Partners
ALGEBRA
Lead partner
Algebra University College is accredited higher educational institution and part of Algebra educational group, employing more than 100 full time and more than 500 part time employees in 28 towns in Croatia. It organizes the currently best-assessed professional study programs in Republic of Croatia according to the quality evaluation results obtained through regular re-accreditation conducted by the National Agency for Science and Higher Education. Dutch-Flemish accreditation agency NVAO, one of European authorities in the field of quality assurance in higher education evaluated the Algebra University College with high marks in all segments, particularly emphasizing the quality of its studies and cooperation with the industry. AUC is the only institution in Croatia that has met the quality criteria of this accreditation agency. Furthermore, Algebra closely cooperates and holds partnership position with many technology providers such as; Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Cisco, Google, Adobe, Autodesk, and in 2014 became best Microsoft learning partner in global competition of 3200 organizations. Today Algebra University College carries out four undergraduate programs (bachelor) and seven graduate programs (master). Algebra is the biggest privately-owned educational organization in Croatia and is a strong market leader with share of app. 50% in IT end user education, 80 % in IT professional education and 60% in e-learning and e-services that supports training and assessment.
AUC expertise includes a wide range of methods, technology and projects related to AI, data science and data economy. Within this area, we implemented research and commercial projects including: churn management models, customer lifetime management models, cost allocation and management systems, advanced visualization and data science/big data architecture services. Areas/industries of expertise include: labour market analysis, VET implementation, NSI support (dissemination databases, advanced visualization and data monetization scenarios). Client range: domestic and international clients including Governments and Government institutions. AUC team’s recent achievements include winning project at “1st Big Data Hackathon”, organized by EUROSTAT and European Commission (March 2017).
Algebra team:
Mislav Balković, PhD is University College Professor, Dean of Algebra University College and active researcher in the area of National Qualifications Framework and Knowledge management where he participated in number of national projects including development of legislation for CROQF and implementation of various policy and regulatory documents in higher, VET and adult education. He was representative of Croatian employers (2010 – 2012) in Advisory Committee for Vocational Education and Training, DG Education and Culture, EU Commission, Bruxelles. Mislav currently acts as the President of the Sector Skills Council ICT, until recently he was a member of the National Council for Science and Higher Education and a member of the Government’s committee for implementation of education, science and technology Strategy in Croatia.
Leo Mršić, PhD is University College Professor, Assistant Research Scientist at Algebra University College where he is currently Vice Dean for R&D. As pan of his project experience, together with his team he delivered one of Europe’s most complex churn management models for the international telco client; deployed several recommendation models for retail and insurance; was part of winning team at 2017 EU Big Data Hackathon organized by EU Commission and Eurostat and deployed several intelligent visualization solutions for different industries including government and wholesale. His research area is related to the application of advanced analytics methods and models in business. Currently, as Assistant Research Scientist, is a team member of the project “Complex Networks” (ARRS P01-0383) in Slovenia.
Hrvoje Jerković, PhD is a senior engineer for data analysis and machine learning. Hrvoje works on projects in the field of data science, machine learning, information systems and web applications. Lecturer and researcher at the Algebra LAB Research Center, uses a wide range of methods, technologies and projects related to data science and data economics. In 2012 he received his doctorate at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb in the field of applied computing with the topic “Integration of distance learning system and digital objects repository”.
SCHOOL OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES
Project partner
During the short period after its founding in 2006, the School has managed to attract and consolidate a highly qualified and ambitious team of mostly younger researchers and university teachers. While pursuing excellence in teaching, SASS is a research-, policy making- and project-oriented HEI that strongly depends on revenues from research and various EU funded projects. SASS is embedded in relevant international research networks, and it is hosting the National Committee of the UNESCO-sponsored programme, “Management of Social Transformations” (MOST2). SASS is not only internationally connected leading national center of excellent social science education and research, it is also strongly embedded in local, regional and national environment by conducting high-level basic research and relevant applied research for businesses and public administrations at local and national levels. SASS is not only internationally connected leading national center of excellent social science education and research, it is also strongly embedded in local, regional and national environment by conducting high-level basic research and relevant applied research for businesses and public administrations at local and national levels.
