STEM Education in Croatia: Insights from the FER STEM Meeting at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing

STEM Education in Croatia: Insights from the FER STEM Meeting at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing

More than 300 primary and secondary school teachers, professors, and principals from over 60 cities and municipalities across Croatia gathered ahead of the new school year for the fifth FER STEM meeting at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing. Under the theme “Technology and Society,” the event combined expert panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and formal recognition of schools that have consistently prepared students for demanding university programmes in engineering and computing.

For anyone working in or around STEM education Croatia, the meeting offered a clear picture of where the country’s education priorities are heading — along with a set of practical tools teachers can bring straight into their classrooms. If your school is working to strengthen its STEM profile, now is a good time to explore the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing’s outreach and study programmes to see how a school–university partnership could support your goals.

A Record Turnout Signals Growing Momentum for STEM Education in Croatia

The fifth edition of the meeting drew the largest audience in its history. Participants were not casual attendees: they were educators specifically motivated to develop their professional competencies in education, robotics, electronics, and mathematics. That level of engagement matters. National innovation capacity is built long before students reach university — it starts with the teachers who introduce them to circuits, algorithms, and mathematical reasoning.

FER Dean Prof. Vedran Bilas, PhD, framed the stakes directly. In his address, he argued that one of the most important changes Croatian society needs is a more innovative society — one in which individuals choose to develop their ideas and stand up for them. He acknowledged progress over the past 30 years but noted that for Croatia to stand among the EU’s successful economies, it must create more value. “Change comes from young people, and schools are at the heart of that change,” he stated.

Bilas also pointed to a notable trend: strong interest among students who selected FER as their first choice for university study. With that demand, he stressed, comes responsibility — the faculty and its partner schools must deliver a high-quality education and create opportunities for career development within Croatia.

Technology and Society: The Theme Behind the FER STEM Meeting

Choosing “Technology and Society” as the unifying theme was no accident. The programme was designed to show teachers how technology connects to the world students live in, covering four broad areas: education, robotics, electronics, and mathematics. Every session was built around practical knowledge and skills that participants could apply directly to improving STEM teaching and motivating students.

This approach reflects a broader lesson for innovative education Croatia: professional development works best when it models the classroom experience itself. Rather than abstract lectures about pedagogy, the meeting prioritised demonstrations, experimentation, and discussion — the same methods teachers are encouraged to use with their own students.

What an Innovative Society Asks of Schools

One of the most anticipated segments was the panel discussion “What Is an Innovative Society and How Can Schools Contribute to It?” The panel brought together Boris Jokić (Institute for Social Research), Anica Tomić (Academy of Arts and Culture, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek), Josip Burušić (Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences), Nikola Dmitrović (XV Gymnasium), and Dean Bilas.

Several conclusions from the discussion stand out for educators:

  • STEM is a national priority. The panellists agreed that STEM education is critical not just for individual schools but for the Croatian education system and society as a whole.
  • Cooperation is essential. Schools cannot build an innovative society alone; partnerships with universities, research institutes, and the wider community are necessary.
  • Middle school is the danger zone. Students most commonly begin losing interest in STEM in the fifth or sixth grade of primary school. The panellists called for greater effort to develop programmes that keep these students engaged.
  • Gifted students need better support. Teachers working with gifted students should be provided with better conditions for an individualised approach.

Many Croatian schools already show how to work effectively with children who aspire to STEM careers. The challenge — and the opportunity — lies with the students who drift away early. For teachers, this is a concrete call to action: design STEM activities that reach beyond the already-motivated. Share your own experiences in the comments below — which classroom strategies have helped you retain students who were losing interest in science and technology?

Hands-On Workshops Address Real Classroom Needs

The second half of the meeting shifted from discussion to practice, with workshops covering topics that map directly onto the daily challenges of technology in schools Croatia:

  • Digital accessibility — ensuring digital learning materials are usable by all students, including those with disabilities.
  • Artificial intelligence in teaching materials — practical methods for using AI tools to prepare, adapt, and personalise lessons.
  • Practical electronics and electrical circuits — accessible, hands-on experiments that demystify how devices work.
  • Robotics in STEM projects — integrating robots into project-based learning across grade levels.
  • Physical processes — demonstrating scientific principles through experiments students can see and touch.
  • Bridging secondary-school and university-level mathematics — closing the gap that most often causes difficulties for first-year engineering students.

