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.
Project partners of the Erasmus+ REX initiative gathered in Izmir, Turkey, at the Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH) for a productive project meeting hosted by the Turkish team. Each partner institution was represented by one to three participants, fostering an engaging and collaborative environment.
The leading partner, the University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism, was represented by project coordinator Assist. Prof. Dr. Vita Petek and Prof. Dr. Jasna Potočnik Topler.
The meeting began with an analysis session of Work Package 3 (WP3), during which the UVSQ team presented the results of their research and key findings. Discussions then focused on the upcoming outputs of WP3 and the preparation for Work Package 4 (WP4), which will be led by the Norwegian partner HVL. The meeting concluded with the development of a detailed plan for WP4 activities.
With this meeting, the REX project reached its halfway point, marking significant progress and paving the way for the remaining year of joint work ahead. The gathering further strengthened the collaboration among partners and set clear directions for the next phase of the project.
Studying tourism brings many inspiring life stories. One of them is the story of Alex James, a student from India, who is completing his undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor.
Alex recently shared his personal story in the Land of Dreams show on Radio Si, a programme dedicated to true stories about foreigners living in Slovenia.
In the interview, Alex talked about his beginnings in Slovenia, his experiences, work, love, and more. He also reflected on how living and studying in Slovenia has influenced his personal and professional growth.
Alex is now preparing his final thesis and is looking forward to completing his studies and continuing his journey.
You can listen to his interview on Radio Si here: https://radiosi.rtvslo.si/podcast/land-of-dreams/157324464/175166920
Picture: Print screen Radio SI
At the Student Campus in Ljubljana, we hosted our autumn M&M Day – a traditional event of the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, which we organise twice a year: in spring in Brežice and in autumn in Ljubljana.
With M&M Day, we bring together students from both of our study locations – those attending the Slovene-language programmes in Brežice and those studying in English in Ljubljana. The event is also joined by visiting Erasmus students. The aim of M&M Day is to connect students from both locations, encourage cooperation, idea exchange, creativity, and broadened horizons.
From Brežice to Ljubljana – in the spirit of artificial intelligence
Early in the morning, two buses filled with students departed from Brežice to Ljubljana, where they joined their colleagues at the Campus. We began the day with a welcome address by the Dean, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marjetka Rangus, who highlighted the importance of such events for strengthening connections and building the FT community.
This was followed by joint lectures in English and the highlight of the day – the AI Challenge. Students competed in a quiz on artificial intelligence, and the top two teams then participated in a “pro et contra” debate, where the speakers presented different viewpoints on the opportunities and challenges of AI in everyday life. The audience voted for the team supporting the positive impact of AI, which proudly took home the M&M Challenge Trophy. The trophy will again be awarded at the spring edition of the event in Brežice.
This year’s theme focused on artificial intelligence, which profoundly influences all aspects of modern life and work. Through the quiz and debate, students demonstrated critical thinking, understanding of the topic, and teamwork skills.
Students as organisers
After the competitive part, students and staff – both academic and administrative – enjoyed a joint lunch and relaxed socialising. The event concluded in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere, once again proving the importance of collaboration between our two study locations.
This year’s event was fully organised and carried out by our 3rd-year undergraduate students within the Event Management course. Over the past month, they carefully planned the logistics and successfully ensured a smooth execution on the day of the event.
We have been organising M&M Day for four years now, each time addressing relevant contemporary topics such as food waste reduction, tree planting, building cultural bridges, carbon footprint reduction, and storytelling. This time, our students explored the role and impact of artificial intelligence. The next, spring edition will once again take place in Brežice and will be combined with the Faculty’s Career Fair.
At the beginning of October, after months of preparation, we partnered in organizing the traditional 24th Annual Meeting of Slovenian Geographers, which this year, after several decades, once again took place in the Kozjansko region. This unique landscape – close to where we operate and to which we are bound by many professional and personal ties – has been at the center of geographical research in recent years, particularly by the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. The Association of Slovenian Geographers, as the main organizer, invited us to co-create the central part of the first day’s program of this two-day event. The co-organization of the gathering was supported by the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development, while the local partnership was further strengthened by the Kozjansko Regional Park, which is also a regular destination for our fieldwork activities.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marjetka Rangus took on the demanding role of moderating a round table discussion addressing the challenges of sustainable development and peripheral border areas (the main themes of the meeting), while Nejc Pozvek, as a member of the organizing committee, carried out numerous organizational tasks and coordination activities to ensure the event ran smoothly.
