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The Faculty of Economics & Business of the University of Zagreb
and Microsoft Croatia have signed a cooperation agreement whereby
the Faculty of Economics joins Microsoft's global initiative aimed at
acquiring digital skills and will continue to cooperate in the future
with Microsoft through the Microsoft Learn for Educators program.
The pandemic we are going through has made the question of all
known patterns and caused a global economic crisis. That is why
during the summer of 2020, Microsoft launched a global initiative
aimed at acquiring new digital skills needed in the COVID-19 economy,
but also the economy of the future. This Microsoft initiative
includes current steps to help those who want to acquire new skills
and compete for the jobs they are looking for and relies upon on
data and digital technology.
"The Faculty of Economics has been using innovative pedagogical
methods in teaching digital transformation for years. The past year
has shown us how important innovation, digital skills, and continuous
technological development are in both the academic and business
environment. We, therefore, welcome Microsoft's initiative to
acquire new digital skills. We are glad that as a leading higher education
institution in the field of economics and business economics
in Croatia, but also in the wider international environment, we have
the opportunity to cooperate with the best in this field - Microsoft.
Through this collaboration through the Microsoft Digital Skills Development
Program, we want to provide the best to our students, teachers,
and all employees, and I hope that the workshops, data usage,
free access to tools, content, and other learning resources covered
by this program will enable them to improve and adopt new digital
skills, which will provide them with added value and make them
even more competitive ", said Prof. Jurica Pavičić, Ph.D., Dean of the
Faculty of Economics & Business.
Students of the Faculty of Economics & Business have free access to
a large number of very useful educational content on the Microsoft
"The Faculty of Economics & Business constantly innovates its study programs following the needs of
the economy and offers its students the acquisition of practically applicable knowledge, which makes
it easy for them to find a job and develop their careers in digital economy and Industry 4.0. In cooperation
with Microsoft, we have developed the program BusinessTech: Improving Digital Skills in
Business and Economics, which provides students with opportunities for additional education in the
field of application of digital technologies in business. Students can choose between five categories of
courses and education, learning from practical experiences and solving business problems with the
help of digital technologies. The program is harmonized with regular classes and enables all students
to acquire and improve digital skills and numerous additional benefits", said prof. dr. sc. Mario
Spremić, head of the program.
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Learn platform and the LinkedIn Learning platform, as well as access
to AI Business School courses that can be applied in all areas of economics
and business. But other initiatives are also very useful, especially
the professional Microsoft certification program. All training
and courses are online, and generally, no prior knowledge is required.
They can be followed at any time, and only an internet connection
is required for access.
After completing the modules within the Microsoft Learn platform,
it is also possible to access Microsoft certification at a price of 15
USD (special, time-limited offer). Microsoft certifications are internationally
recognized all over the world, and research has shown
that people with Microsoft certification find it easier to find a job,
have a better salary, and more easily move to a higher position within
a company or organization.
Ms. Tatjana Skoko, Director of Microsoft Croatia, emphasized: “We
are extremely pleased that, together with one of the largest faculties in
Croatia, we are raising the global initiative to an even higher level and
reminding the Croatian public once again of free digital skills and Microsoft
certificate at a better price. The initiative is aimed at everyone
who wants to develop or improve their skills, from the unemployed and
those seeking a career change, to students and young people to whom
digital skills can give a better starting position in the labor market."
Cooperation on the initiative to acquire digital skills is just the beginning
of cooperation between Microsoft Croatia and the Faculty of
Economics & Business, and several joint projects are expected in the
future. Microsoft Croatia, in cooperation with local educational partners,
is launching a communication campaign to make as many
citizens as possible aware of the possibility of acquiring digital skills
and take advantage of free learning and certification and find a job
as easily as possible in this challenging time.
More information on the global initiative can be found at Microsoft's
web page.
On March 3, 2021, the ceremonial opening of the newly renovated
Hall 8 took place at the Faculty of Economics & Business. The hall
was ceremoniously opened by Prof. Jurica Pavičić, Ph.D., Dean of the
Faculty of Economics & Business, and Ms. Gordana Soldo, Advisor to
the Management Board of Fina, and Mr. Ivan Vučetić, Director of
Fina's IT Department. The renovation, arrangement, and technological
improvement of the hall was sponsored by Fina, which also
provided all students and professors with free use of the info.BIZ
service, which will allow them quick and easy access to a large number
of business data and information in real-time. The Faculty
expressed thanks to Prof. Anita Pavković, Ph.D., for her engagement
in this project.
