The Central International Relations Office (Central IRO) of the University of Zagreb (UNIZG) organised its Welcome Week for incoming foreign exchange students in the summer semester of the academic year 2024/2025.
Of more than 330 students, most came to study in Zagreb as part of the European Union’s Erasmus+ mobility programme. The majority of foreign students came from France, followed by Germany and Ukraine.
The Welcome Week was held from 17 to 21 February 2025. During Welcome Week, the UNIZG in its new building hosted academic lectures on acculturation process in the student exchange programme, Croatian religious heritage, education system in Croatia, and Croatian culture and language. In addition, the students enjoyed an organ concert at the church of Saint Mark, performed by Professor Pavao Mašić from the Academy of Music (MUZA).
Professional sightseeing tours in English language were organised at multiple time sessions presenting the cultural and historical centre of the city of Zagreb. Throughout the week, the students had the opportunity to visit and join guided tours of the Technical Museum Nikola Tesla.
The Welcome Week concluded on 21 February with the Welcome Day, held in the main hall of the new University building.
The opening speech for foreign students was given by the Vice-rector for International and Interinstitutional Cooperation, Professor Jurica Pavičić, PhD. Foreign students were greeted by the head of the Central IRO, dr. phil. Branka Roščić.
The rest of the programme included the presentation of the University in general as well as the options specifically concerning the English-taught classes, held by the incoming student mobility coordinator, Bernard Špoljarić. Prof. art. Anđelko Krpan of the Academy of Music also presented the artistic work of academies and faculties with an artistic component, and all gathered enjoyed a performance of violinist Tao-Yuan Hsiao Elise, a student of the Academy of Music.
Marko Lepoglavec presented the work of the UNIZG Sports Office, its achievements, as well as the sports activities in which foreign exchange students can participate. Furthermore, those interested in studying Croatian as a foreign language were encouraged to consider doing so at the University’s language school Croaticum, presented by Lector Aida Korajac, PhD.
Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Zagreb, an association co-funded by the UNIZG’s Central IRO through the Erasmus+ programme, was presented by the association president, Kyla Willems, who introduced foreign students to the student experience of life in Zagreb and presented the activities that the association will organize for foreign students during the summer semester.
Before the very end of the formal part of the ceremony, two students who are on exchange for the entire academic year 2024/2025 shared their experience of staying on the Erasmus+ student exchange at the UNIZG. For their successful start of the academic year, students received welcome gifts from the University, and all was wrapped up with an informal networking over a snack. Welcome Week and Welcome Day programme are fully financed by resources from the student mobility Erasmus+ Programme.
Erasmus+ Programme is a bilateral exchange programme, which also regulates the outgoing mobility of Croatian students wishing to study at one of the partner universities in the EU as well as outside the EU. The Central IRO manages more than 380 UNIZG students who are to study or do a traineeship abroad in the summer semester of the academic year 2024/2025. The majority of students will attend universities in Spain, Italy and Portugal, or do professional traineeship under Spanish, Italian and Portuguese employers. All Croatian students received an Erasmus+ scholarship.