School of Applied Social Sciences team:
Assistant Professor at School of advanced Social Studies (SASS) and Faculty of Information studies Novo mesto (FIŠ). He obtained a PhD in 2018 at the School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica. His research includes regional development, innovation processes and research methodologies.
He has teaching experience in Research Methodology, Public Policy Analysis, E-Democracy and E-Politics, Challenges of Modern Societies, Theory of Information Society, etc. He is currently a Jean Monnet Module holder with the title – “Technology Innovation Communities 2030”. Experience gained working in various national and international projects as a researcher and project manager: Interreg Danube Region, Erasmus +, etc.
Obtained a PhD in sociology in 2014. She is the Vice dean for research at SASS. Her research interests include innovation, regional development and change management interlaced with sociological theory of social fields. She has been working as a teaching assistant in qualitative research focused courses, and courses on the topic of economic sociology. She is experienced in leading international consortiums in various types of projects.
In 2014 has begun researching and studying the field of Industrial Economy, more precisely the phenomena of Industrial Symbiosis and Industrial Symbiosis Networks. The second main research field is the computational sociology of social networks. Since 2014, the exercises have been carried out at the faculties of FIS (Faculty of Information Studies), FAM (Faculty of Media), FUDŠ (Faculty of Applied Social Studies) in a variety of research methods, with a particular importance on qualitative research, data analysis and qualitative comparative analysis. In addition to other activities she is included in: the development of a joint promotion program to increase the visibility of the Interreg project and services in the project area, organizing, coordinating, leading and conducting joint meetings of so-called focus groups with stakeholders, participation in the implementation of regional workshops, assistance with media presentations, media appearance and UXD design.
Alenka is an assistant professor and the Faculty of information studies in Novo mesto and School of Advanced Social Studies. She obtained a PhD in sociology in 2016. She worked in the private sector for almost ten years, first as a junior researcher and later as a project manager. Her research interests include regional development, policy analysis and social network analysis with the aim to link public and private sector interdependences. She is currently a Project MELIA Observatory Consortium Financial Manager (Danube Transnational Programme).
MA in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Central European University. She is a specialist in project management of EU-funded projects. She is the Head of Project Office at SASS since 2016 and worked on different programmes: Interreg Central Europe, Adrion, Danube Transnational Programme, Erasmus+ mobility in HEI with programme and partner countries, Jean Monnet actions (Chair, Centre of Excellence, Module), Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education, Capacity Building in the Field of Youth, KA2 in the Field of Adult Education etc.
She has a master’s degree in Intercultural Management. She is a project office associate. She has been employed at SASS since 2020 where she works as an information, advice and technical assistance to Erasmus mobility participant’s and provides administrative support in the implementation of projects and preparation of reports and applications.
UNIVERSITY OF ALCALÁ
Project partner
Tradition and innovation are combined in a university whose origins date back to 1499, the year of its foundation by the Regent of Spain, Cardinal Cisneros, as a very novel educational project. Moved to Madrid in the mid-nineteenth century, the democratic transition made it possible for the University of Alcalá to reopen its classrooms in 1977. The UAH is one of the few universities in the world declared a “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO, with old buildings that have been rebuilt and used as Faculties. It receives more than 6000 international students per year, which places Alcalá in the first place among Spanish universities in the internationalization ranking. The UAH is also included in the QS ranking “100 under 50” with a rating of five stars. The University of Alcalá offers 40 Undergraduate degrees and 53
Research Masters Programs in different areas of Arts and Humanities, Health Sciences, Technological Sciences, Social and Legal Sciences and Science to its students. In 2019 there were a total of 14.803 enrolled students. 1,627 teachers and researchers and 762 administrative and service staff members are engaged in more than 40 official degree courses, and a wide range of postgraduate and continuing education courses.
