This year, the University of Rijeka celebrates its 50th anniversary. Although some faculties and study programmes were established earlier, joint development within the University as we know it today began formally on May 17, 1973. It should also be emphasized that the tradition of higher education in Rijeka dates back to 1633, the founding year of the Jesuit College in Rijeka, recognized by Emperor Ferdinand II of Habsburg. Celebrating 50 years of the University and 390 years of tradition of higher education in Rijeka is the perfect time to look back and remember everyone at the University of Rijeka, as well as others outside of it, who made their contribution to the University, making it a true European university of the future.
True ignorance is not the absence of knowledge, but the refusal to acquire it.
Inspired by Karl Popper
This milestone is the perfect time to put our heads together and look into the future together, ask ourselves ‘Why?’ – the question about our mission in this rapidly-changing world in which changes do not always go in the desired direction of increasing the quality of life for everyone. It is also a perfect opportunity to invite our colleagues and friends from Croatia and abroad, both from our academic and non-academic worlds, to help us understand better and more. After all, this is the right moment to invite all people who wish and see the importance to share their experiences and ideas with us in a conversation. First and foremost, this anniversary is conceived as a platform for intensive gathering and opening to everyone who recognizes that the University is more than a place where one learns, teaches, and researches.
The celebration of our anniversaries traditionally takes place under the Jesuit motto Semper magis, but this year, we have added another value – openness. Openness is a value that unites many others, above all curiosity, courage, diversity, inclusiveness, and participation. During the year, all University constituents will host more than 200 events – conferences, lectures, forums, panels, educational programmes, exhibitions, talks, film screenings, plays, promotions, interventions in spaces, concerts, and other interesting opportunities for joint thinking. Ultimately, all events aim to create a space for meetings, networking, and the exchange of opinions and ideas.
Each of the fifty events in the programme is marked with a corresponding value such as solidarity, responsibility, excellence, creativity, unusualness, equality, and others, which we derive from the institutional value of openness. We are deeply convinced that virtues are derived from knowledge, that we must remind that it is possible to find some ignorance behind vices and that it is not up to us to judge and blame but to be open to learning, research, and social innovation.
I invite you to join us, whenever you have the opportunity, as the joy and fulfillment that comes with openness only make sense if we recognize the fervor and can share it with others.
Rector, Professor Snježana Prijić-Samaržija
Semper magis
Programme 2023
At the following links, you can find more than 150 different events taking place throughout 2023. We look forward to sharing them with you and inviting you to participate in them.