As part of this year’s EFRI Networking Week – Connect & Act, we are organizing a panel discussion entitled “ALUMNI EFRI International Careers”, which will take place on March 24, 2021 at 2 p.m. We will talk to the panelists about their experience of studying at EFRI, majoring in International Business course, about the careers they are building in the international environment, the challenges they face and their wishes and plans.

All interested can follow the discussion on the EFRI FACEBOOK page or via the Zoom platform by registering HERE.

Our alumni – panelists are:

– Dora Katana Martić – undergraduate studies, International Business at EFRI, completed in 2016, after which she continues her Master’s studies at Copenhagen Business School, where she graduated in 2018. She is currently building her career at the Middle East Broadcasting Center in Dubai, the largest media house in the Middle East and North Africa region.

– Eni Deković – graduated in International Business at EFRI in 2017. Coordinates business operations in Dublin, within the real estate investment, development and management company – Hines Real Estate Limited.

– Antonio Sterpin – undergraduate studies, International Business at EFRI, completed in 2017, and Master’s studies in 2020 at the Swedish Lund University. He is Head of Business Development at Move Music Distribution (Frankfurt), a company that provides technologies for digital music distribution.

– Luis Emilio Pinedo Juric – graduated in International Business in 2018. His field of professional expertise are labour management and economics so he is working as a Workforce Success Consultant at Workforce.com & Tanda.

The moderator of the panel is  Igor Cvečić, PhD, Associate Professor.

The panel will be held in English.

See you online!

Date and time: Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 2 p.m.

Place: Zoom platform

Language of the lecture: Croatian

The substantive year of 2020 has repeatedly pointed to the unpredictability of movements in financial markets, both domestic and foreign. The high level of macroeconomic uncertainty combined with economic policy makers, technological advances and historically low borrowing costs have largely shaped investors ’expectations and sentiment in financial markets. The expected stabilization of macroeconomic trends is still in a delicate phase, as indicated by the financial trends at the beginning of 2021, which suggests a still very challenging investment environment. This further emphasized the importance of adequate monitoring of systemic risks and appropriate calibration of macroprudential policy in order to preserve the stability of the domestic financial services sector.

The aim of the lecture is to provide an overview of recent macroeconomic and financial developments in the context of systemic risks that are currently at very high levels, and whose materialization can result in significant losses for investors, and in the extreme scenario threaten the stability of the entire financial system.

The lecture is intended for all those who are interested in the broader context of recent developments in financial markets, and especially for students interested in the topic of systemic risks, since in addition to the analysis of trends will highlight the prevailing risks that may adversely affect markets and the domestic financial sector.

Lecturer: Mr. Mario Bambulović, Head of the Systemic Risks Directorate at HANFA.

Date and time: Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 2 p.m.

Place: Zoom platform

Free newspapers, taxi rides for 2 Euros, plane tickets at the price of buses, bakeries without flour, banks without counters…were created by the innovation of business models.

Everyone who does something already has a business model, although they are often unaware of it. Understanding the existing business model means a better understanding of your own business, customers and competition, and creating a new one allows for better earnings and market advantage. Knowledge of analysis, creation of new and innovation of existing business models is equally important for all existing as well as future entrepreneurs.

The business model, ie the creation of new ways of connecting people, earning and satisfying customers, is a lever of innovation that will define the 21st century. It is the most powerful tool for reviving non-competitive “old” activities and a prerequisite for using technology as a lever for business growth.

The aim of the lecture is to provide participants with information on innovations and business models, how to analyze and improve them to make their business more competitive, profitable, sustainable and how to manage rapid market, technological, social and global change.

Content:
– Innovation and business model? And why is the business model important?
– Business model canvas – a tool for creating, describing, reviewing, copying, innovating, developing and transforming a business model.
– New technologies and “old” business models – a challenge or an opportunity?
– Organization management today: business plan or model?