The goal of the cooperation between the Faculty and Fina is to connect
the academic and business sectors, which will raise the level of
education of students and ensure their better inclusion in the labor
markets.
"The Faculty of Economics & Business - Zagreb is dedicated to research
and education of highly qualified experts who will successfully respond
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to modern business and social challenges, so cooperation with the economy
is extremely important to us. Cooperation with the Financial A-
gency is just an example of such cooperation, and the possibility of using
the info.BIZ service will certainly improve the quality of education and
provide additional value to students and teaching staff. In a strategic
sense, we see the Faculty as a platform that connects students, teachers,
and other relevant stakeholders from the economy and education, and
such cooperation is an additional wind in the back to achieve these goals",
said Dean Pavičić.
The hall had to be renovated and equipped with modern IT
equipment due to the damage caused by the earthquakes. Ms. Gordana
Soldo, the advisor of Fina's Management, stated on that occasion:
“We are extremely glad that we helped the Faculty of Economics &
Business - Zagreb, participating in the renovation, arrangement, and
technological improvement of this beautiful hall. I believe that the use of
info.BIZ service, in addition to helping students in preparing student
projects, research, writing seminars, and dissertations, will raise the
quality and speed of access to necessary data and thus facilitate the
implementation of student obligations, but also improve education
which will ultimately, I am sure, will also affect the development of the
economy and society as a whole."
info.BIZ is Fina's service that provides the user with insight into information on business performance and financial position of all business
entities and the business environment in which they operate, such as ratings and other business indicators of entrepreneurs and
other financial data. It is the largest and most up-to-date database of business information for more than 808,000 business entities from
more than 30 sources. Students and professors of the Faculty of Economics & Business are enabled to use the Premium Plus package,
which includes the most functionalities and possibilities.
Project Management, a compulsory course in the fifth year of the
Management course, has been recognized by the International Project
Management Association (IPMA), a non-profit consortium of 72
associations working worldwide in collaboration with experts, organizations,
government agencies, and universities, with the aim to
develop the necessary management competencies. projects and the
profession as a whole. Since last year, the course has been included
in the IPMA Education & Training Registration System (IPMA REG
system), a global network of quality courses/programs in the field of
project management and the IPMA scheme of continuous professional
development, thus providing our students with the necessary
knowledge, skills, and abilities. to be competitive in the labor market,
as well as the CPD hours required for the certification process
according to the IPMA 4-LC and Agile system.
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The importance of the field of project management in modern business
was pointed out by Prof. Mislav Ante Omazić, Ph.D., co-lecturer
of the Project Management course: “Project management is a set of
different elements of competencies that will certainly help students
in all phases of their careers, regardless of what organization they
worked in and what hierarchical level they were at that time. An
increasing number of employers recognize the management of the
project form as a key to adapting to a changing and turbulent market.
Therefore, I am sure that they will especially appreciate the
students who can prove that they have successfully mastered this
course and acquired an extremely valuable set of competencies in
this dynamic field."
To the second generation of students who participated in the registered
course Project Management and worked on projects aimed at
improving the Croatian economy through the launch of products
and services with growth and export potential that are new to the
market, with emphasis on radical innovation and significant improvement
in commercialization, IPMA REG CPD The Record & Proof
of Participation certificate were handed over on March 11, 2021, by
Assoc. Prof. Mladen Vukomanović, Ph.D., Vice President of IPMA for
Professional Development, Assoc. Prof. Kosjenka Dumančić, Ph.D.,
Vice Dean for International Cooperation and Projects, and Assist.
Prof. Rebeka D. Vlahov Golomejić, Ph.D., co-lecturer in the course
Project Management.
According to Assoc. Prof. Mladen Vukomanović, Ph.D., Vice President
of IPMA, students of the Faculty of Economics thus took the
first step in their professional development in the field of project
management and became part of the international IPMA family.
Students experiences
Marija Mrvelj: “Apart from learning and improving some skills, such as teamwork or better time management, working on the project was
extremely fun. The professor and associates in the course did their best to make teaching and our learning easier in these challenging times,
and I am grateful that I got the team I could only wish for. From the first hour, we got along and communicated as if we had known each other
for a long time, so I can say that I have made new friends."
Lucija Vlašić: “Project management is certainly one of the best and most useful courses I have had the opportunity to take during my studies.
The combination of theory and practice was in excellent proportion. The whole process of creating a group project task was dynamic, fun,
proactive, and extremely useful because we saw how project management works in the real world. Thanks to the exceptional effort and commitment
of our professor, we have created a great interest in this field and learned useful things for our future in the business world. The most
useful thing I learned is: The strength of a team is each of its members, and the strength of each member is its team. Only together can we do
great things."
