Representatives of the Catholic University of Croatia attend ACAP Conference in Seattle and visit Gonzaga University in Spokane, USA

Strengthening ties with the Croatian academic and professional community in the United States and developing new international partnerships were at the heart of a visit by representatives of the Catholic University of Croatia to the United States. Professor Jasna Ćurković Nimac, PhD, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, and Assistant Professor Elvira Lazić Mosler, PhD, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Catholic University of Croatia, attended the annual conference of the Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP) in Seattle and subsequently visited Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.

This year’s ACAP Conference brought together numerous Croatian and American professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs and representatives of Croatian institutions. It provided an opportunity to discuss current topics such as artificial intelligence, science, entrepreneurship, culture and education, as well as ways to strengthen connections between the Croatian diaspora and Croatia. Ćurković Nimac participated as a panellist in the discussion “From Heritage to Higher Education: Studying in Croatia”, alongside Mladen Barać, State Secretary at the Ministry of Demography and Immigration, Professor Irena Vodopija-Krstanović, PhD, Vice-Rector at the University of Rijeka, and Tea Mustać, CEO of SafePorter and alumna of Harvard Law School. The discussion focused on opportunities to study in Croatia, encouraging young members of the Croatian diaspora to pursue higher education in their homeland, and the importance of establishing long-term academic and professional ties with Croatia. Participation in the conference also provided an opportunity for numerous meetings with representatives of the Croatian academic, business and professional community in the United States, opening up new possibilities for cooperation in education, mobility and connecting the Croatian diaspora with Croatian higher education.

Following the conference in Seattle, Ćurković Nimac and Lazić Mosler visited Gonzaga University in Spokane, where they held a series of meetings with representatives of various university departments and schools during a two-day programme. At the Office of the Provost, they met with Mia Bertagnolli, Provost of Gonzaga University, while discussions with Ashley Davis, Director of International Student and Scholar Services, focused on support for international students, mobility and opportunities for further cooperation between the two universities.

In the field of health sciences, they met with Julie Wolter, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Robin Pickering, Associate Dean and faculty member in public health, and Sarah Matousek from the Center for Health Impact. The discussions particularly explored opportunities for cooperation in medicine, public health and academic mobility.

At the College of Arts and Sciences, the representatives of the Catholic University of Croatia met with Molly Kretchmar-Hendricks, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Psychology. At the School of Leadership Studies, they met with Adrian Popa, Dean, and Sherri Lynch, Assistant Dean. These meetings opened up opportunities for cooperation in the social sciences, humanities and leadership studies. The visit also included a campus tour and a discussion with Nate Mannatter, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, about experiences and practices in student recruitment and support.

Participation in the ACAP Conference and the visit to Gonzaga University resulted in new contacts and further strengthened the Catholic University of Croatia’s relationships with partners in the United States. Of particular value to the University is the opportunity to bring together two important aspects of its international engagement: building relationships with the Croatian diaspora and developing direct, strategic partnerships with American universities.