Director of the AI Center Lipik Dejan Iličić: Computer Science Must Be Equally Represented as Mathematics and Croatian from the First Grade

First, a gaming revolution was launched in Novska, and now Lipik is becoming the central place for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in Croatia. And this is happening rapidly. In just nine months since the establishment of the AI Center, it has produced 23 young professionals in this promising field, with 12 of them starting their own startups, positioning Lipik right behind Zagreb in terms of the number of AI startups. In November, training will begin for a new generation of 25 participants who, after six months of education, will further increase these numbers, and the focus on artificial intelligence has brought a foreign company to Lipik and attracted the interest of numerous Croatian companies hungry for such specialized workforce. Behind all this is one man who had the idea, the director of the development agency LIRA Dejan Iličić.

What prompted you to establish the AI center?

– I am close to technologies as I graduated from FER, but I have not been involved in it for the last nine years. I researched during the first lockdown what would happen in the future. In those predictions up to 2050, artificial intelligence was constantly mentioned. I realized that this is something that will change the world. In October, at the ‘AI2Future’ conference, this was confirmed to me, and I came up with the idea to create a course for young people in Lipik. I sat down with the mayor, proposed it to him with arguments that many jobs are opening up in this industry and that there is potential to apply it everywhere, and we decided to launch the project. In February, we opened applications for the course, and in the first five days, 238 people responded.

Is Croatia lagging behind in the development of AI personnel?

– Croatia is not lagging behind at all. When I look at the surrounding countries, I think we have made significant progress. Just look at our companies like Rimac, Infobip, Photomath, Gideon Brothers… We have good young people who adapt and learn quickly. Our participants, who had not encountered AI before, are proof of this, as after just six months they are ready to start working or establish their own company.

What are the benefits for those who establish a company in Lipik?

– In the HZZ national program for IT companies, one can receive up to 75,000 kuna for opening a startup, and our startups have applied for this. The city of Lipik provides 35,000 kuna to IT startups in the incubator. The county also has its programs for entrepreneurs, so in two years, if they meet the conditions, startups can receive up to 200,000 kuna. There is an additional incentive of 10 to 12 thousand kuna for each new employment.

How to adapt the education system to intrigue children for technology?

– Computer science must be a mandatory subject from the first grade, and not just one hour a week. It is needed as much as mathematics and Croatian language, meaning as many hours of mathematics and Croatian, so many of computer science. Not everyone needs to become an expert, but they must know the basics because the progress and jobs in Croatia depend on how many young people we introduce into the technology sector. We are already working on a mini AI center project for elementary school students, and we will also work with preschool children. A city that wants to become known for the development of AI must start from scratch.

Your dream is to create an AI campus, but you are very cautious about it.

– Everything we have done so far has seemed like a dream, but a realistic dream; the campus is a bit bigger of a challenge. However, there is the example of Novska. If the state and large companies decided to support us, it could be realized. We have already resolved the land and spatial planning documentation. According to the 2011 census, Lipik has 2,300 inhabitants, and with the villages, 6,000. There would be more than a thousand people in that campus, which would greatly impact the local economy. Everyone will say it is not realistic, but we have the right to dream and fight to fulfill that dream. I hope the prime minister will meet with us so that it can become a national strategic project; then there are chances.

—

—

{embed_digitalno_izdanje}{/embed_digitalno_izdanje}