Dominik Vukušić: “The course was a unique opportunity to acquire applicable skills in developing a development team project. Under the
mentorship of Assist. Prof. Vlahov Golomejić, Ph.D., and IPMA representatives have shaped our idea into a viable project with defined goals,
deadlines, and clear divisions of work (using various digital tools), and we will certainly use the acquired knowledge and experience in future
jobs!”
Andrijana Jurić: "Project management was one of the most useful courses at the Faculty of Economics. A lot of useful information and
knowledge has been provided to us and we have always received feedback that will surely come in handy in the future. The whole course is
excellently organized and is great for everyone whose goal in the future is to deal with project management."
Eva Miljković: “At the beginning of the course, I couldn’t imagine that at the end of it we would “have” what we have today. I will not mention
the theoretical part of what was adopted. For me, the most valuable thing I received in this course is a real, detailed, comprehensive, and
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dynamic insight into the process of project management. Although ultimately fictitious, the project we led, even in these pandemic times through
Zoom, so with a few aggravating circumstances (which we included in the process of developing our service in the project) in the end was so
real. For me, it was almost the final product that would be ready for realization with a little more work. The cohesion of the team I worked on
was arguably the most deserving of the product of our work, and that is the second biggest thing I would like to mention that I got with this
course. So, after all, I imagine that one day I would lead/develop a project. Professor Vlahov Golomejić, as well as Mr. Tomislav and Damir,
should certainly be mentioned: expertise that is absolutely justified on the spot, with their mentorship and constructive criticism, the whole
process went as it should. Also, at the very end, I would like to say that I am also infinitely glad that I was able to do a project at all and have a
course related to such an organization. The certificate of presence we have received is a great wind in the back for further ventures and potentially
opens many doors in the future! ”
Karla Diljak: "Project management is a subject from which I did not know what to expect and I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised.
I worked in a team with proactive and motivated students and together we designed a project that we were very proud of and through which
we gained a lot of useful knowledge in a short time. The team members are now very good friends of mine and I am overjoyed to have had the
opportunity to participate in this course.”
Organized by the Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy,
and the Faculty of Economics - Zagreb, the first results of the project "SHARE -
research on health, aging and retirement in Europe" in the Republic of Croatia
were presented on March 5, 2021, via videoconference. The results were presented
by Assist. Prof. Šime Smolić, Ph.D., SHARE project manager in Croatia and
Assoc. Prof. Ivan Čipin, Ph.D., associate on the SHARE project, and the presentation
were opened by Ms. Melita Čičak, Director of the Pension System Administration.
The first book of project results is based on data from waves 6 and 7 and contains
data on the life history of individuals and how older people live, resulting in various
studies: on personality development in early childhood and its impact in old
age; through the creation of health inequalities over a lifetime of inequalities in
education and income; job descriptions in the labor market, occupations, and
retirements; to social and economic transitions in the new member states and the
effects of the economic crisis.
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This monograph provides an overview of the first results of the sixth
and seventh waves of the study and serves as a kind of inspiration
for insight into what types of research SHARE data allow. A total of
85 authors from 17 countries contributed to the first results being
given a comprehensive scope, and they are already used by national,
European, and global policymakers in shaping optimal policies.
The presentation was attended by members of the scientific community
and representatives of various institutions (HZMO, ZOSI, CBS,
Institute of Public Health Dr. Andrija Shtampar, Central State Office
for Demography and Youth, Institute of Public Finance, Institute of
Migration and Ethnic Studies, and Institute of Anthropology), as
well as representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Pension System,
Family, and Social Policy.
The first SHARE wave of research was conducted in 2004 in 11 countries
and has since been conducted every two years with an increasing
number of participating countries. So far, the survey covered 28
countries, and the Republic of Croatia joined the SHARE study in the
sixth wave in 2015 with significant financial support from the European
Union. Preparations are currently underway for the implementation
of the ninth wave of SHARE studies in the European Union.
By its seventh wave, SHARE had interviewed about 140,000 respondents
resulting in about 380,000 completed interviews, and in Croatia
from the sixth to the eighth wave, about 9,000 individual interviews
were collected.
SHARE is a survey conducted in the member states of the European Union, Switzerland, and Israel, which collects various microdata on
the health, retirement, socio-economic status, social and family conditions of people over 50 years of age. It is invaluable for improving
the quality of life of older people and serves as a scientific basis for strengthening analytical skills and adopting better policies and public
services.