Lecturer:

Boris Golob, M.Sc. ing.- as a business consultant he has been working with startups, established companies and scientists for more than 15 years as well as holding lectures and workshops for entrepreneurs in Croatia and abroad. He is an expert evaluator for the EIC Accelerator (SME instrument) program. Mr. Golob specializes in product and service innovation processes and commercialization strategies, and is a leading expert on business model innovation in Southeast Europe. He is one of the 28 Strategyzer certified trainers in the world for the business model canvas.

Date and time: Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 2 p.m.

Place: Zoom platform and Facebook Live

The aim of this constructive discussion is to bring together the mayors and heads of the ALUMNI EFRI community to discuss the experience of studying at EFRI, their career path and their achievements, motivation and plans. We will discuss the effects of Croatia’s accession to the EU on local self-government units as well as their impact on the quality of life in communities.

Participants:

• Bojan Simonič, Municipal Mayor, Lovran Municipality – Master of Economics, major: Finance and Banking, 2004.

In the period from 2005 to 2017, he was employed in the Ministry of Finance, from where he moved to the position of mayor of Lovran. He collaborated with EFRI in 2016 as an external associate in the field of international taxation.

• Mirela Ahmetović, Municipal Mayor, Omišalj Municipality– Postgraduate scientific study, major: Management, 2010.

After obtaining a master’s degree in economics, she is currently pursuing a postgraduate doctoral degree at EFRI. Prior to her political career, she worked in a bank, at a university and in a public institution for the sustainable development of the island and in the tourist board.

• He has been living in the area of ​​today’s Viškovo Municipality since he was born. After four years of experience in entrepreneurship, he is intensively involved in the work of the local community.

• Ana Kučić, Mayor, City of Mali Lošinj – Master of Economics, major: Management, 2008.

She started gaining work experience from the earliest days by working in a family company, and at the same time, over the years, she additionally improved her professional skills by attending various trainings and seminars.

• Sanja Udović, Municipal Mayor, Viškovo Municipality – Undergraduate study, major: Foreign Exchange, 2000.

She has been living in the area of ​​today’s Viškovo Municipality since she was born. After four years of experience in entrepreneurship, she is intensively involved in the work of the local community.

• Željko Plavčić, Municipal Mayor, Žminj Municipality – Master of Economics, major: Management, 2014.

He acquired theoretical and practical knowledge in management and finance at EFRI. During his studies, he was active in the student community, and he nurtured a connection with his faculty even after graduation.

Date and time: Tuesday, December 15, 2020, beginning at 4 p.m.

Location: Zoom platform

Influencer marketing is adopted as a modern concept that is an increasingly important form of promotion on social networks, and was created as a result of the development of innovative digital marketing strategies. Soon many of you will create and run influencer campaigns for your clients or make suggestions to promote products and services through influencer marketing in the company you work in or perhaps use influencer marketing to promote your own products and services created as a result of your entrepreneurial activity.

But what is influencer marketing in general and what are the benefits of this type of marketing?

Who are influencers and how to find an influencer to promote a particular product or service?

How is the effectiveness of influencers measured?

What are the experiences of those who use the services of influencers?

Is being an influencer a hobby or a job?

Do influencers encourage us exclusively to buy a product / service or can they inspire us in various ways and be creators of positive changes in society?

Find out the answers to these and many other questions from 10 different speakers at the online student conference. The conference will be held in Croatian language.

The conference was funded and organized as part of the activities of the EU project: “Increasing the employability of students through the improvement of the Center for Careers and Development of Professional Practice – CEZAR”. The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF), Operational Program “Effective Human Resources 2014-2020”.

We invite alumni to the conference “Possibilities of EU funds for entrepreneurs” which will be held on Friday, December 11, 2020, starting at 12:00 via live broadcast on the Facebook page of the Faculty of Economics in Rijeka.

The aim of this conference, organized by HUP-Regional Office Rijeka, is to raise awareness of the opportunities provided to entrepreneurs through EU funds, and the focus will be on identifying obstacles during the application.

