FERI

Three Programmes, Three Challenges

• Gaja Gujt, Adam Kac, Tevž Starovašnik, and Niko Ogrizek (1st year master’s students) participated in the Security and Crisis Management programme, which focused on managing security risks and crisis response within organizations. Through practical workshops and collaborative problem-solving of real-life scenarios, they gained valuable competencies in cybersecurity and organizational resilience.

• Tia Žvajker and Elena Bežan (2nd year master’s students) attended the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Law programme, dedicated to the legal and ethical challenges brought by artificial intelligence — from personal data protection to modern dilemmas of digital regulation. The programme offered a unique interdisciplinary perspective at the intersection of law, technology, and society.

• Jaša Jernej Rakun Kokalj (2nd year master’s student) took part in the Leadership and Critical Thinking programme, which focused on developing leadership, critical thinking, and decision-making skills in complex and unpredictable situations — competencies that are essential in today’s dynamic technological environment.

A Week of Intensive Learning and International Networking

During the intensive week, students participated in lectures, practical workshops, study visits, and group project work in international teams. In addition to the academic programme, they explored Riga, one of the most beautiful capitals of the Baltic region, and experienced Latvian culture and student life at Turība University. Congratulations to all seven master’s students, and we wish them that the knowledge and experiences gained will enrich their future academic and professional journeys!

The program includes technical lectures addressing real-world attack techniques, modern defense approaches, and current security challenges. Topics to be covered include supply chain security, artificial intelligence vulnerabilities, digital forensics, threat modeling, and the use of machine learning in intrusion detection.

Participants can expect a combination of in-depth technical content, practical demonstrations, and research-backed presentations suitable for both experienced professionals and teams looking to strengthen their security skills.

A Capture The Flag competition will also take place concurrently, where you can test your knowledge, solve challenges, and climb the leaderboard.

Date: May 23, 2026

Location: UM FERI, Maribor

Start: 9:00 AM (registration from 8:30 AM onwards)

Full program: https://www.hcf.si/schedule

Event registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hack-club-feri-retro-ctf-tickets-1987326100865

Whether you're a beginner or an expert, there's something for everyone!

A kick-off meeting of project partners took place in March 2026, where the main activities were defined. The consortium also includes a research group from UM FERI, alongside partners from Portugal, Slovakia, Latvia, and Luxembourg. Together, they will design innovative approaches to recognising skills and enhancing professional development in higher education.

Take a few minutes to explore the platform and share your feedback through this short survey. Your experience will directly contribute to improving tools designed for student mobility across Europe.

• https://forms.office.com/e/xiTRZn6LfJ

#DACEM #CourseCatalogue

The DIGITECH project addresses the gap between educational outcomes and labour market needs in Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Georgia by introducing innovative technologies such as big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence into curricula related to the automation of technological processes and production. At the same time, the project promotes the modernisation of teaching methods, enhances graduate employability, and strengthens cooperation between higher education institutions and industry.

As consortium partners, Slovenia and Germany contribute valuable expertise and examples of best practice that support knowledge transfer across the partnership. The meeting in Maribor therefore served as an important platform for presenting successful approaches in education, production-related study fields, and the integration of modern technologies into higher education programmes.

Participants visited several laboratories at UM FERI and explored concrete examples of collaboration between academia and industry, with particular attention given to emerging AI-related topics. The programme also included a visit to a local company, offering participants direct insight into the practical implementation of industry-academia cooperation.

By bringing together partners from different countries and institutions, the meeting in Maribor further strengthened the exchange of knowledge, the sharing of best practices, and the joint development of innovative educational approaches within the DIGITECH project.

In his lecture, Full Prof. Dr. Martin Petrun highlighted the key challenges and development trends in the field of electrical machines and drives. He presented solutions developed under his leadership that have already been successfully integrated into industrial practice, along with his vision for future research.

He also emphasized the vital role of electrical machines in modern life and the importance of connecting research with the real-world needs of industry and society.

Congratulations on this milestone, and we wish him many more successes in the years to come!

We thank Teo Prica for this interesting and useful lecture!

As part of the third Bologna degree of his Computer Science and Informatics studies at FERI, Teo Prica presented the HPC Vega computer at the 40th conference International Conference on High Performance Computing (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-07612-0_2).

COIL programs connect participants from different universities, cultures, and linguistic backgrounds to engage in collaborative learning supported by digital communication tools. They make internationalization at home more accessible for students and academic staff, while enriching the development of individual and collective knowledge.

This year’s programme has been expanded with IMPACT lectures for teaching staff, focusing on innovative teaching methods and pedagogical competencies, including flipped classroom, inclusive drama techniques, storytelling in education, soft skills development, and the use of artificial intelligence in teaching.