The project worth almost 10 million kunas is funded by the European Social Fund and lasts until mid-2023, and the project partner is the
Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb.
On the occasion of World Money Week, the Faculty of Economics &
Business - Zagreb presents an educational program of financial literacy
of young people in which young people will be educated about
financial literacy and get to know their spending habits and attitudes
about money. The program is intended for young people aged 16
to 25 and allows them to learn about their own spending and planning
habits through conducting research and personalized reports.
More information is also available on the social networks of the
project - Facebook and Instagram.
The program is implemented by the Faculty of Economics & Business
- Zagreb with the support of the Ministry of Science and Education
and under the auspices of the Raiffeisen Pension Fund.
After registering on the website www.budifin.hr, communication
with young people will continue via the e-mail left. The first cycle of
online education will take place in the next two months, after which
students will be informed about the further course of the program
and the rewards for participants.
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With the financial support of the Ministry of Science and Education
and the project holder Association Imagine (Udruga Zamisli), on
February 28, 2021, another cycle of the literature adaptation project
for blind and partially sighted students was completed.
The project aimed to provide visually impaired students with the
opportunity to study in an equal condition, i.e. to provide them with
access to all the literature they need during their studies. In this
project, the literature was adapted for 9 blind and partially sighted
students, one of whom is a student from the Faculty of Economics &
Business.
The seventh Literature Adaptation for Blind and Visually Impaired
Students project was implemented in cooperation with partners:
Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Rijeka, Faculty
of Political Science, Zagreb Polytechnic and Faculty of Economics
& Business, University of Zagreb, and project coordinator at the
Faculty in all seven cycles was Ms. Zrinka Udiljak Bugarinovski.
As was already mentioned, Esperanto, faithful to Radić's promise,
entered the HSEC curriculum in ac. yr. 1926/1927 with "2 hours
per week in the first (winter) and second (summer) semesters".
Radić's assassination, less than two years later, halted the further
planned expansion of Esperanto as a compulsory subject in
secondary schools, but at the HSEC its status as an optional subject
among foreign languages was secured. Even more, due to the
great interest, the number of teaching hours increased, so according
to the Scientific Basis of the Higher School of Economics
and Commerce in Zagreb for the academic year 1939/1940. Esperanto
as an optional subject (Russian and Czech had the same
status) has been taught not only in the first year but in the first
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three years for 2 hours per week in the summer and winter semesters.
To this, certainly greatly contributed the exceptional success of
the 10th Congress of Esperantists of Yugoslavia held on September
5-6, 1937 in Zagreb. In the congress in which participated over 500
Esperantists (and due to the lack of other adequate spaces, was
partly held in the "corner-house" of HSEC in Zvonimirova Str. 8), a
decision was made to join the International Esperanto Union
(Internacia Esperanto-Ligo). Along with Dr. Dušan Maruzzi (head
of the Banovina Statistical Office, president of the League of Esperantists
of SCS/Yugoslavia 1924-1937 and lecturer of Esperanto at
HSEC), in the congress participated Stjepan Musulin (lecturer of
Czech at HSTC and HSEC from 1920 to 1930, and lecturer of Esperanto
until 1941), and lawyer and Esperantist Dr. Ivo Lapenna
(1909-1987), who was elected president of the Yugoslav Esperanto
Federation (Jugoslavia Esperanto-Ligo). The following years marked
the rise of the Esperanto movement, and so there were in the
then state in 1941, 38 societies with 1247 members, and the number
of speakers was estimated at approx. 10,000, most of whom lived in
Croatia.
With the collapse and disintegration of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
and the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia, the
work of Esperanto societies ceased, as did the teaching of Esperanto
at HSEC. After the war, the movement in Zagreb quickly flourished
again. At the instigation of Ivo Lapenna and old veterans,
the "Croatia Esperanto-Ligo" (Croatian Esperanto Association, the
so-called KEL) and the Esperanto society "Bude Borjan" were founded
in Zagreb on September 9, 1945. Dr. Ivo Lapenna along with
Dr. Mijo Mirković was a member of the Yugoslav delegation at the
Peace Conference in Paris in 1946, and since the same year, he has
been teaching International Legal Relations of the FPRY and Esperanto
as a part-time assistant professor at the renewed HSEC
(associate professor at the Faculty of Economics since 1948). Soon
after, Dr. Lapenna left Croatia, and from 1949-1951. he worked as
an associate at the National Center for Scientific Research in Paris,
and then from 1956 until his retirement in 1977 he taught at the
London School of Economics and Political Science. In the Esperanto
movement, from 1955, Dr. Lapenna was the General Secretary
of the Universal Esperanto Association (UEA), and from 1964
to 1974 its President.
