation in The Geek Gathering Conference

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek paid the registration fees for ten students to participate in The Geek Gathering conference, held on 6 and 7 October 2022.

Students

Volunteers

Sven Kroflin
Donata Szombathelyi
Hana Lelas
Nikolina Gams
Eva Stojić
Dajana Radić
Marina Kresonja
Stella Fleiss
Anja Labak
Ana Puhek

Participants

Martina Slobođanac
Irena Poje
Filip Mudri
Ena Maurus
Mia Ćosić
Tena Lončarević
Marija Milošević
Marko Buljan
Antonia Krvavica
Mijo Marković

The following is a report by Martina Slobođanac, a third-year student of the single-major undergraduate programme in Information Sciences.

Thursday, 6 October 2022

Approximately twenty students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek participated in the conference, ten of whom volunteered while the others attended as participants. The conference began with registration at Urania Cinema at 2:00 p.m. A welcome reception for all participants was then held at the Trica café from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. The welcome was followed by four lectures delivered in English. The first, entitled Whiskey Masterclass, was delivered by Miroslav Kljajić from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. The second was delivered by Nataša Kapov from 5:15 to 6:00 p.m. and was entitled Going Upmarket – From Small to Enterprise in 18 Months. Mislav Malenica delivered the third lecture, Five Key Lessons That Could Have Saved Me Twenty Years, from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. The final lecture, From One to a Ton: Split Tech City Community, was delivered by Toni Trivković from 7:15 to 8:00 p.m. The first conference day concluded with a concert by the Munguru Jazz Band, which lasted from 8:15 to 11:00 p.m.

Friday, 7 October 2022

The second conference day began with registration at Urania Cinema at 8:00 a.m., followed by a brief introductory lecture and welcome address from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. Numerous lectures, workshops and courses were held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Trica café, Lumiere Restaurant, Urania Cinema and the City and University Library Osijek. Lunch was held from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. The day concluded with an organised party at Kazamat from 8:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., featuring Electric Corn and DJ Back2Back.

Participation in the conference was an extremely valuable experience for the students because it allowed them to apply their acquired knowledge when developing professional and academic ideas.

Assist. Prof. Tomislav Jakopec, PhD