Overview of upcoming IMPACT activities

COIL Programs

COIL in Misinformation
5 November 2025 – 28 January 2026
Every Wednesday, 15:00–17:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/QVcR5t8U7nRiQJ7j6

COIL “The Next Step”
6 November 2025 – 28 January 2026
Every Thursday, 16:00–18:00
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/YLQBzcm6CbfwEenx9

Virtual Exchange for Staff: “AI Tools for teaching purposes”
10 November 2025 – 19 January 2026
Every Monday, 15:00–16:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/FpFYH14nxJUdxHeZ9

IMPACT Lectures for Staff

Intellectual works in the realm of Open Science – recent developments and future projects
Speaker: Dr. Ioannis Tsakonas
29 October, 13:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/sxGY3PHMtWnjPmxa9

Teaching using Problem-Based Learning
Speaker: Dr. Hadas Huber
3 November, 11:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/mbwTBuEVttxEMLVv9

How to teach and evaluate soft skills
Speaker: Dr. Navas Huber
10 November, 11:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/AXMua6tPuZ5xhwq76

Using Story Telling in the Classroom
Speaker: Dr. Samia Zeid
12 November, 11:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/mMCRosTF455uhBbw5

How to operate as a Facilitator
Speaker: Dr. Rhonda Sofer
17 November, 11:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/KmH4EbEfQxWqFBDS6

Inclusion in the Classroom Using Drama Games
Speaker: Dr. Peter Harris
19 November, 11:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/RAtJaqZGQHa64WQz7

Teaching Using Flipped Classroom
Speaker: Mrs Davida Pollak
27 November, 14:00 CET
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/HnfbNmHcFiM7Kz6G6

All activities are free of charge and open to students and staff of the University of Maribor. We strongly encourage the participation of teaching staff to support continuous development of pedagogical innovation and international cooperation.

More information: IMPACT – Inter-Mediterranean Peace And CollaboraTion.

The event program will be varied and informative, as we want to ensure that new students at the faculty feel welcome and prepared for everything that awaits them in the coming year.

PROGRAM:

• Welcome by the Dean of UM FERI, Prof. Dr. Gorazd Štumberger
• Welcome by the Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Gaja Gujt, and presentation of the FERI Student Council and extracurricular activities
• Welcome by the student tutor coordinator, Matevž Šavore: tips for studying and student life at FERI (AIPS, eŠtudij, FERI websites, tour of the faculty, etc.) and socializing
• Presentation of the study process for individual study programs (study program coordinators and first-year teachers in lecture halls)
• Greetings from student tutors: tips for studying and student life at FERI
• Information for students with special status or special needs

Before you embark on your studies, we recommend that you read the useful information for freshmen available on our website. This information will help you transition into student life more easily and overcome the initial challenges.

PHOTO GALLERY: Snapshots from last year's welcome for freshmen

His research was conducted in close collaboration between UM FERI and the globally renowned company HILTI Entwicklungsgesellchaft mbH. This collaboration highlights the exceptional value of bridging academic and industrial environments, contributing significantly to developing innovative technological solutions and elevating the products and processes to a new level of performance, efficiency, and price competitiveness. This collaboration also enables the integration of cutting-edge knowledge, industry demands, and requirements into the academic curriculum, facilitating the education of exceptional engineers and researchers who will shape the future. We were delighted to host Prof. Dr. Ing. Simon Steentjes at UM FERI on this occasion. His contributions were crucial to all aspects of the ongoing cooperation and research. We sincerely congratulate Dr. Mitja Garmut on his outstanding achievements and express our gratitude to everyone involved in this excellent cooperation!

• Learn about technical attacks on systems and effective defense strategies,
• Discover how to set up systems for dynamic infrastructure protection,
• And – of course – hack a casino as part of the CTF competition!

The conference will be held in English, as we’ll be joined by international speakers and participants.

Compete solo – show us what you’ve got! (competition is optional)
Food and drinks are provided – because a hungry hacker is a distracted hacker.

When? May 17, 2025
Where? UM FERI MARIBOR
Start: 9:00 AM (registration from 8:30 AM)
Entry: completely free!

Follow updates on Instagram: @hackclubferi
More info about the conference and talks: https://hcf.si/

Free tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hack-club-feri-ace-ctf-tickets-1308642357519

Come and learn from the best, why you don't gamble with your security!

IMPORTANT DATES:

CITIZENS OF NON-EU MEMBER STATES - FOREIGNERS:

• FIRST APPLICATION PERIOD: from 31 March 2025 until 30 May 2025.
• SECOND APPLICATION PERIOD: from 25 August 2025 until 5 September 2025 - if enrolment places are not filled in the first application period, faculties decide to publish a list of vacancies (faculties may decide against holding a second round of applications despite still having available enrolment places after the first application period).

If enrolment places remain after the first application period for citizens of the Republic of Slovenia and other EU Member States, faculties may decide to offer them in an additional application period for still-available enrolment places also to Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship and citizens of non-EU Member States – foreigners; however, as per priority order, enrolment places are first filled by citizens of the Republic of Slovenia and other EU Member States, followed by Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship and lastly by citizens of non-EU Member States – foreigners.