The 38th World Congress of Esperantists was held in Zagreb
from July 25 to August 1, 1953, with the participation of 1,760
Esperantists from about thirty countries. A Local Congress Committee
(Loka Kongreso Komitato) was established to organize the
congress, headed by Dr. Ivo Borovečki (1924-2013), radiologist
and part-time lecturer in Esperanto at the Faculty of Economics
1953-1956. At that time, Dr. Borovečki was the president of the
Yugoslav Esperanto Federation (Jugoslavia Esperanto-Federacio -
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JEF), and for several years he was also a delegate in the
"Esperanto Parliament" of the World Esperanto Union. Thanks to
the extraordinary success of the Congress, the Esperanto movement
subsequently experienced a new upsurge in the then state.
Dr. Borovečki was succeeded as a lecturer of Esperanto at the
Faculty of Economics in 1956 by Dr. Fran Janjić, physicianpneumophtisiologist
(1907-1992), and held that post until the
abolition of this optional subject until the integration of the
Higher School of Economics (HSE) with the Faculty of Economics
in 1968.
By the early 1970s, the enthusiasm caused by that World Congress
had already evaporated. Nevertheless, the Student Esperanto
Club (Studenta Esperanto-Klubo - SEK), founded in 1957 by a
group of young members of the "Bude Borjan" club and Esperanto
students at the Faculty of Economics, was still active in
Zagreb, creating one of the most fruitful societies in terms of the
number of activists who acquired their first Esperanto knowledge
in it.
When Croatia became independent in 1991, academician Dalibor
Brozović became the president of KEL (Kroatia Esperanto-
Ligo). After a series of congresses of Croatian Esperantists, in
Zagreb was held from July 21-28, 2001, the 86th World Congress
of Esperantists (86th Universala Kongreso de Esperanto). On
that occasion at the initiative of Academician Brozović, President
of the Local Congress Committee (Loka Kongreso Komitato -
LKK), in the park in front of the main entrance to the Faculty of
Economics & Business - Zagreb, a monument "la Futuro" (The
Future) with Esperanto text at the base of the monument was
erected.
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Organized by the Croatian Employers' Association (CEA), on March
9, 2021, a conference was held at the Faculty of Economics & Business
on the topic of Possibilities of EU funds for entrepreneurs in the
new programming period. The conference was opened by Prof. Jurica
Pavičić, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Economics & Business, and
Mr. Damir Zorić, Director General of CEA. It was followed by presentations
by Mihael Furjan, President of CEA, who spoke about EU
funds from the position of employers, and Ms. Nataša Tramišak,
Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, who presented
opportunities for Croatia in the new financial period from 2021 to
2027.
As part of the conference, a panel discussion was held with the participation
of Mr. Tomislav Ćorić, Minister of Economy and Sustainable
Development, Mr. Josip Aladrović, Minister of Labor, Pensions,
Family and Social Policy, Mr. Mihael Furjan, President of CEA, Ms.
Ana Fresl, President of CEA - Association of Professionals for EU
Funds, Mr. Hrvoje Josip Balen, Vice President of CEA-ICA
(Information and Communications Association) and Mr. Marijan
Nöthig, General Manager of Ferro-Preis.
Croatia has more than 9 billion euros at its disposal from the Recovery
and Resilience Fund, and the funds should be spent by mid-
2026. Experience to date shows that the prevailing majority of this
money will be invested in the public sector, in infrastructure projects,
for which there are available other financial instruments such
as the Cohesion Fund. In the seven-year EU budget, over 14 billion
euros are planned for Croatia and are available to us in the period
2021-2029.
A recording of the conference is available at the official YouTube
channel of CEA
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On March 18, 2021, the Institute for Eurasian Research organized
the third online webinar in which Professor Mia Mikić, Ph.D., Advisor
for the Asia-Pacific Trade Research and Training Network
(ARTNeT), spoke about the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
and Postglobalization. This topic continues to attract considerable
attention in Asia, but also in the rest of the world.
Namely, on November 15 of of last year (2020), 10 members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a free trade
agreement called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
with 5 partner countries: Australia, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea,
and New Zealand. Professor Mikić gave an extremely informative
and inspiring lecture followed by a discussion of webinar participants.
