Representatives of the University of Mostar participated in the Global Conference WURI 2024 (WGC24) in Seoul, South Korea, where the university received three prestigious WURI awards for excellence in innovation. The University of Mostar was invited by the WURI Expert Committee (The World University Rankings for Innovation) to participate in the conference and present the Center for Artificial Intelligence – Smart Reception Project, with which SUM particularly excelled, securing 4th place globally in the application of artificial intelligence.
At the Global Conference WURI 2024, the University of Mostar was represented by Rector Prof. Dr. Zoran Tomić, Vice-Rector for Information Technology and Innovation and Head of SUMIT Prof. Dr. Tomislav Volarić, and Head of the International Ranking Office Tonina Ibrulj.
The WURI ranking committee recognized the innovative projects and methods of SUM that successfully transcend traditional education boundaries, emphasizing that the University of Mostar is among the universities that have made significant progress on the global ranking compared to the previous year. Given its high-ranking position in the application of artificial intelligence and impressive growth in the innovative university rankings, the WURI committee awarded the University of Mostar prestigious WURI recognitions for excellence in innovation for 2024 in two categories. The WURI Leader Award was given to Rector Prof. Dr. Zoran Tomić and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Tomislav Volarić for their leadership roles in guiding the institution and implementing an innovative work perspective, leading to successful and highly ranked projects. The WURI Professional Award was presented to Hrvoje Ljubić, head of the AI Center at SUM and project leader for the Smart Reception Project.
During the conference in Seoul, the WURI committee highlighted that representatives of the University of Mostar distinguished themselves through significant contributions to innovative processes and achievements at the university, recognizing them as important actors in the remarkable successes and rapid growth of SUM on the WURI ranking.
Additionally, the University of Mostar delivered a presentation at the Global Conference WURI 2024 (WGC24) titled "Beyond Borders: How the University of Mostar is Shaping its Global Academic Profile," presented by Tonina Ibrulj. During the conference, the WURI established the WUNI (World University Network of Innovation), creating three networks aimed at connecting and fostering collaboration among university representatives involved in the ranking: the World University Network of Innovative Presidents (WUNI-Presidents), which includes Rector Prof. Dr. Zoran Tomić; the World University Network of Innovative Leaders (WUNI-Leaders), which includes Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Tomislav Volarić and Head of the International Ranking Office Tonina Ibrulj.
The Global Conference WURI 2024 (WGC24) is a significant global event that brings together leading academic institutions, innovators, and experts to promote innovation in higher education.
In 2018, ten university rectors from around the world founded the Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU) at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, Netherlands. They subsequently established the World Universities with Real Impact ranking system to assess the innovation of universities and their concrete contributions to the societies in which they operate.
Today, the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) evaluates the tangible contributions of universities to industry and society, highlighting innovative education, research, and community engagement. Using 13 categories, it encompasses the goals and methods of innovation, providing a comprehensive measure of institutions' creative contributions to societal progress. The distinction of WURI from other rankings lies in its focus on concrete projects and programs submitted by universities, encouraging even smaller institutions to contribute to society within their resources.
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