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Sociology Students Led by Assoc. Prof. Petra Palić Participate in Final Phase of International BlendED2025 Programme

From 7 to 11 July 2025, the final phase of the international Erasmus+ programme BlendED2025 was held at Hochschule Trier – Faculty of Design in Germany, marking the successful conclusion of several months of collaboration between students and mentors from across Europe and representatives of renowned multinational companies.

Graduate sociology students Tena Kirilenko and Antonio Treppo participated in the programme under the academic supervision of Assoc. Prof. Petra Palić, Ph.D., who supported student teams throughout the project and contributed to the structuring and evaluation of solutions to real-world business challenges.
 


The final phase of the programme was also attended by Assist. Prof. Miriam Mary Brgles, Ph.D., who will be joining as a mentor and academic support in the coming years. Her participation strengthens institutional cooperation and supports the Catholic University of Croatia’s continued involvement in international educational innovation.

The programme included universities from fourteen European countries:

  • Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (Austria)

  • Glasgow Caledonian University (United Kingdom)

  • Hellenic Mediterranean University – HMU (Greece)

  • Catholic University of Croatia (Croatia)

  • LUCA School of Arts (Belgium)

  • Odisee University of Applied Sciences (Belgium)

  • Trier University of Applied Sciences (Germany)

  • University of Maia (Portugal)

  • University of Maribor (Slovenia)

  • University of Orléans (France)

  • University of Siegen (Germany)

  • Polytechnic of Porto (Portugal)

  • University of Vigo (Spain)

  • Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania)

The programme began with physical mobility in Portugal, held from 17 to 21 February 2025 at the University of Maia. During that week, students met their international teams for the first time and participated in intensive workshops, lectures, simulations, and structured meetings with real business partners. That was also the start of their work on the challenges assigned by multinational companies.

Throughout the programme, students collaborated in international and interdisciplinary teams to develop concrete solutions to real-world challenges presented by corporate partners such as Dr. Oetker, FarmIT, IMEC, Jägermeister, BlendED4Future, and Bank Kärntner Sparkasse. Their tasks addressed areas such as marketing innovation, product development, sustainability, digital communication, and brand social impact.

The final presentations delivered to a panel of experts and company representatives showcased a high level of analytical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. Solutions included innovative digital campaigns, socially responsible branding strategies, and sustainable business proposals.

BlendED2025 is a forward-thinking educational initiative that combines physical and virtual mobility, enabling students to develop skills relevant to today’s job market—teamwork, project management, international collaboration, digital literacy, and the ability to adapt to real-life business challenges. By participating in this programme, the Catholic University of Croatia reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation, high-quality education, and providing students with professional development opportunities through real-world experiences. This programme equips students with invaluable preparation for their future careers by connecting them with both academic and corporate mentors.