Suzana Obrovac Lipar, PhD, on Job Shadowing in Cologne

Within the framework of the Erasmus+ program, Suzana Obrovac Lipar, PhD, Head of the Public Relations and Event Management Office at the Catholic University of Croatia, completed a visit from October 19 to 23, 2026, to the Catholic University of Applied Sciences of North Rhine-Westphalia (katho) in Cologne, Germany. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen longstanding cooperation and exchange expertise on communications, event management, and the organizational workflows of university administrative services. 

During the visit, discussions focused on the structure of public relations, multi-channel media communication, content curation for diverse target audiences, and crisis communication. Particular attention was devoted to corporate identity and the challenge of maintaining a unified visual and communicative brand across all university activities.

Dr. Suzana Obrovac Lipar also toured katho’s new library in Cologne, whose modern facilities—enclosed study rooms, quiet zones for individual study, a lounge area, and dedicated spaces for student-parents—served as inspiration for the ongoing development of the newly established library at the Catholic University of Croatia.

"Cooperation with international partners is extraordinarily valuable because the differences in environments, legal frameworks, and working practices provide opportunities for mutual learning and professional development. Visits like this help us identify new approaches and transfer sound ideas into our own setting, to the mutual benefit of our university and our partners. I was truly pleased to have the opportunity to meet colleagues in the Public Relations and International Relations offices in person and exchange perspectives on subjects that engage both our institutions on a daily basis. Despite local differences and distinct challenges, our work is similar in many ways. Such visits demonstrate just how vital international partnerships are: our distinct environments can serve as a rich foundation for mutual learning, improvement, and the generation of new ideas, both for us and for our partners," noted Obrovac Lipar.