The meeting gathered Board members — leading representatives of renowned FOI partner IT companies — including Board President Goran Kanižaj (SICK Mobilisis), Lidija Karaga (Solvership), Darko Jureković and Marko Manojlović (Oracle), Sandro Lazarić (Arbona), and Tomislav Jukić (CROZ), alongside representatives of the Faculty, led by Dean Prof. Marina Klačmer Čalopa, Vice Deans Assoc. Prof. Martina Tomičić Furjan, Assoc. Prof. Zlatko Stapić, Assoc. Prof. Ivan Malbašić, Prof. Zlatko Erjavec, and Amalija Koren Cavaleiro, Head of the Student Support and Career Development Center (CPSRK).
The meeting focused on the further enhancement of FOI’s study programs, the quality of the teaching process, stronger collaboration with employers, and strategic topics essential to the Faculty’s development.
Board members highlighted FOI’s interdisciplinary approach as a strategic advantage and a key opportunity for future growth. The unique combination of informatics, organization, and economics produces highly sought-after professionals who possess broad knowledge and the ability to tackle complex challenges — skills that will remain in demand despite the growing use of artificial intelligence.
This blend of technical and social competencies opens numerous opportunities for collaboration with industry and the development of innovative educational and research projects. It was emphasized that interdisciplinarity should remain the foundation for new FOI initiatives and for positioning the Faculty as a center of excellence in digital transformation.
Board members actively participated in discussions on how to further improve FOI’s activities, particularly in the context of the rapid transformation of the IT sector. The importance of continuously adapting curricula to labor market needs was underlined, with a strong emphasis on actively involving employers in the design and delivery of courses — through projects and problem-based learning.
One of the key topics was the implementation of strategic investments, most notably the project for the Regional Pre-Incubation Center for Smart Industry, developed in cooperation with the City of Varaždin, and the planned construction of the new FOI 2 building, which will provide additional capacity for research, teaching, and industry collaboration.
The discussion also addressed the FOI alumni network and ways in which former students can remain actively engaged in the Faculty’s development and promotion — as mentors, lecturers, and business partners.
Special attention was given to the concept of micro-credentials, which FOI plans to develop as part of its lifelong learning offering. The Industry Advisory Board was recognized as a key partner in designing and implementing such programs aimed at enabling fast acquisition of specific competencies required by the labor market.
The role of the FOI Industry Advisory Board has once again proven to be extremely valuable — not only in shaping the future of education at FOI, but also in strengthening the overall connection between the academic and business sectors. Collaboration between the Faculty and the IT industry — through joint projects, mentoring, and strategic consulting — remains one of the key pillars of FOI’s continued growth and development.
