Faculty of Tourism Day

On Friday, 5 December 2025, the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, solemnly celebrated the 16th Faculty of Tourism UM Day in its new premises at Trg izgnancev 1 in Brežice. The event also represented the central highlight of the Faculty of Tourism UM Week.

The ceremony opened with the academic anthem Gaudeamus Igitur, performed by the Mixed Youth Choir of the Brežice Gymnasium. The audience was first addressed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marjetka Rangus, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism UM, who emphasised that the new facilities do not represent merely an infrastructural change, but mark a new developmental chapter for the faculty, which has grown into an internationally integrated and recognisable educational and research institution over the past sixteen years.

On behalf of the University of Maribor, the audience was addressed by Assist. Prof. Dr. Maja Modic, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, who highlighted the importance of the Faculty for the development of tourism at both regional and national levels. The importance of close cooperation between the Faculty and the local community, as well as the successes of Brežice tourism, which is increasingly establishing itself as a leading destination of the eastern cohesion region, was also emphasised by the Mayor of the Municipality of Brežice, Mr Ivan Molan.

The ceremonial part of the event was devoted to the presentation of awards and recognitions of the Faculty of Tourism UM, through which the Faculty annually highlights individuals and groups who, through their work, significantly contribute to its development, reputation, and quality of operations.

The Awards for Professional Excellence were presented to Natalija Novšak Robida, Head of the Centre for General, Legal and Human Resources Affairs, and Tanja Druks Ralinovski, a long-standing staff member of the Student Affairs Office and an important contributor to the organisation of the study process and the development of new forms of education.

The Award for Excellence in Knowledge Transfer from the Working Environment was presented to Dr Marko Jurakić, who for many years has organised field excursions through partnerships with various higher education institutions and has actively involved students in the creation of scientific monographs and research contributions.

The Award for Scientific and Research Excellence for this year was presented to the organising team of the international conference TEDU25, consisting of Assist. Prof. Dr. Tomi Špindler, Senior Lecturer Dr. Biljana Božinovski, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marjetka Rangus, Assist. Dr. Jerneja Šavrič, and Ms Maja Štimec. The conference, held in May 2025 at Terme Čatež, connected domestic and international researchers and enabled students to present their research work for the first time in an international scientific environment.

An important part of the ceremony was also the presentation of awards for academic achievement, which were received by the most successful students of the previous academic year across all study programmes of the Faculty of Tourism UM. The recipients were Iana Fleshler, Jerca Mohorič, Emana Habibija, Eva Drakulić, Nidal Alispahić, Elizaveta Buvaeva, Anja Koretič Urbanč, Carina Petrič, and Namitha Jan.

For exceptional dedication to teaching, the Awards for Teaching Excellence were presented to Assist. Tjaša Alegro in the category of higher education associates, and to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marko Koščak in the category of higher education teachers, for his high-quality, practice-oriented, and student-friendly teaching approach.

The special Green Compass Award, granted to the Best Graduate of the Faculty of Tourism UM for 2024, was awarded to Almaida Mizić, who distinguished herself during her undergraduate studies through excellent academic performance and an outstanding role in student and faculty life. As Vice-Dean for Student Affairs and President of the Student Council of the Faculty of Tourism UM, she continues to make an important contribution to connecting students with the faculty management.

The Faculty also presented the Plaque of the Faculty of Tourism UM to the University of Maribor Press for its outstanding contribution to the development of scientific and professional excellence of the Faculty. The plaque was accepted on behalf of the Press by Ms Dunja Legat, MSc, Head of the Press, and Mr Jan Perša, Head of Production and Technical Editor.

The cultural atmosphere of the event, which was moderated by Lecturer Hana Kuhar, was once again enriched by the music of the Mixed Youth Choir of the Brežice Gymnasium, conducted by Simona Rožman Strnad.

The ceremony was concluded with a forward-looking address by the Dean, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marjetka Rangus, who expressed her gratitude to everyone whose efforts enabled the Faculty’s activities and celebrations to take place at the new location this year. The historic townhouse at Trg izgnancev 1 has thus gained a new purpose, significantly contributing to the revitalisation of the old town centre of Brežice, while the Faculty of Tourism UM has gained new premises to further develop its educational and research activities.

Faculty of Tourism UM Week in the Spirit of Connectivity, Creativity and International Cooperation

The Faculty Day concluded the Faculty of Tourism UM Week, which took place between 1 and 5 December 2025, bringing together students, staff, the professional community, and the local public, and was organised as part of the jubilee year of the University of Maribor, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The festive week formed part of a wider series of events through which the University’s members marked this important milestone throughout the year.

At the Faculty of Tourism UM, the week began with a meeting of the Strategic Council of the Faculty of Tourism UM, followed in the afternoon by a festive creative workshop, where participants, together with the Student Council, crafted greeting cards and symbolically opened the festive December.

On Tuesday, a public discussion evening titled “Stories and Bubbles” took place with Miha Istenič, during which visitors learned about the successful and internationally recognised family sparkling wine house and the development of the Istenič brand. Discussions on sparkling wines, wine culture, and the development of wine tourism were led by Assist. Prof. Dr. Vita Petek and Prof. Dr. Jasna Potočnik Topler, who also moderated the event.

An international dimension to the week was provided by Thursday’s guest Assist. Prof. Dr. Stuart Heys from the University of Otago, New Zealand, who presented the use of modern technologies in outdoor tourism and discussed the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development in this rapidly growing field.

In the jubilee year of the University of Maribor, the Faculty of Tourism UM Week once again demonstrated the Faculty’s openness, strong integration within the local environment, close ties with the economy and international partners, and the dynamic pulse brought by education in tourism.