A new presentation as part of the 32nd, which is also the 7th online,
Brown Bag Seminar was held on March 18, 2021, by Ms. Johanna
Posch (Analysis Group, London). She presented the emerging work
Do Family Policies Reduce Gender Inequality? Evidence from 60 Years of
Policy Experimentation, co-authored with Henrik Kleven, Camille
Landais, Andreas Steinhauer, and Josef Zweimüller.
This paper examines the impact of maternity leave and childcare on
the full dynamics of male and female earnings. Using administrative
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data covering the labor market and the birth history of Austrian
workers, the causal effects of all family policy reforms since the
1950s in Austria were determined. The results show that a very long
extension of maternity leave and childcare subsidies had almost no
effect on gender convergence. The current version of the paper is
available here
Ms. Johanna Posch is an Associate at Analysis Group, London. Previously,
she was a Ph.D. researcher at the European University Institute
and a visiting researcher at the University of Zurich. She holds a
Ph.D. in Economics from the European University Institute.
Three joint papers related to the fiscal rules of the European Union
as part of the 33rd Brown bag seminar on March 24, 2021, were presented
by Prof. Gordana Kordić, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Maje Mihelja
Žaja, Ph.D., and Assist. Prof. Margarete Gardijan Kedžo, Ph.D.
efficiency of fiscal rules in the EU” was to study the influence of contextual
variables on efficiency assessments fiscal rules. In the first
phase of the analysis, a DEA model was specified to assess the relative
efficiency for each observed country each year in the period from
2008 to 2016. Subsequently, in the second phase, efficacy scores
were regressed to several contextual variables to look at the factors
that explain the variations in efficacy.
The third paper (Gardijan Kedžo, M., Kordić, G .; Mihelja Žaja, M.,
"The role of fiscal rules in maintaining stability in a situation of external
shock: the example of the European Union") aimed at the existing quarterly
data from 2012 to In 2019, forecast the values of fiscal variables
in the next eight quarters (2020Q1-2021Q4) in order to assess the
consequences of the pandemic and the effectiveness of fiscal policy
based on existing rules, defined by the Maastricht criteria.
The global financial crises, which have negatively affected the world
economy from 2007 onwards, have severely jeopardized the European
Union's macroeconomic stability. Nevertheless, the convergence
criteria agreed in Maastricht in 1992, in terms of monetary and fiscal
stability, have not changed. On the other hand, national authorities
have introduced a series of (fiscal) rules to preserve stability. These
rules focused on macroeconomic stability and the consequent resumption
of growth and crisis resolution.
The aim of the first paper (Kordić, G .; Mihelja Žaja, M .; Gardijan,
M., (2018), "Evaluating fiscal rules efficiency in the European Union
countries using data envelopment analysis" was to examine the effectiveness
of fiscal rules for 28 EU countries) taking into account the
Maastricht criteria as a prerequisite for the convergence rule. For
this purpose, Data Limiting Analysis (DEA) has been used as a method
of mathematical programming to assess the relative efficiency
of countries with multiple criteria: large deviations from Maastricht
(fiscal) criteria are considered undesirable, while GDP growth, income
in GDP, and employment rates are desirable characteristics in
terms of selected macroeconomic indicators. The DEA reveals countries
that were relatively efficient or inefficient during 2000-2016.
The aim of the second paper (Mihelja Žaja, M., Kordić, G., Gardijan
Kedžo, M. (2019), “The analysis of contextual variables affecting the
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On March 12 and 17, 2021, the International Office of the Faculty of
Economics & Business organized meetings with students-onexchange
in the summer semester 2020/2021. This semester, 94 students-on-exchange
from 16 countries are staying at the Faculty of
Economics. The largest number are Erasmus+ students, mostly from
France, Portugal, Spain, Romania, and Germany.
The meeting aimed to inform students about the procedures related
to the grading system and their studies at the EFZG, and they were
also given welcome packages from the Faculty of Economics & Business
and the University of Zagreb.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the student association
CSA, which as of this year has a team of students-onexchange
in its ranks. The leader of the CSA team for international
cooperation, Antea Aračić, presented the activities of the association
to the present students and explained how they can join them and
contribute to their work.
On March 15, 2021, organized by the FEB ZG International Office, a
workshop was held on for students to apply for the Erasmus+ competition
for student mobility for study stays - program countries
(KA103) for the WINTER semester of ac. yr. 2021/22 for which 116
students applied.
Ms. Katarina Kovač from the International Office presented the basic
features of the Competition, while the ECTS coordinator Assist.
Prof. Martina Solenički, Ph.D., explained to the students the process
of selecting and recognizing courses that they will enroll and take at
a partner institution abroad. At the workshop, which lasted almost 2
hours, students had the opportunity to ask questions regarding the
application for the Competition.
