Novalja invests in knowledge and education

Today, starting at 11 a.m. in the City Council chamber in Novalja, a cooperation agreement was signed between the City of Novalja and the Zrinski Educational Group, which marks the first time the City of Novalja has obtained a higher education institution, secondary education, and lifelong learning programs that allow for various retraining qualifications.

Present at the signing of the agreement were representatives of the City of Novalja, the Novalja Tourist Board, and representatives of the Zrinski Educational Group.

The introduction to this strategically important move for the City of Novalja was given by Mayor Ante Dabo, who noted that Novalja is a tourist destination from which the City lives for a certain number of months each year, but by investing in knowledge and education, Novalja can live and grow sustainably throughout the year. Given the rapid and unpredictable changes in the world due to the development of new technologies, the importance of establishing quality education in Novalja is emphasized, as such education significantly impacts the life of each individual, societal relationships, and the overall development of the city, particularly the increase in income for all residents throughout the entire year.

Therefore, the City of Novalja has decided to establish strategic and academic cooperation with the Zrinski Educational Group, which is the first and currently the only one in Croatia to offer numerous online education programs, enabling the residents of Novalja for the first time to study without leaving their city, which many have not been able to do due to the alignment of work obligations and schooling. After the introductory speech, representatives of the Zrinski Educational Group presented their institution and the numerous benefits it now offers to the gathered citizens through a brief presentation.

Vitomir Tafra, mag.oec., President of the Management Board of the Zrinski Educational Group, introduced the institution as a private school that educates young business people using modern teaching methods for successful integration into the business world.

Mr.sc. Zdravko Tkalec, Vice Dean for Quality, presented to the attendees the activities of the Public Open University Petar Zrinski, which offers programs for obtaining school or secondary vocational qualifications, retraining, and further education, as well as training and professional development, which are also interesting for the residents of Novalja.

The Dean of the Zrinski Educational Group, dr.sc. Ivica Katavić, noted in his address that all important development documents of the European Union pay special attention to entrepreneurship and education, which are the fundamental determinants or focuses of the Zrinski Educational Group’s activities, whose vision is to become a regional leader in research and higher education for entrepreneurship.

The Dean also emphasized that signing the agreement with the City of Novalja allows citizens special discounts on tuition fees, while the Mayor added that he would ensure funding in the city budget for scholarships for this type of education.

As a conclusion to the presentation of the Zrinski Educational Group, Hedda Martina Šola, M.Econ., Vice Dean for Business and International Cooperation at the College of Economics “Nikola Šubić Zrinski,” emphasized that quality academic education is extremely important for strengthening the development of the City of Novalja as a tourist destination, bringing Novalja closer to international standards of leading modern island resorts, which this cooperation enables.

The Mayor of the Municipality of Kolan, Mr. Josip Zubović, emphasized that this commendable move by the City of Novalja is also an opportunity for the modernization and development of the Municipality of Kolan, and on this occasion announced that he wishes to accumulate the total knowledge fund of the entire Municipality so that the same knowledge can be applied by the residents of Kolan in developing entrepreneurial sectors in Kolan, aiming to raise awareness of monitoring market trends. The Municipality of Kolan will enable the same cooperation with the Zrinski Educational Group next week exclusively for its citizens.

The Director of the Novalja Tourist Board, Marina Šćiran Rizner, noted that this cooperation is an excellent step in working to enhance the quality of the entire offer of Novalja and in that sense further developing and valuing Novalja as a tourist destination with a mosaic and high-quality offer.

The full city council chamber witnessed that such moves by the City have a positive resonance in the local community, and citizens understand how important quality education is for their personal development and gain, as well as for the development of the City of Novalja.

Enrollment in studies and programs is open until the end of October only for residents of Novalja at special promotional prices resulting from the achieved mutual cooperation, and citizens can contact the City of Novalja or the Zrinski Educational Group for any questions.