It has been known for some time that artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies will completely transform medicine – the analysis of X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs with exceptional precision and speed is already a practice. AI systems can, in fact, recognize abnormalities that the human eye would not notice, which means that diseases are detected in their earliest stages. All of this demonstrates how important cross-industry collaboration is. It should be built from the university level, which has been recognized in Croatia.
– At the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, we see our role in the development of cross-industry projects as a natural position of a leader and a driver of innovation. We do not view this as a future prospect, but as a fact that has characterized FER for decades and of which we are extremely proud. The faculty has been developing and applying technologies in various sectors for years, from medicine, biomedicine, and pharmaceuticals to energy and agriculture. Examples include projects in the field of artificial intelligence, robotics, and process digitalization, and part of our research and development activities has been commercialized – says FER’s Vice Dean Tomislav Capuder.
Student Innovations
FER is not the only faculty with projects that contribute to society. The Technical College of Zagreb (TVZ) has a long-standing and multiple award-winning project ‘Infraredesign’.
– The project is carried out in collaboration with several higher education institutions in the country and abroad, as well as numerous industry partners. It has won over a hundred domestic and international awards and has resulted in numerous patents and industrial applications, from pharmaceuticals to military industry to fashion. But my favorites, and the greatest pride of TVZ, are certainly our students. They are involved in more activities than can fit in this article. Probably the best example is the ‘TVZ Mc2’ competition, which was recently held for the thirteenth consecutive year.
This is the largest student IT competition in Croatia in the development, design, and marketing of mobile and web solutions. So far, it has resulted in many innovations with market potential. Many of them have been successfully realized and turned into IT companies and products – says TVZ’s Vice Dean Petar Jandrić, who claims that all TVZ programs have been developed in collaboration with employers. Some are more industry-oriented, while others focus on a combination of industry and the public sector (for example, important employers for graduates in digital forensics are the Ministry of the Interior and the Croatian Army).
Combination of Courses
Interdisciplinarity also permeates all studies. For example, digital economy combines knowledge and skills from economics and computer science, while the study of computer design combines arts and engineering. However, technical faculties are not the only ones that have something to offer the domestic market. The American college with a Croatian address, RIT Croatia, also provides interdisciplinary knowledge to its students.
– This means that students can, for example, combine IT courses with courses in anthropology, sociology, or psychology. Additionally, within existing programs, we offer flexibility: students can choose courses from various offered areas, which makes them more competitive in the job market as it increasingly values multidisciplinary profiles. For instance, Business students have the opportunity to learn about website development. Overall, this approach to education develops so-called T-shaped professionals, experts who have depth in one discipline but also breadth that allows them to connect different areas and create innovations – claims RIT professor Martin Žagar.
