News

The University of Ljubljana table tennis team won a silver medal at the European Universities Games in Salerno. The team consisted of Gaja Mavri, a Young Researcher at the Faculty of Social Sciences and a member of the Centre of Diplomatic, Economic and Legal Studies, Lea Paulin, Katarina Stražar and Kim Kastelic from the Faculty of Sport. The team was coached by prof. dr. Miran Kondrič, who is also from the Faculty of Sport. Congratulations for an excellent performance.

The international conference “Diplomacy 2.0: New Realities, New Agency, New Strategies” organised by CDELS and EMUNI University will take place on 17 and 18 September 2026 in Koper, Slovenia. The conference will focus on the developments in modern diplomacy in the context of accelerated technological, geopolitical, and societal changes. It will bring together both diplomats and researchers studying various aspects of diplomacy. You can now explore the program.

Prof. dr. Boštjan Udovič (CDELS, UL FDV) and assist. prof. dr. Žan Lep (UL FF) presented the preliminary results of the “(Growing) Cultural Distance and Stereotypisation in Small Transition States: The Case of the ex-Yugoslavia Countries” research project. At a breakfast with diplomats, journalists, researchers, and other experts, they explained that stereotypes among Slovenians regarding various nations in the Balkans and globally persist, and that overcoming them depends on the frequency and even more so on the quality of contacts between nations.

Prof. dr. Boštjan Udovič, head of CDELS at UL FDV, has been appointed to the Scientific Research Council (SRC) for the Social Sciences. Members of the SRCs for specific scientific disciplines are appointed by the Scientific Council of the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS). The four-year term for SRC members starts on 15 August 2026. Congratulations to all appointed SRC members. ​

Prof. dr. Andreja Jaklič attended the annual conference of AIB in Manchester. At the conference, she participated in meetings of the chairs of strategic interest groups (SIGs) and regional chapters of the AIB, and attended a special Research and Policy Day event, designed to bring together researchers and policymakers. She also presented a research paper on building the resilience of maritime companies during periods of geopolitical crises.

Assist. prof. dr. Milan Brglez appeared on the summer edition of “Omizje” program on RTV Slovenia, to discuss the life and work of a Slovenian diplomat. He stressed that diplomacy is a key guardian of the international order also shaping international society, and highlighted the importance of the professionalization of diplomacy, internal coordination, and respect for international law in helping small countries gain foreign policy influence.

Assoc. prof. dr. Sabina Lange participated in the TEPSA Irish Pre-Presidency Conference in Dublin on 11 and 12 June 2026. She took part in the event both in her capacity as CDELS researcher and director of Evropa misli/Think Europe. She was a panelist in a discussion that followed a conversation with Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos led by former President of the European Parliament Pat Cox. Building on the Commissioner’s remarks, dr. Lange highlighted developments and perspectives regarding three dilemmas of EU enlargement.

Prof. dr. Andreja Jaklič and assist. dr. Iris Koleša from CDELS attended the event “From a Validated Concept to a Prototype and Beyond” on 10 June 2026. At the event, the "GREENTECH: Developing Factories and Products of the Future for the Green Transition" program leader prof. dr. Janko Slavič from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana presented the results of the said program.

Prof. dr. Andreja Jaklič and assist. dr. Iris Koleša from CDELS (UL FDV) attended the ICMO 2026 conference in Pržno, Montenegro, where they presented their most recent work on sustainable innovation and debated sustainability with more than 300 experts from over 45 countries.​ The theme of the conference was “Sustainability by Design: Rethinking Strategy, People & Digital Futures”.

On 5 May 2026, assist. dr. Iris Koleša from CDELS addressed European policymakers at a conference organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia and the European Commission, titled “Shaping the Future of Research Careers: From Policy to Implementation”. In her talk, she outlined several challenges faced by researchers in Slovenia in their career development and work. She also provided concrete recommendations for policymakers and research organisations on how to address them.