H.E. Mr. Josef Markus Wuketich, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Croatia, visited the University of Rijeka on Friday, September 17, 2021. The Ambassador, accompanied by Mrs. Sonja Holocher Ertl, Counsellor for Commercial Affairs at the Foreign Trade Office, arrived at the UNIRI Rectorate where he was welcomed by Madam Rector, Prof. Snježana Prijić-Samaržija, Ph.D.
Rector Prijić-Samaržija briefly presented the mission and activities of the University of Rijeka, pointing out that the University is a member of both YUFE and YERUN. As the University of Klagenfurt will soon join YERUN, and Rector Prijić-Samaržija has just taken over the two-year presidency, there is now space for new avenues of collaboration with universities in Austria.
Rector Prijić-Samaržija also explained that the cooperation with Austrian institutions exists in several forms and pointed out the cooperation with the Erste Foundation from Vienna, which supports programs in the Moise Palace on Cres. She then referred to the cooperation with Mr. Erhard Busek, former Vice-Chancellor of the Austrian Government, today President of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, who was awarded the honorary title of Honoris professor in May this year, as part of the celebration of the Day of the University (Dies academicus).
After a relaxed conversation, Ambassador Wuketich signed in the Book of Honorary Guests.
During his stay in Rijeka, the Ambassador also visited the Austrian Library at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the UNIRI Campus, where he was welcomed by the Dean, Assoc. Prof. Ines Srdoč-Konestra, Ph.D., and Prof. Aneta Stojić, Ph.D., from the Department of German Language and Literature at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, accompanied by the students.
Ambassador Wuketich served as Austrian Ambassador to Ukraine and the Slovak Republic, and before his arrival to Croatia, he worked for the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs as head of the Real Estate Management, Accommodation, and Equipment Group.