The conference will focus on current tenders for entrepreneurs and what the new programming period 2021-2027 brings. HAMAG BICRO will present the credit opportunities it provides to entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on future tenders, ie credit lines. After the introductory presentations of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds Spomenka Đurić, Maria Turalija from HAMAG BICRO and Vedran Kružić, Director of the Regional Development Agency PGC, all conference participants are invited to present their experiences and impressions in a constructive discussion.

You can follow the conference on the FACEBOOK page of the Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka.

Every year, EFRI community, which brings together students, alumni and employees of the Faculty, shows a big heart in humanitarian activities – with the same enthusiasm and desire to help those who are in need, we will mark the entry into the 60th jubilee year for our Faculty!
In this very challenging period, we decided to help a category of people who often go “under the radar” in such actions. These are people of lower financial status, most often the elderly, sometimes without their own home, some of them with disabilities, all with one common denominator – they were left alone in life.

In cooperation with the Social Self-Service we decided to find out who they are and what they really need and we got a list of their wishes. Wishes that have nothing to do with the gifts that most people imagine for Christmas – LIST.

You can participate in the action in two ways

1. Fill in the wishes submitted by our users – the document contains a list of wishes, to which you can enter your name and contact if you want to buy this gift. We removed the names from the list because that is not the goal of this gift – but we will be happy to tell anyone who decides to buy a gift and deliver it themselves and forward the contact. On the gift, write what is in it in order to get into the right hands.

2. We will collect food and hygiene supplies for the users of the Social Self-Service – flour, oil, cans, shampoos and everything else that is needed in everyday life. Make a food package, write a greeting card (and sign), and we’ll do our best to get it in the right hands.

• We are aware that we are currently in an online environment and that it is therefore difficult to maintain the action – and that is why we have organized that you can bring gifts and food to the Faculty Canteen every working day from 8 to 14 December 2020 from 7.30 to 19.00.
• On the gift, write a greeting card from who is it and what is in the gift and the ordinal number from the table so that we know who it is intended for.
• The list will be supplemented with more precise information (eg number of shoes, etc.) – we will send you more information about the product when you sign up for the list next to the gift you have chosen.
• If you decide to donate food that is fresh and has a limited shelf life (eg meat), you can do so by buying a voucher or announcing a few days in advance so that we can immediately arrange delivery / collection.

For more information: diana.jezina@efri.hr.

We are pleased to invite alumni, students and employees of the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, starting at 4 pm, to visit and tour the new tourist complex Hilton Rijeka Costabella Beach Resort and Spa. Those interested will be among the first to visit the interior and exterior of the complex, which is also the first resort hotel of the Hilton brand in Croatia. This tourist complex was created as a result of one of the largest Czech investments in Croatia, and on this occasion we will learn more about the importance of this venture and the Hilton brand on the recognizability and competitiveness of Kvarner.

The visit will be organized in compliance with all epidemiological measures and recommendations, and given the situation the number of visitors is limited, so we invite you to book your place as soon as possible by registering on the form.

We look forward meeting you!

Prof. Luka Čičin-Šain, Ph.D., a scientist from Rijeka who leads a team from the Helmholtz Center for Infectious Research in Braunschweig, will give an online lecture as a part of the activities of the Alumni EFRI on the topic: “SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic – Truths and Misconceptions”

Thanks to the recent discovery of Prof. Čičin-Šain, Ph.D., and his team, the world is closer to a cure for Covid-19. They achieved significant success by identifying antibodies that prevent the new coronavirus from entering the cell. Additional research is ongoing in order to create a drug to treat patients with more severe Covid-19 symptoms. You can apply for the lecture via the link.

On Saturday, October 10, 2020, organized by the association EFRI Sport and the Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, and with the support of Primorsko-Goranska County, the 2nd International Day of Sport EFRI will be held in Platak. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in various sports activities – football, volleyball, disc golf, badminton, cycling for which courts and / or props are provided. For students, employees of the Faculty, members of the Association, and alumni, a meal is provided in the Small Home on Platak, while other guests pay 35 kn.

