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Regional meeting of deans of economics and business faculties of Southeast Europe held in Maribor

Objavljeno: 15.06.2026

On 11 June 2026, the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor, hosted the Regional Meeting of Deans of Economics and Business Faculties of Southeast Europe, bringing together representatives of leading higher education institutions from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Hungary. FOI was represented at the meeting by Assoc. Prof. Ivan Malbašić, PhD, Vice Dean for Business and Human Resources.

Participants exchanged experiences and discussed key challenges in the field of economics and business education, including internationalization, strengthening student and staff mobility, development of joint study programmes, enhancement of research cooperation, digital transformation, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on higher education.

Special attention was given to the initiative Alliance of Economics and Business Schools in Southeast Europe (AEBSEE), which aims to further strengthen regional academic connectivity. In this context, a draft Memorandum of Understanding was discussed, intended to establish a long-term framework for joint research projects, mobility programmes, academic initiatives, and increased international visibility of the participating institutions.

The meeting concluded with a shared view that further strengthening regional cooperation is essential for the development of modern, innovative, and internationally connected higher education capable of addressing future challenges.

The meeting gathered representatives from economics and business faculties in Maribor, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Varaždin, Osijek, Rijeka, Skopje, Sarajevo, and Pécs, once again confirming the strong regional interconnectedness of higher education institutions in Southeast Europe.

Source: www.epf.um.si