University of Rijeka professors Zoran Ježić and Nena Rončević participated in the interdisciplinary scientific conference “City of the Future – Visions and Strategies for Sustainable Development”, held on 17 and 18 September 2026 at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. The conference brought together researchers from a wide range of disciplines, including urban planning, environmental protection, geography, sociology, law, and economics, with the aim of exchanging knowledge and developing interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable and smart cities.
The conference was also an outcome of cooperation developed through the YUFE initiative, connecting academic staff and researchers from partner universities across Europe. Researchers from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń had previously visited Rijeka, where they worked with colleagues from the University of Rijeka on research addressing various aspects of sustainable urban development. The results of this cooperation will be brought together in a joint scientific monograph to be published by Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and NAWA, the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange.
The University of Rijeka authors who contributed to the research and the preparation of chapters for the monograph were Professor Dubravka Božić Bogović, Associate Professor Nino Krvavica, Professor Nena Rončević, and Professor Zoran Ježić. Importantly, they are all involved in teaching within the YUFE Joint Bachelor in Urban Sustainability Studies, providing a concrete example of how international scientific cooperation, research, and the development of joint European study programmes can be successfully interconnected.
In addition to the authors contributing to the scientific monograph, other University of Rijeka researchers also participated in the conference programme: Professor Tamara Dorčić, Assistant Professor Sanda Pletikosić Tončić, and Professor Barbara Karleuša.
The research from Rijeka presented at the conference addressed various dimensions of sustainable cities. The topics included e-bikes and sustainable urban mobility in Rijeka, healthy cities and the relationship between the use of urban space and health indicators, as well as the role of urban green spaces in building sustainable and resilient cities.
This cooperation once again demonstrated one of YUFE’s key strengths: connecting education and research through tangible joint activities involving academic staff and researchers from partner universities, while creating outcomes of international scientific and societal value.