Although geographers are part of our team (in addition to Nejc, also Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marko Koščak, Assist. Prof. Dr. Jani Kozina, and Assist. Erik Kralj), this was the first major event where we actually presented ourselves “in the geographical field.” And we believe it won’t be the last, as we were extremely pleased with the collaboration and connections we established.
On Friday, 17 October 2025, the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, held its traditional Autumn Quality Day, an event that takes place twice a year and is dedicated to an in-depth reflection on quality assurance processes at our faculty. For many years, Quality Days have served as an opportunity for joint analysis, exchange of ideas, and strengthening of cooperation among staff members.
The event took place in a relaxed and collaborative atmosphere. It began at 9:00 with informal networking over coffee, allowing colleagues from different departments to exchange impressions, experiences, and ideas in a friendly environment.
This was followed by a review of the Faculty of Tourism Action Plan, during which we examined the activities carried out, evaluated the goals achieved, and identified areas for further improvement. The discussion focused on aligning priorities and planning future steps to ensure even more effective quality management.
An important part of the programme was a guest lecture by Mr Jan Perša from the University of Maribor Press on the topic “Open Access as Part of Self-Evaluation Procedures at the University of Maribor.” The lecture emphasised the importance of open access to scientific publications, its impact on research transparency, and its integration into the university’s internal quality assurance processes.
In the final part of the event, attention was devoted to future directions and planned updates of the Faculty of Tourism study programmes, which follow updated quality guidelines, labour market needs, and feedback from students and employers. The discussion generated many ideas for further improvement and development of the study programmes.
The Autumn Quality Day once again confirmed that open dialogue, professional discussion, and collaboration among all staff members remain the foundation for continuous growth and quality development at the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor.
On Monday, 6 October 2025, the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, hosted the closing event of the second cycle of short specialised training courses implemented within the project Flexible Forms of Education: Green Transition and Tourism 5.0 (NOO). The event combined the official certificate award ceremony for the participants and a professional lecture on risk management in outdoor tourism.
Short Training Programmes – A New Approach in Higher Education
At the Faculty of Tourism, we are developing flexible forms of education that respond to the needs of the modern labour market and the development of new competences in tourism. A collection of specific, focused knowledge delivered in a short and condensed format represents an innovation in the Slovenian higher education landscape. These training programmes complement existing study programmes and enable the acquisition of practical, up-to-date skills that directly enhance employability and innovation in tourism.
Within the Flexible Forms of Education: Green Transition and Tourism 5.0 project, which will conclude at the end of 2025, the Faculty developed seven short specialised training courses: Green Destination Manager, Tour Guide for Society 5.0, Strategic Planning and Reporting for Sustainable Wellness Tourism, Design of VR and AR Content with Gamification Elements, Sustainable Tourism Development in the Mountains, Green and Digital Revitalisation of Rural Areas, and Green Gastronomy.
In the second implementation cycle, 84 participants took part, among whom 26 successfully completed all requirements and received certificates of completion.
Project Achievements and Future Outlook
The event opened with a welcome address by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marjetka Rangus, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism and Head of the pilot NOO project at the Faculty. She presented the key milestones and achievements of the project and highlighted the importance of flexible education models for the future of the tourism industry.
The event was also honoured by Ms Dubravka Kalin, Director-General of the Tourism Directorate at the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, who presented the main strategic directions, policies, and current calls supporting the sustainable transformation and competence development in the tourism sector.
Special thanks were extended to the external experts who contributed their expertise and experience to the implementation and high quality of the training courses.
Expert Lecture on Risk Management in Outdoor Tourism
In the second part of the event, Assoc. Prof. Jon Heshka from Thompson Rivers University, Canada, delivered an engaging lecture on risk management and legal responsibility in extreme and adventure sports.
In his presentation, Professor Heshka introduced international approaches and best practices in risk management in outdoor tourism, emphasising the importance of responsible planning, proper training, and clear communication in outdoor activities.
The event concluded in a pleasant atmosphere in the new premises of the Faculty of Tourism, with discussions on the presented topics and reflections on the closing activities of the NOO project.
The Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, has officially started the new academic year 2025/26 with two Welcome Days – first in Ljubljana, and a day later in Brežice. Both events marked important milestones, as our students embarked on their study journey in international programmes in Ljubljana and in the newly renovated premises in Brežice.
On 30 September 2025, we welcomed the new generation of students in our Ljubljana unit, enrolled in the Contemporary Tourism Practices (BA) and Tourism Destinations and Experiences (MA) programmes, which are taught in English. The international group gathered at the ŠOU Kampus, with part of students attending in person, while others will gradually integrate throughout the year. Following the Dean’s address, students were introduced to their key responsibilities and the wide range of opportunities offered at FT UM. Student tutors prepared a hands-on workshop covering the use of the online classroom, digital identity, and other practical aspects to ensure a smooth start.
The next day, 1 October 2025, a Welcome Day took place in Brežice, where we greeted the new students of the Professional Bachelor’s Programme and the University Bachelor’s Programme in Tourism. After the opening reception at the faculty’s main building, the students moved to their newly renovated lecture halls at Trg izgnancev 1. As the first generation to study in these new premises, they symbolically opened an important chapter for our faculty. The programme continued with a welcome by the Dean, useful presentations about student life and opportunities, and a tutors’ workshop designed to help students connect and get familiar with their new environment.
Both Welcome Days were filled with enthusiasm, curiosity, and positive energy, which we hope will continue throughout the academic year. With new study spaces in Brežice and international programmes in Ljubljana, the Faculty of Tourism UM is strengthening its role as a hub of knowledge, innovation, and collaboration in tourism education.
On Saturday, 27 September, we celebrate World Tourism Day, which this year is held under the theme “Tourism and Green Transformation”, as declared by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The theme invites us to reflect on the importance of sustainability, responsible development, and innovation that bring new opportunities and strengthen the resilience of communities.
On this occasion, the Dean of the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, Assist. Prof. Dr. Marjetka Rangus, emphasized the exceptional power of tourism to drive positive change:
“More than 11 million pairs of eyes and smiling faces in the EU alone greet and welcome guests in tourism every day. More than 11 million hands shape experiences, create memories, build connections, and make the world a better place. Tourism has the power to transform our world into a more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive future.”
At the Faculty of Tourism UM, we proudly join these efforts on World Tourism Day. Through our study programmes, we educate and inspire students to actively co-create a better tomorrow – for tourism, for communities, and for society as a whole.
Knowledge for a Sustainable Tomorrow!
We also invite you to explore the data prepared by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS) on this occasion. Among the highlights is the fact that Brežice ranks among the top destinations in terms of overnight stays by domestic tourists, further confirming the importance of Posavje on Slovenia’s tourism map.
At the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, we are proud to announce that our colleague Dr Jasna Potočnik Topler has been promoted to the title of Full Professor in Tourism. She is the first female Full Professor at our Faculty and the second in the field of tourism – after Dr. Mitja Gorenak. This marks an important milestone that confirms the excellent scientific, research, and pedagogical work at our young faculty. On 22 September 2025, with her inaugural lecture “Literary Tourism as a Tool for Sustainable Development”, she officially concluded the promotion process. We sincerely congratulate Prof. Dr. Jasna Potočnik Topler on this remarkable academic achievement.
About Prof. Dr. Jasna Potočnik Topler
Prof. Dr. Jasna Potočnik Topler received her doctorate at the University of Ljubljana and joined the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, in 2014. She is among the most successful researchers in the field of interdisciplinary studies, the author of numerous scientific articles, monographs, and book chapters published by renowned international publishers. Her research focuses primarily on sustainable and responsible tourism, with a special emphasis on literary tourism, where she brings together stakeholders from Slovenia and abroad.
She is actively involved in international research projects and networks, and her dedicated teaching work has earned her several awards for teaching excellence. At the Faculty of Tourism UM, she serves as Chair of the Quality Commission and as Head of the university-level study programme. She is also strongly committed to collaboration with the local community and the development of tourism in the Posavje region.
With her promotion to Full Professor, the Faculty of Tourism has gained an even stronger scientific and professional voice in the field of tourism, which will significantly contribute to the further development of the discipline both in Slovenia and internationally.