Head of Sociology Department and Members of the Laudato si’ Center Visited the Research Center of the University of Graz

From 9 to 11 September 2025, Assoc. Prof. Ivana Brstilo Lovrić, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Sociology, Assoc. Prof. Zoran Turza, Ph.D., Head of the University’s Laudato si’ Center for Christian Responsibility and Care for Creation, and Research Associate Gabrijela Bajić, M.Soc., visited the University of Graz as part of the Erasmus+ mobility program.

A special highlight of their visit was the Research Center for Climate Law, led by Prof. Oliver Ruppel, Ph.D., who also teaches at the Faculty of Law, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, where he directs the Development and the Rule of Law program. He also collaborates on the elective course Integral Ecology at the Catholic University of Croatia. Professor Ruppel, together with colleagues Atieh Khatibi and Florian Kohlfürst, presented the framework and objectives of their research work.

The meeting emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to climate law and social sustainability, combining sociology, law, theology, and Catholic social teaching. Discussions included the potential for joint projects and research, with particular emphasis on the initiative to sign an institutional cooperation agreement between the Catholic University of Croatia and the University of Graz. This initiative paves the way for strengthening international partnerships, deepening scientific research, and developing practical solutions to address global challenges of climate change and sustainability.