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During February and March of 2021, the Counseling and Career Development
Office (CCDO) held workshops for students to prepare
them for the labor market and to acquire the skills needed to find a
professional internship or job.
Students were able to apply for the workshops by filling out the form
available at the link.
More than 130 students passed the workshops, and the workshop
leaders were Ms. Paulina Lučić and Ms. Maja Mažar.
The workshops were held online, in small groups, thus providing an
individual approach to each student. The topics of the offered workshops
were: #Write your CV, #How to win an employer with a cover
letter, #Why LinkedIn, #Prepare for a job interview.
In order to bring closer the Instructions for the elective course to students and to
resolve any doubts about the enrollment process, seeking internships, and ultimately
the implementation of internships, the Counseling and Career Development
Office on March 4, 2021, held an online conference for third, fourth and fifth-year
students of the integrated undergraduate and graduate university study of Business
Economics and the integrated undergraduate and graduate university study of Economics
who enrolled in the elective course Professional Internship.
The counseling was held by Ms. Maja Mažar, and the students were initially addressed
by Assoc. Prof. Božidar Jaković, Ph.D., vice dean for students, teaching, and
digitalization. On that occasion, he congratulated the students on enrolling in the
elective course Professional Internship and encouraged them to do an internship
because it is a perfect opportunity to get to know and learn how the business world
works. The professional internship can be performed only by students who have
enrolled in the elective course Professional Internship.
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As part of the compulsory course Croatian Economy, which is taught
in the second year of the Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate
University Study of Business Economics, a presentation of activities
and projects of the Counseling and Career Development Office was
held on March 15, 2021. At the invitation of Assoc. Prof. Ana Andabake,
Ph.D., Ms. Paulina Lučić, Head of the Office gave a presentation
to students with information about workshops, projects, and
opportunities for students with special emphasis on those activities
in which they can get involved immediately.
Students were also drawn to the possibility of joining student associations
and various projects they organize, as this is also an excellent
example of connecting with companies and organizing projects
for students and the general public. The presentation was held as
part of the teaching unit Labor Market, which is covered in this course
with a large response from students. Students participated in the
discussion, asked questions, and learned useful information, all for
better preparation for the labor market.
Organized by the Croatian Student Association, on March 11, 2021,
for the fifth year in a row, the Business in Sports conference was
held. Although virtual, the conference hosted interesting speakers
and panelists this year as well.
The conference was opened with welcoming speeches by Assoc.
Prof. Sanja Sever Mališ, Ph.D., Vice Dean for Business Processes and
Strategic Partnerships, and Ms. Bruna Maleš, Project Manager. The
lectures were given by Ms. Sandra Župarić, a psychologist and a
representative of the company Mental Training, who explained to
the audience what is important to work in sports to stay focused and
how important mental training is in that world. She also mentioned
the technologies they use and cited interesting examples of athletes
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they work with. Mr. Tihomir Čičko, CTO of Rost Šport, recounted
what is behind a successful sports store and what all sports brands
must think about in marketing and how important organization
and management are, while Mr. Borna Butijer, personal trainer
and founder of Fitzone.hr, related his story in the fitness industry
and what obstacles he faced in his career, and he revealed his
plans for the future to students.
After the panel, a sports quiz was held, and the first three places
were awarded valuable gifts from project sponsors. More interesting
facts about the BIS conference you can find on the official
Instagram and Facebook pages.
As part of the conference, an interesting panel called The Road to
Danish Bronze was held, which was attended by "Queens-of-the-
Shock" - handball players Tea Pijević, Dora Krsnik, Dora Kalaus,
Andrea Šimara, and as surprise guest Ćamila Mičijević. The panel
was moderated by Laura Prpić, who extracted of them the most
interesting details from the European Women's Championship in
Denmark, as well as what they think about women's handball in
Croatia in general.
On March 19, 2021, the Financial Club organized a conference entitled
Simply on the Euro as the final part of the project of the same
name. The aim was to bring closer and explain to the general public
the process and implications of the introduction of the euro as the
official currency in the Republic of Croatia.
that there will be no currency risk after the introduction of the euro,
it is believed that the most profitable companies will be exportoriented
to Eurozone countries, and it was also said that a common
currency would have a positive impact on the development of the
Croatian capital market on the Zagreb Stock Exchange.
Two panels were held as part of the conference. The first panel was
attended by Mr. Boris Vujčić, Governor of the CNB, Mr. Tomislav
Ćorić, Minister of the Economy and Sustainable Development, Mr.
