A press conference was held on 19 August 2025 at the Rectorate of the University of Ljubljana, where the members of the Rectors’ Conference of the Republic of Slovenia (RK RS) presented their joint project UNI-SI – the Festival of Slovenian Universities. At the festival, to be held on 16–17 January 2026 at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre, eight of Slovenia’s largest universities will, for the first time, present themselves independently yet in unison.
The festival, which will take place every year in January prior to the information days, will offer young people a comprehensive overview of study opportunities at Slovenian universities: the University of Ljubljana (UL), the University of Maribor (UM), the University of Primorska (UP), the University of Nova Gorica (UNG), the University of Novo mesto (UNM), the New University (NU), Alma Mater Europaea University (UAMEU), and EMUNI – the Euro-Mediterranean University.
The project highlights the breadth of Slovenia’s academic landscape, while also providing easier guidance for prospective students, as it is the first and only opportunity where universities can present themselves freely. For now, the festival focuses on undergraduate and master’s study programmes, but the ambition is to expand in the future with doctoral study opportunities and English translations of the festival’s content, enabling the Slovenian universities to present themselves abroad. This would offer an attractive environment for foreign students and, later, researchers. The festival has also been endorsed by the competent ministry, which welcomes such strong cooperation within a unified university space.
A special feature of the festival is that study programmes will be presented by harmonised fields, labelled with terms more familiar to young people and closer to everyday life (social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, engineering and technology, medicine and health, biotechnology, and arts). This will make it easier for pupils and prospective students to navigate and choose their studies based on their interests, goals, and aspirations. Each field will be visually marked with its own colour, making the festival clearer and more accessible, both during the event and in advance on the website and social media.
This year, coordination of the festival is assumed by the university currently presiding over the RK RS, in cooperation with the vice-presiding university – thus, the inaugural edition will be led by UP in cooperation with UNG.
What do the rectors of Slovenian universities think?
Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, Rector of UP and President of RK RS:
“In line with the current National Higher Education Programme, Slovenian universities are committed to increasing the responsiveness, flexibility, and attractiveness of the higher education system, which must meet the needs of the economy, non-economy, and society at large. An important step towards these goals is effective and modern communication with future students. That is why, within RK RS and in close cooperation with the student councils of all universities, we decided to establish the UNI-SI Festival – an innovative platform that presents study opportunities at Slovenian universities in a fresh and accessible way. Our aim is to bring the academic world closer to young people and encourage them to make thoughtful and ambitious educational decisions.”
Prof. Dr. Gregor Majdič, Rector of UL:
“I am pleased that public and private universities are coming together in a way that allows us to find common ground in the educational process of our pupils – the future students. I am convinced that the festival will provide them with a high-quality presentation of study programmes, making it easier for them to make informed choices about their further education. I believe this will make an important contribution to Slovenia’s future development.”
Prof. Dr. Zdravko Kačič, Rector of UM:
“Through the festival, we will offer pupils, their parents, and the wider public a diverse and rich programme that includes presentations of study orientations, student life, research achievements, and the activities of individual faculties.”
Prof. Dr. Boštjan Golob, Rector of UNG and Vice-President of RK RS:
“The festival represents an important innovation, as it offers a comprehensive overview of the full spectrum of study programmes available to future students in Slovenia. All universities will jointly present their programmes, aimed at both Slovenian and international students.”
Prof. Dr. Ludvik Toplak, Rector of UAMEU:
“The festival is an exceptional opportunity for Slovenian universities to join forces and pool their potential in addressing the increasingly complex and urgent challenges of the modern world.”
Prof. Dr. Rado Bohinc, President of EMUNI – the Euro-Mediterranean University:
“This event marks the first comprehensive presentation of the Slovenian university and broader higher education space, along with its educational capacities. At EMUNI University, we particularly welcome the ambitious objectives focused on internationalisation, as the presentation of Slovenia’s higher education system will also be directed toward foreign students and the wider international academic community.”
Read more: https://www.festival-uni.si/2025/08/19/osem-slovenskih-univerz-zdruzenih-v-projektu-uni-si/
