Yesterday, in Sinj’s City Hall, Mayor Miro Bulj with associates hosted the University of Split’s Rector, prof. Dragan Ljutić Ph.D. with his delegation and the Split-Dalmatia County’s Head of Administration Department for Education, Technical Culture and Sports, Tomislav Đonlić. The topic of the meeting was cooperation between City of Sinj and the University of Split, as well as the city’s way to becoming a place of excellence in modern agriculture.
The Study of Mediterranean Agriculture is already operating in Sinj, about which the University of Split Rector informed the Mayor Bulj and discussed its current organization, but also the study’ future needs. The Mayor emphasized the need to establish secondary school education in agriculture in Sinj, and Tomislav Đonlić supported this idea. "We received confirmation from the County that a new department will be opening in Sinj, a new secondary school course, of agriculture. We will adjust our education system to our potentials and what we want to develop at the moment, which is agriculture", pointed out Mayor Bulj.
The World Bank’s senior advisor for education and science, Danica Ramljak Ph.D., said that they will everything that it possible in order to give future students the opportunity to be the best in terms of knowledge gained in the field of advanced agriculture. She expressed the desire for establishing an Innovation Center for Digital Agriculture in Sinj, as a possible University and the City’s joint project, as well as the study program of digital agriculture. According to Professor Ramljak, that would place Sinj and the University among the best world’s universities.
At the end of the meeting, participants did not hide their satisfaction. They all concluded that there will be no progress without strong cooperation between the City and the University, and that Study of Agriculture and the future Innovation Center will be just the beginning of this significant cooperation. University of Split Rector, prof. Dragan Ljutić Ph.D. reminded them that the University moved its Study of Mediterranean Agriculture to Sinj, which resonated throughout Croatia and beyond, and only proved how necessary are focus on a certain area population’s real needs and thinking about sustainable future. "This is the trend today's modern knowledge, teaching and training strive for, which means going to local communities and strengthening the knowledge of local communities. I am delighted with how many esteemed persons live in Sinj and its surroundings and are engaged in agriculture. When we look at our entire county, that is our big strength and together we can provide a perspective. We are doing all of this for our future students, for our youths," Rector Ljutić concluded.
Along with Mayor Miro Bulj and Rector Dragan Ljutić, the meeting was also attended by Denis Bobeta, Deputy Mayor, prof. Tomislav Kilić Ph.D., Vice Rector for Business, prof. Goran Kardum Ph.D., Vice Rector for Teaching, prof. Željko Radić Ph.D., Vice-Rector for Legal Affairs and Human Resources Development, prof. Stipan Janković Ph.D., Head of the Health Studies, prof. Ivan Pavić Ph.D., Head of the Undergraduate Study Hotel and Gastronomy, Filip Klarić-Kukuz, University of Split’s Secretary General, Ivana Pletković, Head of Rector's Office, Jelena Hrga, Head of Financial Operations and Accounting, Nataša Musap, Rector's Secretary, assist prof. Josip Gugić Ph.D., Head of Mediterranean Agriculture, M.Sc. Ivana Pavić, B.Sc., Acting Head of the Administrative Department for Physical Planning, Utilities, Economy and Property Management, Dr. rer.nat. Mislav Cvitković, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, University of Split, Frano Boko, mag.ing.mech, President of Sinj’s Committee for Economy, Utilities, Reconstruction and Development and Ivica Mastelić, B.Sc., Senior Expert Associate for Agriculture in the City of Sinj.