On Monday, May 8, a new agreement was formally signed at the Virovitica University of Applied Sciences, marking the continuation of a unique concept in Croatian higher education – the Virovitica Model. For 16 years, this model has successfully united Virovitica-Podravina County with its cities and municipalities in a shared vision of investing in education, knowledge, and the future of young people.
What makes the Virovitica Model unique is that, although not legally obligated, all cities and municipalities in the county, together with Virovitica-Podravina County, co-finance the work of the Virovitica University of Applied Sciences. This year, the total co-financing amounts to €37,600. The model not only ensures the university’s daily operations but also its strategic development, including scholarships and funding for doctoral studies.
At the signing ceremony, led by County Prefect Igor Andrović, the local community’s strong commitment to education and academic advancement was reaffirmed. The signing of this year’s agreement paves the way for a new scholarship call, which will fully finance doctoral studies for lecturers and teaching assistants who have not yet earned their PhD. This initiative promotes further specialization in the fields of social sciences, engineering, and humanities, thus improving the quality of teaching and research at the institution.
Although the university is primarily funded by the State Budget through the Ministry of Science and Education, maintaining this level of educational quality would be difficult without the synergy between local and regional self-government – embodied in the Virovitica Model.
Thanks to this model, Virovitica is increasingly positioning itself as an attractive place to study.
