Five FOI students Josipa Meštrović, Iva Udovčić, Lucija Bundalo, Matija Dokmanović and Matej Krasić, accompanied by the project manager at FOI Full Prof. Vjeran Strahonja, Ph.D. and members of the FOI project team Ana Kutnjak, M. Econ. and Karlo Nadoveza, M. Econ., participated in the summer school of the Erasmus+ project DEMO - Digital Platform Enterprise in Bucharest.
The summer school was organized by the leading project partner Universitatea Politehnica din Bucuresti, and other project partners from Bulgaria Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, from Austria's Technische Universitaet Wien, and another project partner in addition to the leading SC Midor Digital Service from Romania. Five students from each institution participated. Also, this summer school was held in two parts. The first part was completely online and took place at the beginning of June and consisted of a series of synchronous lectures. At the end of the first part, the students had a test and the successful passing of which earned them the right to participate in the second part of the summer school in Bucharest. In the second part of the summer school, the students were first introduced to case studies and the problems they had to solve through their projects. Each of the project partners developed its own case study. The student teams consisted of one student from each country with the aim of achieving a high level of diversity and internationalization.
Every day, the students presented the progress in their projects with the mentoring of each of the project partners.
On the last day of the summer school, all student teams presented their project solutions and were awarded certificates of participation and winning 4 ECTS points.
Additionally, with the aim of improving the quality of the next summer school, which will be held in July 2024, the students gave their review of the held summer school.
Our students were extremely satisfied with the held summer school and stated the following:
Matija Dokmanović:
Participating in the DEMO International Summer School in Bucharest through the Erasmus+ project was an incredibly valuable experience. The theme of the summer school, focusing on digital platforms, provided me with an opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills that will be of great benefit in my future career. One of the most significant impressions was the innovative approach to organizing the summer school. The combination of an online phase and an intensive presence in Bucharest allowed me to apply the acquired knowledge in tackling real challenges and problems alongside international teams. The project topics were highly relevant and current, and we were given considerable freedom in designing our own projects. Furthermore, collaborating with students and instructors from other European universities was inspiring and broadened my horizons in understanding intercultural differences and cooperation.
This summer school was an opportunity I will cherish forever, providing not only new knowledge and skills but also an unforgettable experience of international collaboration. Thanks to the Erasmus+ DEMO project, I had the chance to learn, create, and grow, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
Iva Udovčić:
The summer school in Romania was a highly beneficial experience for me. We learned how to work in international teams and under time pressure. We gained new skills and enhanced existing ones, acquiring an experience that we will cherish for a long time. Additionally, we spent some time exploring Bucharest and socializing with other students and professors.
Josipa Meštrović:
This summer school was truly an unforgettable experience that provided me with invaluable insights into collaboration on real projects within an international team. Beyond the theoretical framework of my college education, I gained practical skills and experience working on projects. It was interesting to communicate with colleagues who share similar ambitions and perspectives, and it was a great environment for personal and professional growth.
Lucija Bundalo:
Participating in the summer school Erasmus + DEMO project provided me with valuable experience in developing teamwork skills. While working on the case study and the project itself, we encountered some differences in the way of thinking among colleagues from other faculties from Austria, Bulgaria and Romania, and it was very interesting to see the way they understand problems and the way they are taught to solve them. I believe that differences challenge us to a greater understanding and mind openness, which I consider an important experience. In our work, we used a lot of knowledge and tools that we learned and used during the earlier years of studying at FOI, and I believe that this enabled me to do undisturbed work on the digital platform development project and advancement in further personal development.
Matej Krasić:
Participating in the Erasmus+ DEMO project summer school in Romania was an exceptional experience. Through engaging workshops and an online learning environment, I acquired valuable new competencies and skills, while also getting to know colleagues from diverse countries. The project provided valuable teaching materials, case studies, and laid the groundwork for curriculum modernization at universities, with a significant impact on the future of education in the field of digital business.
You can find a photo gallery from the summer school held below the text.
The duration of the project is from January 1st, 2022. until December 31st, 2024.
The project was financed through the Erasmus+ program, and the project budget is € 188.661,00, and the share of the Faculty of Organization and Informatics is € 40.217,00.
