Lessons Learned from the Study Visit to Zagreb and Samobor

On 7th November 2025, at the Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, presentations were held to share insights and lessons learned from the second round of secondments within the USE IPM project.

The event gathered representatives of the Center for Project Management and Entrepreneurship (CPME), including Assist. Prof. Ljubiša Mićić, PhD, Prof. Milica Bogdanović, PhD, and Senior Teaching Assistant Milica Marić, who presented the outcomes and reflections from their study visit to Samobor and Zagreb, Croatia, organized by partner institution IIE – International Institute for Entrepreneurship.

During the two-week mobility (17–31 October 2025), the participants explored key elements of Croatia’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem, engaging with organizations such as the Zagreb Innovation Centre (ZICER), Nuqleus Deep-Tech Venture Builder, the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Libertas University, the National and University Library in Zagreb, and the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts

Particular emphasis was placed on the visit to ZICER — Zagreb’s leading innovation hub that supports startups and researchers in transforming high-tech ideas into market-ready solutions — and to Nuqleus, a deep-tech venture builder operating within the Innovation Center Nikola Tesla (ICENT) at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb. Both institutions represent exemplary models of how academic research, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship can be effectively integrated to foster sustainable innovation and regional competitiveness.

The presentations highlighted the potential for adapting these models within the CPME and the Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, through enhanced mentorship, innovation-driven education, and stronger collaboration with industry. The discussed conclusions will directly contribute to the next WP2 activities of the USE IPM consortium, particularly the development of a regional incubator model aligned with EU priorities on digitalization, AI, and sustainability.

The event reaffirmed the project’s commitment to strengthening researcher capacities and accelerating the transfer of innovation processes into practical entrepreneurial outcomes.