University’s vision is to be a leading university in the international context, committed to society, inclusive and open to the world, contributing to the advancement of knowledge and the training of citizens by means of quality teaching, excellence in research and the promotion of ethical and socially responsible attitudes. Since its beginnings, the University of Alcalá has been an international university, open to the world, which encourages the recruitment and attraction of talent, and aims to contribute to the development of a global world, in the service of its citizens. UAH is a very active partner within the Campus-Europea network and the only partner in Spain. Also, UAH has a big Faculty of Engineering with about 4,500 students, 60 Erasmus students outgoing per year, 20 incoming, a big Faculty of Economics and Business with about 3,300 students, 150 Erasmus students outgoing per year, 130 incoming, an entrepreneurship School UAH participates in H2030, Erasmus+ Programs and gives a great importance to the digital economy. Project team member are very experienced in Management and in developing Master Program like MBA, Management and Change Management, have experience in Erasmus+ Projects, and like to create new programs and courses.
University of Alcalá team:
Maite Teresa de Val Núñez received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in 1988 and a PhD in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Alcalá in 1993. She is currently Full Professor of Business and Management at the University of Alcalá, General Director of FGUA, Alcalingua and CRUSA. She has previously received a DAAD scholarship (1988–1990), and has worked as a collaborating researcher at the Institut für Mittelstand forschung in Bonn. She has actively participated in various EU, national, and international research projects. Her research has led her to participate in numerous national and international seminars. She is also author of several books and articles published in national and international journals. She is an honorary member of the Alexander von Humboldt Association in Spain, and in 2014, she had the distinction of receiving a Silver Medal from the University of Alcalá.
Prof. Antonio de Lucas joined the Economics, Business & Tourism Faculty at Alcala University in 2003. He holds BS and MA in Telecommunication Engineering and PhD in Business degrees (Madrid Polytechnic University). His academic experience includes: Schools of Tourism and Economics, Faculty of Economics & Business and Polytechnic. He published 7 books, coordinated 28 studies on the information society and ICTs. Elected President of the IT sectorial area of AMETIC during 2016-2018. More than twenty-seven years of experience, working in consulting, services, industry and public administration (Indra, Tecnocom, everis and IBM, CEMEX and DoD), participating in ICT business projects worldwide.
Fernando Crecente Romero is an Associate Professor at University of Alcalá. He is and expert in the fields of SMEs management and finance as well as entrepreneurship.
José-Santiago Fernández-Vázquez received his Ph.D. Degree in English Studies from the University of Alcalá in 2000 (Extraordinary Doctoral Award granted in 2001). In 2002 he obtained the Prize for Young Researchers in the fields of Humanities and Social Sciences and in 2003 he became a senior lecturer at the University of Alcalá, where he has served as Vice-President for Coordination and Communications (2010-2018). His research interests include postcolonial literatures in English, censorship studies, and persuasive and promotional strategies in business and professional contexts. He has published several books, book chapters and articles in indexed journals on the abovementioned areas.
Associate Prof. Sorin Gavrila joined the Economics, Business & Tourism Faculty at Alcala University in 2019. He holds BS in Business Informatics and MA in International MBA degrees and currently undergoing PhD (Alcala University). Since September 2017 has been working on multiple international Research and Development projects regarding Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Air Traffic Management and Unmanned/Drones Traffic Management within industrial applications at Indra Company.
Francisco del Olmo gained a PhD in Economics and Business Management (University of Alcalá) and is a lecturer of Applied Economics in the Department of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Alcalá. Researcher at the University Institute of Economic and Social Analysis (IAES) and the Chair of Corporate Social Responsibility at the University of Alcalá, as well as member of the Entrepreneurship and SMEs research group. From a professional point of view, he works as a Senior Analyst of banking credit risk measurement methodologies, having experience in several Spanish financial entities. His research interests focus on the analysis of entrepreneurial activity, factors of business failure, the financial system and the analysis of Social Security systems.
María Sarabia is an Associate Professor at University of Alcalá and her areas of interest are Entrepreneurship, Knowledge Management, AI and Strategy.
Jose Andres graduated from Universitat Oberta of Catalonia (UOC) in Business Administration and Marketing Research with a Master´s Degree in Management and Change Management and minor Degree in Big Data and BI and also in e-Government in Public Administration. Over the past three he has been responsible for setting up the digital certificates for Public Administration supplied by Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre of Public as well as for implementing the digital signature platform called Portafirmas. In addition, he provided some departments of the University various RPA functions.
