The 6th scientific and professional conference on rural development
Danas je na našem Veleučilištu održana 6. znanstveno-stručna konferencija s međunarodnim sudjelovanjem pod nazivom „Ruralni razvoj – Inovacije i suradnja za jača ruralna područja“. Konferenciju je svečano otvorila prodekanica doc. PhD Vlatka Ružić, who welcomed all participants and thanked them for coming, emphasizing the importance of jointly reflecting on the future of rural areas.
The conference was organized in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics in Prilep, the University of Sveti Kliment Ohridski in Bitola, and the Faculty of Commercial and Business Sciences in Celje. The aim of the meeting was to bring together scientists, experts and practitioners from different fields to discuss the role of innovation, cooperation and sustainable approaches in strengthening rural communities, increasing their competitiveness and preserving natural and cultural resources.
During the conference, current topics such as rural tourism, entrepreneurship and EU funds, environmental protection, transport and infrastructure, branding of rural destinations, safety and the social dimension of rural development were discussed.
The special attention of the participants was attracted by the invited lecture of Prof. Dr. Sc. Nataša Nater Drvenkar, full professor at the Faculty of Economics in Osijek. Professor Nater Drvenkar, a prominent expert in development economic policies of the Republic of Croatia and the European Union, spoke about the current challenges and opportunities for sustainable development of rural areas, with a special emphasis on regional economy and industrial policy. In her rich career, she held numerous responsible positions, and for her work she was awarded the prestigious Croatian Woman of Influence Award 2019. year.
As part of the conference, a panel was held, moderated by the head of the Karst Center, Ivan Barković, professor, and attended by representatives of the public, private and civil sectors:
- Andrija Brkljačić – Director of the Public Institution Lika-Senj County Development Agency LIRA
- Danijel Tušak – owner of the Tušak Group, member of the Advisory Council of the Nikola Tesla Polytechnic
- Ivana Starčević Alešković – LAG Lika director
- Marijana Lulić – Head of the Administrative Department for Agriculture and Tourism of Lika-Senj County
- Mislav Kolak – owner of Laudon travel agency, president of the Croatian Tourist Guides Association and member of the Advisory Council of the Polytechnic
- Irena Glavičić Sertić – Director of the Northern Velebit National Park
The conference gathered a record number of authors, and selected papers from the conference will be published in the journal Southeast European Review of Business and Economics, which is indexed in the EBSCO and CROSREF databases, which further emphasizes the scientific and professional value of this conference.
