The Summer school programme covered three subject areas:
databases,
web programming and web security,
asymmetric cryptography and its applications.
The programme included two FOI courses. Full Prof. Markus Schatten, PhD, taught the Introductory Database Course, focusing on the basics of databases, while Asst. Prof. Matija Novak, PhD, taught Web Programming and Web Security Fundamentals, covering the foundations of web programming and security. All 12 ESIEA students attended both courses.
The third part of the programme, An Introduction to Asymmetric Cryptography & Its Applications, was taught by Professor Robert Erra, PhD, from ESIEA. Through lectures and practical work, students gained theoretical and practical knowledge of RSA algorithms and security protocols, developing skills relevant to information security. This part of the programme was also attended by 14 FOI students.
Professor Erra, who has devoted his professional career to cryptography, further engaged students by sharing his own professional experiences. Jan Čobanović, a first-year IPS student, shared his impressions:
“The subject was very interesting. The professor, who has many years of experience working in major French companies and knows people in the French government, was very keen to teach us as much as possible about the topic. His aim was not simply to get through the presentation and finish the lecture as quickly as possible, but to share his experiences, which we could learn a great deal from. As students, it felt good to listen to someone who has devoted his whole life to cryptography and is now passing that knowledge on to us.”
The FOI International Relations Centre organised the summer school and the ESIEA students’ stay, while Associate Professor Martina Tomičić Furjan, PhD, served as the academic coordinator. Alongside the academic programme, French students took part in a social programme that included trips to Zadar and Plitvice Lakes, where they had the opportunity to explore Croatia’s cultural and natural heritage.