SLOVENIAN CITIZENS AND EU NATIONALS:

• FIRST APPLICATION PERIOD: from 31 March 2025 until 5 September 2025.
• APPLICATION PERIOD FOR STILL-AVAILABLE ENROLMENT PLACES: from 23 September until 24 September 2025 at 12 p.m. CET (this deadline also applies to supporting documents) - if enrolment places are not filled in the first application period and faculties decide to publish a list of vacancies.

SLOVENIANS WITHOUT SLOVENIAN CITIZENSHIP:

• First application period for master's studies: from 31 March 2025 until 5 September 2025 - Candidates may also apply within the application period for still-available enrolment places if the faculty decides so.
• First application period for doctoral studies: from 31 March 2025 until 30 May 2025 - ​Candidates may also apply within the application period for still-available enrolment places if the faculty decides so.
• Second application period for doctoral studies: from 25 August 2025 until 5 September 2025 - ​Candidates may also apply within the application period for still-available enrolment places if the faculty decides so.

NOTE:

- Candidates shall submit their application for enrolment in postgraduate programmes of the University of Maribor electronically via the eVŠ web portal.

- Proof of completed previous education is not a requirement for the submission of an application, it is, however, required for enrolment.

- After the expiration of application deadlines referred to in this Call, applications for enrolment in postgraduate programmes can no longer be submitted.

The application is valid only if the candidate pressed the SUBMIT button in eVŠ. In the opposite case, the application will not be submitted and will thus be rejected by means of an official decision. Before completing the application procedure, candidates are advised to verify whether the application has indeed been submitted. Candidates will receive an email notification of the successful application to the email address indicated in the application form.

When to apply:

​Application deadlines for citizens of the Republic of Slovenia and other EU Member States as well as Slovenians without Sl​ovenian citizenship ​(application for the 1st year of study, for parallel studies and for graduates of integrated master's study programmes)

• First application period: from 18 February to 18 March 2025.
  Candidates may submit one application specifying, in order of priority, a maximum of three (3) different study programmes in which they wish to enrol.
• Second application period: from 20 to 27 August 2025.
  Candidates may submit one application specifying, in order of priority, a maximum of three (3) different study programmes in which they wish to enrol.
• ​Application period for still-available enrolment places: from 24 to 25 September 2025 until 10 a.m. CET.
  Candidates may submit three applications, in each specifying one study programme.​
• ​​Application for parallel studies and graduates of integrated master's study programmes: from 1 to 15 September 2025​ (for enrolling in a study programme that requires a test of specific aptitudes, abilities and skills, the application must be submitted between 18 February and 18 March 2025).
  ​​Candidates may submit several applications, in each specifying one study programme.

Application deadlines for citizens of non-EU Member States (application for the 1st year of study)

• First application period: from 18 February to 18 March 2025.
  For enrolment to the University of Maribor, candidates may submit one application specifying, in order of priority, a maximum of three (3) different University of Maribor study programmes in which they wish to enrol.
• Second application period: from 4 to 5 September 2025.
  ​For enrolment to the University of Maribor, candidates may submit maximum three (3) applications, in each specifying one (1) University of Maribor study programme in which they wish to enrol.​

​Application deadline for enrolment in a higher year of study ​(for all candidates regardless of citizenship​)

• From 1 to 15 September 2024 (for enrolling in a study programme that requires a test of specific aptitudes, abilities and skills, the application must be submitted between​ 18 February and 18 March 2025).
  ​​Candidates m​​ay submit several applications, in each specifying one study programme.​​

How and where to apply:

​By the deadline set in the Call for Enrolment, submit the electronic application form via the eVŠw​​eb p​ortal with a​ qualified digital certificate, smsPASS, e-ID card​,​ Arnes AAI account (an account of the Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure), or with a username and password after logging in to the SI-PASS system.​

​​​Subm​​itting applications and supplemental documents:​​​In the application-admission procedures for enrolment in the 2025/26​​ academic year, you must also submit all supplemental documents required for application electronically via eVŠ information system. Check detailed i​nstruction on how to submit supplemental documents together with the application and how to submit them later when the application for enrolment has already been electronically submitted.

Recognition of Foreign Education for the Purpose of Further Education at the UM

• More information about recognition procedure

Applicants for Enrolment with Special Needs or Special Status

• More information on how to obtain the status

Slovene Language

​How do I start learning Slovene and when do I need a certificate of Slovene languag​e prof​iciency​? For more information please follow the link:

• Slovene for Foreigners

The winner received the certificate and cash prize on April 3, 2025 at the Automation in Industry and Economy conference AIG'25, Maribor.

Rene finished his diploma in cooperation with the company Operato d.o.o. (www.operato.eu) and under the mentorship of professor dr. Milan Zorman (UM FERI) and dr. Robert Meolic (Operato d.o.o.). Congratulations!