Professional Development Conference Held for Educators from Koprivnica-Križevci and Krapina-Zagorje Counties and the City of Zagreb

On Friday, 27 June 2025, our University hosted and co-organised the national professional conference "Professional Development and the Role of Educational Workers: Communication, Responsibility, and Cooperation" for educators from Koprivnica-Križevci and Krapina-Zagorje Counties, as well as from the City of Zagreb.

The event was officially opened with welcome speeches by Prof. Ante Crnčević, PhD, Vice-Rector for Quality, Identity and Mission of the University; Assoc. Prof. Marijana Togonal, PhD, from the University Department of Communication; and Dr. Marijana Češi from the Agency for Education and Training.

The first lecture, delivered by Dr. Češi, addressed the role of communication skills in educational work. This was followed by a presentation by Lecturers Jeronim Dorotić and Damir Mravunac from the University Department of Sociology, who spoke about recognising and responding to current socio-economic changes and trends that directly or indirectly impact teachers working in primary and secondary schools.

The second part of the conference began with a lecture by Assistant Professor Barbara Balaž from Algebra Bernays University, focusing on the professional development and role of educational workers. She was followed by Assoc. Prof. Marijana Togonal, who gave a talk on the application of the non-violent communication model in conflict prevention and resolution.

The event concluded with a Q&A session and participant evaluation, rounding off a productive day dedicated to strengthening professional skills and collaboration among educators.