Meeting of the Rector with Faculty and Staff of the Catholic University of Croatia

On Thursday, 18 September 2025, before the start of the new XVI academic year 2025/2026, the management of the Catholic University of Croatia, led by Rector Prof. Dr. Željko Tanjić, met with the University’s faculty and staff. The gathering began with an opening prayer led by University Chaplain Rev. Branimir Jagodić, followed by lectures and presentations on the past year’s activities.
 

In the first part of the program Vice-Rector for Teaching Prof. Dr. Roko Mišetić presented data from the student enrollment report for the new academic year, promotional and teaching activities carried out in the past year, and planned activities for the coming year.

Vice-Rector for International Cooperation Prof. Dr. Jasna Ćurković Nimac presented the results of international partnerships and activities achieved so far. Erasmus+ mobility for students, faculty, and staff has grown significantly, with planned expansion to other networks, including ongoing coordination with Prof. Dr. Zlatan Car, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, for CUC’s entry into the CEEPUS network.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivica Matić, Head of the Department of Nursing, briefly introduced the University’s newest study program — Midwifery — available from the fall term of 2025/2026, placing midwifery firmly within professional and scientific frameworks. He also announced the beginning of work on establishing the Faculty of Health Studies, which will unite the Department of Nursing and the Midwifery program as two proportional units of the faculty, with all the study programs they will offer.

Prof. Dr. Dalibor Karlović, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, announced the imminent start of the University Specialist Study in Psychiatry in October 2025 and the initiation of the accreditation procedure for the University Specialist Study in Pediatrics, which he hopes will begin with its first generation of residents in October 2026.

Prof. Dr. Gordan Črpić, Vice-Rector for Organization and Business Affairs, presented the progress made on the CUC Campus renovation project and explained that the completion of construction, landscaping, and furnishing of the newly renovated buildings is planned for mid-2026, after which new development projects will be launched to further improve the campus infrastructure.

The second part of the program began with a presentation by Vice-Rector for Science Prof. Dr. Robert Antolović, who introduced the University’s Intellectual Property Protection Regulations.

Afterwards, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Odilon Singbo from the University Chair of Theology delivered a lecture on the use of artificial intelligence, emphasizing its role as a tool in daily work and the importance of critically evaluating AI-generated materials rather than placing “blind trust” in them.

University Chaplain Rev. Branimir Jagodić spoke about the upcoming staff pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee Year, planned for late October and early November 2025.

At the close of the meeting, Rector Tanjić thanked Mr. Tomislav Murati, MSc, for his 13 years of leadership at the University Library, highlighting all that he, together with colleagues, had accomplished since 2012 for the growth and development of the University’s library and publishing activities, and wished him a long and well-deserved retirement.