The Centre of Excellence of the Split-Dalmatia County has officially become a member of the Split Tech City community.

On this occasion, we spoke with Ivica Zelić, director of the Centre, about working with highly motivated and gifted students, connecting education and technology, and the importance of cooperation with the local tech community in shaping the education of the future.

Briefly about the Centre of Excellence – what do you do, what age groups do you work with, and the main goals of your programs?

The Centre of Excellence of the Split-Dalmatia County focuses on working with highly motivated and potentially gifted students, their teachers, and parents.

The Centre’s activities also include continuous development of excellence center programs, efforts to stimulate the development of the education system through organizing training and conferences, as well as scientific-research work in the field of gifted education.

Students from 5th grade of elementary school to 4th grade of high school participate in the Centre’s programs and activities.

Which projects, programs, or collaborations would you especially highlight and what are you most proud of?

We are especially proud of the out-of-school programs in mathematics, natural sciences, new technologies, and informatics, which have been conducted for many years.

In addition, extracurricular programs such as Dalmatian Souvenir, Guardians of Heritage, Multimedia and Language Excellence, RAST, and RoboStart play an important role in developing students’ creativity and strengthening the education system as a whole.

Over the years, we have established solid foundations in cooperation with partners across Croatia and beyond.

At the local and county level, we work with primary and secondary schools and the University of Split, including the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, and the Faculty of Chemistry and Technology.

National partners include the University of Zadar (Department of Psychology), the University of Osijek (Faculty of Education), the National Centre for External Evaluation of Education, CARnet, ASOO, AZOO, and other Centres of Excellence throughout the country.

Internationally, we have collaborated with the Ministry of State of Israel (Department for Gifted and Talented Students), Radboud University, the University of Mostar, and primary and secondary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Centre is also part of the European Talent Support Network and holds the status of a European Talent Point.

How do you connect education and technology in your work?

We connect education and technology by using modern digital tools and innovative teaching methods in our work with students.

Technology supports learning through research projects, interactive content, and teamwork.

This approach encourages the development of digital competencies, creative thinking, and problem-solving in real-life situations.

Do you participate in international or local projects?

In addition to conducting core activities, the Centre of Excellence participates in the preparation and implementation of project activities with various partners.

These collaborations take place at both local and international levels.

Why did you join the Split Tech City community?

We joined the Split Tech City community to connect with the local tech ecosystem and exchange knowledge and experiences.

Membership also helps us stay aligned with modern trends in technology and innovation.

It allows us to strengthen cooperation with the IT sector, create new opportunities for students, and develop higher-quality programs that respond to the needs of contemporary society.

Is there anything else you would especially like to highlight?

Through its work so far, the Centre of Excellence has demonstrated its ability to positively influence changes in the education system at both local and national levels.

This is achieved through the development of programs and activities aimed at strengthening capacities and the system as a whole.

Programs focused on highly motivated and potentially gifted students encourage the development of responsible, creative, and capable individuals who can successfully navigate societal change.

Future plans include further development of tools for identifying giftedness, as well as expanding and establishing new programs within the Regional Science Centre for students, parents, and other stakeholders in the education system.

The annual Enter Conference continues to bring together participants from education and related industries to strengthen collaboration, capacities, and the future of education.

By continuing to invest in people, infrastructure, and resources, the Centre of Excellence contributes to the broader European education landscape.

This is further supported by the upcoming establishment of the Regional Science Centre and the National Centre of Excellence in Nova Sela.