EMUNI University was honored to welcome Her Excellency Dr. Urška Kramberger Mendek, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Algeria, accompanied by members of her family, for a visit to EMUNI University and a meeting with Prof. Dr. Rado Bohinc, President of EMUNI University.
The meeting was also attended by Prof. Dr. Jaka Vadnjal, who contributed to the exchange on opportunities for enahncing academic, institutional, and economic cooperation between Slovenia and Algeria.
The meeting provided an important opportunity for an open and forward-looking exchange on strengthening relations between Slovenia and Algeria, with particular attention to higher education, economic cooperation, intercultural dialogue, and the development of new institutional partnerships.
A central topic of the discussion was the potential for expanding cooperation between EMUNI University and universities and higher education institutions in Algeria. The participants explored opportunities for establishing and strengthening academic connections, as well as the important role that diplomatic engagement can play in facilitating sustainable institutional relationships between the two countries.
As a university with a strong Euro-Mediterranean mission and an extensive international network, EMUNI sees considerable potential for developing new partnerships with Algerian universities in areas such as education, research, academic mobility, intercultural exchange, and joint initiatives.
The discussion also addressed the upcoming AGRA 2026 – International Fair of Agriculture and Food, taking place from 22 to 26 August 2026 in Gornja Radgona, Slovenia. The participants discussed the importance of the fair as a platform for connecting Slovenian and Algerian companies, institutions, experts, and other stakeholders, as well as the possible role of EMUNI in supporting and facilitating broader cooperation around the event.
The conversation extended to the political and socioeconomic environment in Algeria, including recent political developments and their potential implications for different sectors, particularly higher education. The exchange highlighted the importance of understanding political, economic, and institutional developments when building sustainable international academic partnerships.
Another important part of the meeting focused on opportunities for economic cooperation and trade between Slovenia and Algeria. The participants discussed how EMUNI’s international network and the EMUNI Chamber of Commerce could contribute to connecting academic institutions, chambers, businesses, and other organisations, creating additional opportunities for dialogue and cooperation between the Slovenian and Algerian communities.
The visit concluded with a particularly meaningful cultural gesture. H.E. Dr. Urška Kramberger Mendek became the first individual contributor to a new donation initiative supporting the Arabic Corner at the EMUNI Library, donating two of her favourite Algerian books in the Arabic language to the University’s collection.
The donation symbolically reflects the broader spirit of the visit: building connections not only through institutions and formal partnerships, but also through language, literature, culture, and the exchange of knowledge. EMUNI warmly welcomes this contribution and hopes that it will inspire further individual and institutional donations to enrich the Arabic Corner and make Arabic and Mediterranean literature increasingly accessible to students, researchers, and the wider EMUNI community.
EMUNI University greatly appreciates the visit of H.E. Dr. Urška Kramberger Mendek and the constructive exchange with Prof. Dr. Rado Bohinc and Prof. Dr. Jaka Vadnjal. The meeting reaffirmed a shared interest in strengthening Slovenian-Algerian academic, cultural, and economic relations and opened new perspectives for cooperation connecting universities, institutions, businesses, and communities across the Mediterranean.
