UNIPU - News

Visiting Professor from the Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Belgrade, at the Faculty of Educational Sciences

Irena Kiss — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 18:54:30 GMT

Full Professor dr. Jasmina Milinković from the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Belgrade visited our faculty from 12 to 16 October 2026 as part of the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching programme. She delivered lectures to 4 th - and 5 th - year students at the university's integrated undergraduate and graduate Teacher Study for primary education teachers, within the courses Mathematics Teaching Methodology II and III. The topics covered included multiple representations of mathematical concepts, problem-posing and problem-solving strategies, and curriculum design. These lectures were developed in collaboration with senior assistant dr. Branka Antunović. Besides the lectures, ideas, ranging from sharing experiences with departmental colleagues and learning about the specifics of working with students, to discussions on teaching mathematics and developing teaching materials, and even initial concepts for joint research, were also exchanged outside the classroom. Dr. Milinković took a particular interest in didactic materials for mathematics instruction, as well as those designed for the acquisition of pre-mathematical skills. Together with Dr. Antunović, she devised a new research project focused on problem-posing in relation to number line models, with the initial steps involving our students already carried out. This visit has also opened possibilities for further collaboration in the field of mathematics education.

Presentation of the ISTRAMUZA Project

Irena Kiss — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:23:09 GMT

The ISTRAMUZA project - "ISTRAživanje skladateljske baštine: MUZikološki, obrAzovni i izvedbeni potencijali” (Researching Compositional Heritage: Musicological, Educational, and Performance Potentials) - was presented at the 6th International Conference "Digital Humanities & Heritage" (DARIAH), held from 7 to 9 October 2026 at the Faculty of Humanities in Pula. It was presented during the panel "Connecting Dispersed Musical Heritage: The IstraMuza Project and Digital Infrastructures for Istrian Music Sources." Led by Full Professor dr. Ivana Paula Gortan-Carlin, this interdisciplinary project focuses on the systematic research, documentation, digitization, and revitalization of Istria's musical heritage. It integrates archival research, musicological analysis, and the application of modern digital technologies, linking scholarly work with educational and artistic practice.

The first work package focused on the systematic research, cataloguing, and digitization of archival materials, the location of compositions preserved in various institutions, and the creation of a database on Istrian compositional heritage. It was presented by Full Professor dr. Ivana Paula Gortan-Carlin, and Assistant Professor dr. Ana Debeljuh Giudici. Full Professor dr. Lada Duraković, and Janko Žufić, Senior Lecturer presented the second work package, which explores and revitalizes the musical heritage of the Pula Naval Orchestra from the Austro-Hungarian era, involving the digitization and preservation of historical musical sources as well as the development of a digital repository. Incorporating musical heritage into educational practice using digital resources and modern technologies is the focus of the third work package, presented by Full Professor dr. Sabina Vidulin, and Janko Žufić, Senior Lecturer. Particular attention was paid to creative ways of introducing Istrian musical heritage to children and young people.

The ISTRAMUZA project demonstrates how the integration of scientific research, digital innovation, and education can successfully promote the abundance of Istrian musical heritage and hand it down to future generations.

STEM EQUAL Project Team at the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb

Irena Kiss — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 15:22:18 GMT

On Wednesday 30 September 2026, seven project team members of the institutional research project Gender Equality in STEM Education and Career Opportunities – STEM EQUAL (IIP_UNIPU_010157), which is funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU) via the Recovery and Resilience Facility through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021 – 2026, participated in the professional training at the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb. Project leader Full Professor dr. Marina Diković outlined the project's objectives, sample, research phases, and expected results, while also reviewing activities from the past (first) year and the work plan for the project's remaining three years.

Scientific Adviser dr. Zrinka Ristić Dedić, presented a related research study conducted in collaboration with Scientific Adviser dr. Boris Jokić. This work focuses on 5th and 6th-grade female primary school students and includes the “STEMfemme jr.” innovation, currently being implemented in primary schools in Split and Zagorje. She also presented other studies in the field. During the training, we discussed opportunities and plans for continued collaboration in scientific research.

In addition to the project leader, the STEM EQUAL project team visiting the Institute included Assistant Professor dr. Sanela Hudovernik from the Faculty of Education of the University of Primorska of Koper (Slovenia), Associate Professor dr. Alena Letina from the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Zagreb, as well as members coming from the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula: Assistant Professor dr. Irena Kiss, Assistant Professor dr. Alen Tafra, dr. Branka Antunović, (Senior Teaching Assistant), and Monika Terlević (Teaching Assistant).

Soundscapes of Entertainment: Music at Leisure in the 19th Century

Irena Kiss — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:19:33 GMT

From 17 to 19 September 2026, the international academic conference Soundscapes of Entertainment: Music at Leisure in the 19th Century was held at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, bringing together distinguished musicologists and researchers from around the world. The conference was organized by the Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini, the Croatian Musicological Society, Palazzetto Bru Zane, and the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula. The three-day programme presented the latest research dedicated to music as a significant element of 19th-century social and cultural life. Through interdisciplinary presentations, participants discussed various aspects of musical culture, its role in public and private life, and the shaping of social and cultural identities. Plenary lectures delivered by two prominent musicologists, full professor dr. Vjera Katalinić and full professor dr. William A. Everett, made a special contribution to the programme.

The conference programme was enriched by the concert In Marinekreisen, which was performed at the Small Stage of the Istrian National Theatre. The Istrian Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Petar Matošević, performed compositions by bandmasters of the Pula Naval Orchestra, offering the audience a unique musical experience and highlighting the value of Pula’s musical heritage within the context of the conference themes. The event once again affirmed the importance of international academic collaboration and established the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula and the Faculty of Educational Sciences as a meeting point for researchers studying European musical and cultural heritage. The conference and concert are partially funded by EU NextGeneration within the framework of the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula’s institutional research project ISTRAMUZA – ISTRAživanje skladateljske baštine: MUZikološki, obrAzovni i izvedbeni potencijali (Research in Compositional Heritage: Musicological, Educational, and Performance Potentials), an interdisciplinary scientific-artistic project of the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula
(project code: IIP_UNIPU_010156).

ELITE-AI: Monograph on Artificial Intelligence in Language Learning and Teaching Published

Irena Kiss — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:05:34 GMT

As part of the Erasmus+ project "Empowering Specialised Language Acquisition with Integrated AI" (ELITE-AI), the monograph ''Empowering Language Acquisition through Artificial Intelligence: A Comprehensive Monograph'' was published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing on August 25, 2026.

The authors of the monograph are members of the ELITE-AI project team: Iva Blažević, Francesco Costantini, Cristina Dimulescu, Eleonora Gallitelli, Jelena Gugić, Mojca Kompara Lukančič, Emanuela Li Destri, Andreea Nechifor, and Tilen Smajla.

The monograph examines ways to integrate artificial intelligence into the process of foreign language acquisition in general, as well as within English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instruction, providing students, teachers, and researchers with practical frameworks for its application. It combines recent scholarly research, a systematized database of over 100 artificial intelligence tools, and interactive lesson plans designed for various learning and teaching contexts.

The publication is intended for language teachers, applied linguistics researchers, and curriculum development specialists. By bridging theoretical insights and practical application, it offers strategies for the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into the teaching process. It caters to both beginners and experienced practitioners exploring the evolving and dynamic field of technology-enhanced language learning and teaching across diverse international contexts.

The monograph can be accessed via the Cambridge Scholars Publishing webpage: https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-0364-7821-6