The mathematics workshop deserves particular attention. The transition from secondary school to university mathematics is one of the most common points of failure in engineering education. Teachers who understand exactly where that gap opens — and how to narrow it — can significantly improve their students’ readiness for demanding technical degree programmes. Have questions about bringing these workshop topics to your school? Write to the faculty directly to ask about future training opportunities.

Recognising Croatia’s Top STEM Schools

The meeting also served as formal recognition of schools that have made exceptional contributions to preparing students for studies at the Faculty. Prof. Bilas presented certificates of appreciation in two tiers.

The highest-level certificates went to XV Gymnasium Zagreb, V Gymnasium Zagreb, and III Gymnasium Split. Major certificates were awarded to Ruđer Bošković Technical School Zagreb, Lucijan Vranjanin Gymnasium Zagreb, X Gymnasium “Ivan Supek” Zagreb, First Gymnasium Varaždin, Andrija Mohorovičić Gymnasium Rijeka, Franjo Petrić Gymnasium Zadar, Josip Slavenski Gymnasium Čakovec, and First Gymnasium Zagreb.

In total, 25 distinguished schools received recognition, including II Gymnasium Zagreb, Antun Vrančić Gymnasium Šibenik, III Gymnasium Zagreb, Juraj Baraković Gymnasium Zadar, III Gymnasium Osijek, Matija Antun Reljković Gymnasium Vinkovci, Antun Gustav Matoš Gymnasium Zabok, Pula Gymnasium, Karlovac Gymnasium, “Fran Galović” Gymnasium Koprivnica, Vladimir Prelog School of Science, “Matija Mesić” Gymnasium Slavonski Brod, Požega Gymnasium, and Fra Grga Martić Secondary School Mostar — a list that spans the entire country, from Slavonia to Dalmatia.

The geographic spread carries its own message: high-quality STEM preparation is not confined to the capital. Schools in Šibenik, Rijeka, Zadar, Čakovec, Osijek, and beyond are producing students ready for rigorous engineering and computing programmes.

ŠUZA: A Working Model for School-to-University Cooperation

The meeting builds on FER’s long-running “ŠUZA — From School to Science and Academia” programme, which has maintained and developed cooperation with schools for many years. For educators evaluating partnership models, ŠUZA offers a useful reference point. Rather than one-off visits or isolated competitions, it creates a sustained channel between universities and schools.

The benefits flow in both directions. Schools gain access to university expertise, laboratory resources, and early insight into admission expectations. Universities gain a pipeline of well-prepared students and direct feedback from teachers about the gaps they observe in incoming cohorts. If your school has not yet established a formal relationship with a technical faculty, schedule a consultation or attend the next FER STEM meeting to learn how this cooperation works in practice.

How Teachers Can Apply These Lessons Now

You do not need to wait for next year’s meeting to act on what it highlighted. Four practical steps stand out:

  1. Audit your middle-grade STEM offerings. If fifth and sixth graders at your school have limited exposure to engaging science and technology activities, that is where intervention will have the greatest effect.
  2. Pilot AI tools in lesson preparation. Start small: use AI to generate practice problems, adapt reading levels, or create differentiated worksheets, then evaluate the time saved and quality gained.
  3. Build individualised pathways for gifted students. Even modest changes — mentorship pairings, independent projects, early access to competitions — can address the panel’s concern about insufficient support.
  4. Connect mathematics to engineering contexts. Coordinate with colleagues so students see how algebra and calculus underpin the robotics and electronics projects they already enjoy.

For school leaders, the recognition awarded to Croatia’s top STEM schools demonstrates what consistent investment in teacher development and student preparation can achieve. Consider setting measurable STEM goals for your own school before the next academic cycle begins.

Where STEM Education in Croatia Goes From Here

The fifth FER STEM meeting confirmed two things at once: demand for STEM teacher development in Croatia is strong enough to draw a record crowd from more than 60 municipalities, and the country’s leading technical faculty treats schools as genuine partners in building an innovative society. The combination of expert panels, practical workshops, and school recognition creates a template other faculties and institutions can follow.

The message from FER’s leadership was equally clear. Croatia needs to create more value, young people are the source of that change, and schools are where it begins. For the more than 300 educators who attended — and the many more who will follow their example — the work of the coming school year now has both a direction and a community behind it.

Interested in deepening your school’s STEM capabilities or learning more about study pathways at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing? Submit your application or inquiry today and take the next step in strengthening Croatian STEM education.