Thirty year anniversary: Solemn academy ceremony of the University of Nova Gorica
On 24 September 2025, the University of Nova Gorica celebrated its thirty year anniversary at the EPICentre in Nova Gorica with a solemn academy ceremony held under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, PhD.
At the celebration, the University’s rector, Prof. Dr. Boštjan Golob, emphasised that the university was »a mosaic of all people who have built it and contributed to its development«. He thanked all colleagues and awards recipients for »pouring life into the university and taking it into a mature period of development« over the past decades.
The rector particularly touched upon the issue of connections between science, culture and national identity. He said: »Science and knowledge are an indispensable part of culture and as such they are the core pillars of national identity.« He reminded us that it was precisely scientific and research works of the great Slovene personalities, such as Trubar and Valvasor, that had fortified the space of the Slovenian language, art and culture within a wider European context.
At the same time, the rector pointed out the future needs of the Slovenian society: »It is estimated that Slovenia will need some 10,000 highly educated staff members annually over the next decade, while the fact is that every year there has been some 3,000 unoccupied working positions of this kind. Wouldn’t it be wise to pay a proper attention to the Slovenian institutions of knowledge?«
The rector also emphasised the challenges faced by the European higher education area, such as fragmentation, due to which European universities tend to poorly compete with bigger American and Asian institutions. The University of Nova Gorica responds to these challenges by actively participating in international networks such as the European University ACROSS, which connects ten European universities situated in the cross-border regions.
Also, the rector presented a vision of the University’s further development, which includes the formation of a new, across the border and town oriented Faculty centre in Nova Gorica; the centre aims to be sustainable, multi-functional and connected to accommodation facilities in Gorica and Rožna Dolina. At the same time, the rector pointed out the research-developmental laboratories in Ajdovščina, in which scientists and students will work, side by side, with technologically prominent companies; and the continuation of a one hundred year long tradition, with a scientific approach for using the natural givens in the Lanthieri mansion in Vipava. »Had people not had such goals, the University might not have been founded thirty years ago«, he said and added that even today the University »is held by a strong optimism when it comes to envisioning future projects«.
At the end, Prof. Dr. Golob pointed out the importance of all people who had enabled the University to walk its path: »Thirty years may not count much for an institution. Yet the University of Nova Gorica has clearly shown what kind of path it has taken and what kind of potential it has got.«
The celebration speaker was Dr. Igor Papič, Minister for Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and those gathered were also greeted by the President of the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia Marko Lotrič.
Also, the honorary titles of the University of Nova Gorica were conferred at the celebration. For the first time in its history, the University conferred the honorary doctoral title – doctor honoris causa – upon a woman: an internationally renowned astrophysicist and Director of Science at the European Space Agency (ESA) Prof. Dr. Carole Mundell. Rector of the University v Nova Gorica, Prof. Dr. Boštjan Golob, conferred the title upon professor Mundel for for her long-standing and fruitful scientific collaboration with researchers at the Center for Astrophysics and Cosmology of the University of Nova Gorica, as well as for her outstanding contributions to their international recognition in the global research community.
Two titles of professor emeritus of the University of Nova Gorica were conferred upon Prof. Dr. Mladen Franko and Prof. Dr. Gvido Bratina. Both of the two professors left an indelible mark, within their respective fields, on the scientific excellence of the University of Nova Gorica; at the same time, they empowered the University, from an organisational point of view, to transform itself from the initial School of Environmental Sciences to today’s mature University with six schools and an academy.
Besides this, on 18 September the University conferred an honorary doctorate title – doctor honoris causa –, upon Prof. Dr. Joachim Mnich. Prof. Dr. Mnich is one of the leading experts and strategists in the field of physics of high energies in Europe and the world, and Director for Research and Computing at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). The title was awarded for his exceptional contributions to the development of high-energy physics in Slovenia, including at the University of Nova Gorica, for advancing the international recognition of Slovenian researchers in this field, as well as for his role in the progress of experimental elementary particle physics.
Many esteemed guests honoured the celebration with their presence: President of the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia Marko Lotrič, President of Slovenian Academy of Science and Art Acad. Peter Štih, Vice-President of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia Matej Arčon, Minister for Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr. Igor Papič, rectors of Slovenian and foreign universities, as well as ambassadors.
An artistic interpretation of texts connecting science and culture was presented at the celebration by Neda Rusjan Bric, BA in Theatre Acting, MA in Arts, theatre director, long standing adjunct professor at the School of Art of the University of Nova Gorica and, above all, the initiator of the idea and the candidate process leader for the borderless European City of Culture GO! 2025; additionally, a video animation was prepared by Polona Zupan, a former student of tbe University’s School of Art.
Andreja Leban, Public Relations
- Recording of the celebration academy. Author: VideoLectures.
- Video highlights. Author: Cimet Studio
- Video highlights. Author: Videolectures