Due to the situation with Covid-19, the number of participants is limited. If you plan to come and/or bring your family, fill out the form for yourself and for each family member separately.

For additional information, contact us via the EFRI Sport Facebook page or e-mail: efrisport@efri.hr.

In case of bad weather, socializing is planned in the Small Home on Platak.

On Thursday, October 8, 2020, starting at 2 pm, Zvonimir Savić, Ph.D., will hold an online lecture for Alumni EFRI on the topic: “EU Recovery and Resilience Mechanism – How Will It Affect Croatia’s Recovery?” The lecture will be held via the Zoom platform, and you can access it by registering on the online form available here. After registration you will receive a link to participate.

Dr. sc. Zvonimir Savić is a special advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia for the economic affairs and is the director of the Sector for Financial Institutions and Economic Analysis at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. At the end of September 2020, he defended his doctorate at the Faculty of Economics in Rijeka. Dr. sc. Savic specializes in macroeconomics, the financial sector, cohesion policy, and EU funds. During his career, he implemented numerous EU projects, participated in negotiations for Croatia’s accession to the EU, is the current coordinator of activities important for the preparation of the introduction of the euro, and the Croatian representative of the European Commission’s investment initiative to respond to the Covid-19 crisis.

On Friday, July 17, 2020, representatives of the Faculty of Economics and Business in Rijeka and the Alumni  EFRI community, Dunja Škalamera-Alilović Ph.D., Associate Professor and Vanja Rubeša participated in the initial session of the establishment of the Alumni Network of the University of Rijeka (ALUMNI UNIRI).

On that occasion, the members of the ALUMNI UNIRI network, the work program, and the upcoming activities were presented.

In order to maintain a lasting connection with its alumni and promote common goals and interests of students and the University with emphasis on strengthening the activities of the University within the Young Universities for Europe Alliance (YUFE), the Senate of the University of Rijeka decided to establish the Alumni Network.

The Faculty of Economics and Business in Rijeka, as a component of the University of Rijeka, with its EFRI Alumni Community will participate in the implementation of cooperation, projects, public lectures, and other events aimed at promoting, encouraging and monitoring the activities of the University and its alumni. ALUMNI UNIRI and the YUFE network intend to carry out their activities through cooperation with higher education institutions, the public and private sectors, and citizens across Europe.

At the beginning of July, the University of Rijeka became a full member of the YUFE consortium after joining the initiative in December 2018 and participating in the YUFE project as an associate partner since June 2019. With the status of a full member granted by the European Commission at the official request of YUFE, the University of Rijeka now has the same status as other universities from Belgium, Cyprus, England, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, and thus takes even greater responsibility in creating the first European university of the future aimed at domestic and international students of all profiles.

More information about the YUFE network can be found here.

All alumni of the Faculty of Economics and Business in Rijeka are invited to join the work of the University alumni network and will be informed about all events via the newsletter and the EFRI Alumni website.

After a study trip to Zagreb organized by Alumni EFRI on January 23, 2020, during which we visited the Department of Robotics and Automation at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture and the company Center for Vehicles of Croatia (CVH), the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka continues the cooperation with CVH regarding the students’ internships, professional lectures, and cooperation in scientific research projects.

On Thursday, July 9, 2020, the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business in Rijeka, Alen Host Ph.D., and the President of Alumni EFRI Slavko Linić hosted representatives of the Center for Vehicles of Croatia.

CVH is an efficient company that follows the latest technological trends in the functioning of technical inspection stations, but also in the entire automotive industry. As a professional organization, they are focused on creating constant innovation while acting in a socially responsible way.

The Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Rijeka and CVH have recognized themselves as partners for long-term cooperation, which is intended to be achieved through scientific contribution and academic support of the Faculty with innovative technologies and expertise generated by the Croatian Vehicle Center.

You can see the gallery from the meeting here.