Representatives of the University of Zagreb and representatives of its constituent units which cooperate with Indian higher education institutions met on April 17, 2023, at the Faculty of Agriculture with the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India, Mrs. Meenakashi Lekhi. The meeting was held as part of the Minister's official visit to the Republic of Croatia.
The meeting’s purpose was to further connect young Indian and Croatian talent and to continue the development of new skills-based programs that will enable young researchers to exchange ideas and knowledge through new initiatives launched by Indian universities and the University of Zagreb.
Furthermore, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Academy of Fine Arts and the Lalit Kala Akademi (National Academy of Art, New Delhi). On behalf of their respective institutions, the agreement was signed by the Rector of the University of Zagreb Prof. Stjepan Lakušić, PhD, and Dean of the Academy of Fine Arts Prof. Tomislav Buntak, while the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India, Mrs. Meenakashi Lekhi, signed it on behalf of the Lalit Kala Akademi.
Following this document, signed for a period of five years, the two institutions will cooperate on various projects and activities aimed at fostering the academic exchange of their students and teaching staff, creative artists, cultural administrators, researchers, and intellectuals, and they will also promote the exchange of art exhibitions and cultural events. Among other activities, various workshops, art schools and camps will be jointly organized, with the intention of both institutions participating in each other’s projects.
"The University of Zagreb has very good relations with Indian universities at the level of constituent unit cooperation and we hope that it will be expanded to all levels in the future. I see a lot of potential for cooperation given the high quality of programmes offered at both the University of Zagreb and at many Indian higher education institutions. I am convinced that we will find new opportunities for deepening the partnership between India and Croatia at the educational and research level. Together, we are stronger in overcoming all the challenges that the world is facing today,“ said Rector Lakušić.
During her presentation, Minister Lekhi expressed her satisfaction at meeting the rector and representatives of the University along with both delegations’ members, while highlighting that she is impressed by the existing, as well as potential cooperation between India and Croatia.
“It is a privilege to sign a five-year Memorandum on academic cooperation between Lalit Kala Akademi New Delhi and the Academy of Fine Arts of the University of Zagreb,” said Minister Lekhi.
The meeting ended with a symbolic planting of a maple tree at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb. “This symbolizes the seed of cooperation, sowed today in order to reap the fruits in the form of fostering the exchange of talented young people from Croatia and India”, Minister Lekhi concluded.
Along with the Rector of the University of Zagreb, the meeting with the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India was attended by, among others, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Republic of Croatia HE Raj Kumar Srivastava, Vice-rector for Innovation, Technology Transfer and Cooperation with Economic Sector Prof. Tomislav Josip Mlinarić, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture Prof. Ivica Kisić, PhD alongside the faculty’s Vice Dean for International and Interinstitutional Cooperation Assoc. Prof. Kristina Kljak, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology, Prof. Mario Baić, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Prof. Vedran Bilas, PhD, Dean of the Academy of Fine Arts, Prof. of Art Tomislav Buntak, and other members of the two delegations.