Velibor Mačkić, Advisor to the President for the Economy, and Mr.
Ante Žigman, President of the Management Board of the Croatian
Financial Services Supervisory Agency. It was said that Croatia could
enter the Eurozone on January 1, 2023, at the earliest; many advantages
of entry were stated, and it was concluded that the economy
must be more flexible, among other things in terms of the labor market,
in order to maximize benefits. Also, it was explained that there
should be no significant inflation, especially if we look at the experiences
of other countries that have already adopted the euro. Given
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The participants of the second panel of the conference were prominent
Croatian economists Vuk Vuković and Velimir Šonje, Assist.
Prof. Ozana Nadoveza Jelić from the Department of Macroeconomics
and Economic Development of FEBZG, and Professor Neven
Vidaković from ZSEM, who discussed Croatia's competitiveness,
monetary policy, national development strategy, and the contribution
of the euro to all areas of the Croatian economy.
As part of the Simply About the Euro project, a series of articles divided
into three parts was published. A Couple of Words on Economic
Theory were the part in which the most important economic theories
were described, which were also the basis for understanding the
issue of the introduction of the Euro. The theory explores the history
of European integration with an emphasis on economic and
monetary integration - this section, entitled The Story of History,
tells the story of how Europe decided it was time for a common currency
and navigated through common currency crises. In the last
and most comprehensive part, The Brave New World: A Debate on the
Euro, the arguments of the Croatian National Bank presented in the
Eurostrategy for and against Croatia's entry into the Eurozone were
discussed and intuitively explained.
On March 25 and 26, 2021, the Croatian Student Association (CSA)
organized for the seventh time the largest student marketing conference
in the Republic of Croatia - Marketing Madness.
The conference was held online, and this year, for the first time, it
has its regional edition. “We decided to take advantage of the fact
that due to the pandemic, the Marketing Madness conference must
be held online for the safety of all participants, therefore we decided
to extend the conference’s boundaries to the entire region! The
number of applications, which came from Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Montenegro, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Serbia, and of
course Croatia, exceeded all our expectations. We were especially
glad that students from all Croatian universities, many polytechnics,
and private faculties joined the conference, as well as the largest
universities from all these countries who recognized the potential of
our conference," stated the organizers.
The second day was dedicated to one of the biggest trends in the
world of marketing last year and this year, Employer branding, and
the aim was to provide insights into what companies do in practice
to attract employees and create the image of a desirable employer.
Marketing Madness participants were able to lend an ear to lectures
and put questions to experts from renowned companies such as A1
Croatia, Bornfight, Bruketa & Žinić & Gray, Degordian, ProMedia
Group, PwC Croatia, Infinum, Srednja.hr, and many others.
The topic of the first day was Generation Z, and through interactive
lectures and dynamic panel discussions, participants were able to
learn more about the difficulties, but also the potential opportunities
that manufacturers and service providers face when communicating
with members of a new and completely different generation.
generation.
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The finale of the Accounting Battle, an accounting competition, was
held on March 25, 2021, organized by the Accounting and Finance
team of the eSTUDENT student association. Accounting Battle is a
competition held for the third year in a row in which students have
the opportunity to show their knowledge and get acquainted with
companies in the profession.
In the first round, the competitors solved theoretical questions, and
in the second round, calculation tasks were given by professors from
the Faculty of Economics & Business - Zagreb: Ms. Marina Ercegović,
Ph.D., Assist. Prof. Sanja Broz Tominac, Ph.d., Assoc. Prof. Ana
Novak, Ph.D., Assist. Prof. Ivana Barišić, Ph.D., Ms. Ana Rep,Ph.D.,
Assoc. Prof. Nikolina Dečman, Ph.D., Assist. Prof. Mateja Brozović,
Ph.D., and Prof. Ivana Dražić Lutilsky.
In the third round, students wrote an exam compiled by the competition
partner, Infokorp. The competition was held in the office of
Infokorp, and after the exam, the representatives of Infokorp discussed
with each student individually about the task, their mistakes,
and possible improvements.
The first place and 5000 HKN won Iva Anić, the second place and
3000 HKN by Duje Petričević, and the third place and 1000 HKN by
Ana Bosak.
The winner of the competition, Iva Anić, a student at the Faculty of
Economics - Zagreb, pointed out the advantages for students who
decide to apply for such a competition: “I think that nowadays when
we are not in such contact with people, this kind of networking is
excellent. Here we are in contact with students from all over Croatia
from different faculties, where we can exchange our experiences and
knowledge and we can see our position and thus improve.”
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