Field class from the Integral Ecology course held at the Bračak Energy Centre

Students enrolled in the elective course Integral Ecology participated in a field class held on May 5, 2026, at the Bračak Energy Centre in Zabok. The program was designed as a full-day class outside the classroom, with a focus on sustainability, energy, climate change, and the circular economy.

The field class was led by course lecturers Assistant Professor Đurica Pardon, PhD; Associate Professor Zoran Turza, PhD; and teaching assistants Paula Zujić and Gabrijela Bajić. The host was Dr. Julije Domac, Head of the Bračak Energy Centre and collaborator on the course. Volunteers from the Laudato si’ Centre also joined the program.

As part of the professional segment of the program, Dr. Julije Domac delivered a lecture on contemporary energy challenges, while Prof. Branko Grisogono, PhD, spoke about climate change. The lectures offered students different expert perspectives and demonstrated the interdisciplinary nature of the Integral Ecology course.

Following the lectures, students took part in discussions and group work. They presented their own reflections, asked questions, and proposed practical solutions to the issues and challenges highlighted during the lectures. In doing so, they demonstrated active participation and the ability to connect course topics with real-world examples.

As part of the program, students toured the Bračak Energy Centre, participated in a joint lunch, and visited the RGNC Group in Zabok. Operating within a circular economy model, the RGNC Group combines the collection and recycling of textile waste, the production of its own raw materials, and the manufacturing of finished products for various industries.

The field class in Bračak enabled students to connect course content with concrete examples from the fields of energy, climate change, and the circular economy.