Prof. Nino Žganec, a distinguished professor in the field of social work, has been actively involved in the European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition (UNIC) since the beginning of 2020, especially in the activities of the City Labs.
The appointment of Professor Žganec as President of the UNIC Council is another confirmation of his long-standing engagement in strengthening the cooperation between higher education institutions, civil society and local communities. His leadership and visionary work, coupled with his dedication to UNIC’s mission, make him the ideal choice for this important position.
The election process was conducted by the UNIC Committee for the Election of the President of the UNIC Council. Professor Žganec took over the presidency from the interim president Prof. Ursula Kilkelly, entering a new phase of the Council’s governance, which continues to shape the strategic direction of the Alliance.
The UNIC Council is an advisory body composed of various stakeholders: student representatives, teaching staff, city representatives and members of UNIC centres. The mission of the UNIC Council is to provide strategic recommendations to other UNIC governing bodies, ensuring that UNIC initiatives are inclusive and responsive to the needs of the diverse partners within the Alliance.
The professor outlined the priorities for his presidential mandate, focusing on three areas of improvement:
- Strengthening university-city cooperation: expanding cooperation between universities and local communities to foster stronger interconnections and the involvement of cities in the joint creation of the Alliance,
- Improving digital tools and coordination: improving the efficiency of the UNIC Virtual Campus and aligning digital tools with the strategic needs of the Alliance,
- Improving communication within the Alliance: more efficient information transfer between work packages and governing bodies for more visible transparency and collaboration.
Taking into account the diversity within the Council, Professor Žganec emphasizes the key importance of small groups and teams, with an emphasis on the inclusion of student representatives in all project activities. Under his leadership, the Council will remain a driving force in the co-creation of UNIC’s vision and strategic initiatives over the next two years. As President, he will represent the Council in the Steering Committee and play a key role in shaping the future of the Alliance.
The Committee for the selection of the President of the Council, composed of the Student Board, cities, teaching staff from UNIC’s thematic lines and UNIC’s centres, praised Professor Žganec’s thoughtful and strategic approach. Immediately upon his appointment, Professor Žganec was congratulated by Prof. Ursula Kilkelly, the former President of the Council. Highlighting his dedication to the Council’s work in strengthening dialogue and connecting all UNIC stakeholders, she wished him successful leadership of the Council in the coming period.
On behalf of the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb, which is a member of the UNIC Alliance, the teaching staff and other employees, members of the Board and the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Ivan Koprić congratulate Professor Žganec on his appointment.
