Ceremonial opening of the 27th academic year
The central academy for the opening of the 27th academic year of the University of Nova Gorica was held on 13 October 2022 at the Lanthieri Mansion in Vipava.
Opening remarks were delivered by the Rector of the University of Nova Gorica, Prof. Dr. Boštjan Golob, who said: "As usual for our university, we meet at the beginning of the academic year to celebrate our new honorary doctors and members of the University of Nova Gorica, as well as the most successful students from the previous year. At the beginning of the new yearly cycle of creating new knowledge and passing it on to new generations. And like every year, this year is also special in its own way. It has been characterised as the post-covid period. Today's two guests of honour are accepting the titles that they were awarded in 2020, the students did their work perfectly despite the exceptionally challenging conditions. A period that also allows us to finally, after a long time, socialise in person again."
Today, the pedagogical activity of the University is being performed by six individual faculties and the Academy of Arts. To date, 261 PhDs, 441 Master’s and 998 Bachelor's graduates have completed their studies at the University of Nova Gorica. Research activity takes place in six centres and four laboratories, equipped with top-quality research equipment. We are involved in both small and large international projects, cooperating with institutions of the highest reputation. Foreign students represent as much as 60% of the student population and come from 54 different countries, both from Europe and other continents.
"Universities and research institutions are about to enter a new era of research activity financing. A system of stable financing, which is the result of a long period of negotiations and compromises by various stakeholders. In a way, this period is also reflected in the two honorary titles being awarded today. They reflect the importance of researchers' joint work between research and higher education policy administrators. Only with a high level of cooperation can efforts be directed towards development," Prof. Dr. Golob pointed out.
This year, the University of Nova Gorica, together with its partners, obtained funding from the European research project, COFUND, which is one of the most financially rich projects obtained in the country so far. The project, in which the University of Nova Gorica will act as the leading coordinating institution, will be financed in the amount of 10 million euros, approximately half of which will be contributed by the European Commission and the other half by Slovenia's Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. This undoubtedly affirms our institution's excellence in the field of research.
We were also honoured by the presence of the Minister of Education, Science and Sport, Dr. Igor Papič. In his speech, he pointed out that he is extremely happy that the school year in primary and secondary schools started as planned on 1 September, and now, at the beginning of October, at academic level, the academic year with is starting with practically no restrictions. He went on by highlighting the new mode of financing research activity, which represents an extremely important step towards greater autonomy for universities. "I am announcing a strategy of internationalisation; we have prepared an amendment to the law on higher education, and I am also announcing the preparation of new legislation in the field of higher education, as well as the establishment of a technology agency, as soon as possible." At the end of his speech, he emphasised that the field of higher education and science had not functioned in such good conditions for a long time.
The rector of the University of Nova Gorica concluded his thoughts with the words: "Just as the first image of a distant, never-before-seen astronomical object required the coordinated operation of several observational devices and modern computer methods, the proper functioning of a scientific system also requires functioning institutions, mutual cooperation and organisation, and of course, excellent researchers. Another fundamental element is complementarity in cooperation with excellent international institutions, which, at the University of Nova Gorica, we are cultivating with particular care. And today's honorary guests should bring that to show with their extraordinary opus of work. I am convinced that through agreement and coordination, we can achieve excellent development, namely the development of Slovenia into a European centre of scientific and higher education activity."
The rector of the University of Nova Gorica, Prof. Dr. Boštjan Golob, awarded the title of honorary doctor of the University of Nova Gorica – doctor honoris causa – for outstanding scientific achievements in the field of astrophysics, to the world-renowned astrophysicist who was the first to produce an image of the event horizon of a black hole, Prof. Dr. Heino Falcke. And for his outstanding contribution to the development of scientific excellence at the University of Nova Gorica, and for his achievements in international scientific administration, the title of honorary member of the University of Nova Gorica was awarded to Dr. Salvatore La Rosa.
We also awarded twelve graduates. The alumnus primus award was given to graduates who graduated as the first of their generation of enrolled students, namely Nino Stanič, Darian Rampih, Katja Belec, Tanja Buh, Adrián González Briones, Kristjan Mesar, Luka Carlevaris, Sagar Gahatraj, Carolina Carqueja e Silveira and Boris Matić, with the alumnus optimus award going to the graduates who achieved the highest average study grade in the individual academic year, namely Nino Stanič, Irena Subotić, Katja Belec, Tanja Buh, Polona Hadalin Baša, Adrián González Briones and Boris Matić.
