UNiZG Faculty of Economics & Business - Solidary Europe for Inclusive Society

Solidarity and inclusion have always been the backbone of European society. Despite the progress, there are still vulnerable groups today, perhaps more than ever due to the „modern challenges“. One of these groups are high school students of vocational education and training. Regarding EU topics, VET school students are deprived of basic knowledge about understanding the EU and its functioning. The University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics & Business (FEB) launched a Jean Monnet project to contribute to the overall sharing of EU values. This project aims to improve teachers’ educational abilities on EU topics to transfer the acquired knowledge to their students. In addition to teachers, the main target group are librarians from vocational schools because libraries are gathering places for students. Since the FEB has a European Documentation Center (EDC) within its library, the EDC is the central point of gathering and training during project implementation. The competencies and expertise of FEB professors participating in the project align with EU goals and are essential for project implementation. The project structure includes 4 modules (Young and Active EU Society, Diversity, Solidarity Europe, Sustainable Cities), covered through education, round-tables, and spring and summer schools. Project members apply a chronological method for each module, from literature review to teacher and librarian education. Strengthening the educational abilities and skills of teachers and librarians in VET schools by introducing EU content into their activities is the first step in transferring and providing better knowledge about the EU to VET students. By offering structured training on EU content, teachers and librarians will gain more confidence based on the acquired knowledge and skills to organize and deliver EU content to students. Sharing and spreading relevant topics for the EU will lead to educated and active young EU citizens who will form a solidary and inclusive EU society.

On Monday, 15 May 2023, the third education was held in the framework of the EUsolis project from the Diversity module at the FEB EDC. At the very beginning, the welcome speech was given by Kosjenka Dumančić, PhD, vice dean for strategic partnerships and projects and coordinator of the EUsolis project, who thanked the high school teachers, librarians and experts in the field of education and training for another great response to the education. The first lecture on Diversity as an EU value - determination, types and management of diversity in society was delivered by a project member Maja Klindžić, PhD. The lecturer also presented the research results on the high school graduates’ appreciation of diversity based on the survey conducted in Croatian VET schools. The EUsolis team is grateful to Tijana Vukojičić Tomić, PhD from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law who gave a lecture on Conceptualization of diversity - European Union law, national legislation and practice application. At the very end, Davorka Jukica, the librarian, concluded the third module with the lecture on Diversity - data sources and initiatives at the EU level.