On 1 October 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr Alenka Pandiloska Jurak took over as Acting Dean of the Faculty of Information Studies (FIS). She previously served as an associate professor at the Faculty.
She has been involved with FIS in various capacities since the Faculty’s establishment. Her work has included participation in a wide range of projects, the development of new study programmes, and teaching and conducting practical classes in several courses. She is also actively involved in numerous national and international research and development projects. Her extensive experience encompasses both participation in project teams and the management of research projects co-funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS), the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, and European programmes such as Erasmus+, Digital Europe and Interreg Danube Transnational.
Through her work at Rudolfovo – Science and Technology Centre, Novo mesto, where she served as a senior research associate, she also gained substantial experience in institutional governance, having previously held leadership positions on its Management Board. In addition, she chaired the Programme Committee of the Science and Technology Forum for four years, served on the Self-Evaluation Committee, and acted as a trusted point of contact for reporting irregularities.
Her research focuses on the social sciences, particularly regional development dynamics and the role of social and innovation networks in technological, economic and strategic transformations within the European Union.
Her current project activities include the international project AI4VET4AI – AI-powered Next Generation of VET (call: ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PEX-COVE), in which she serves as the consortium partner leader and work package leader. Her involvement in the project reflects her experience in international project coordination, project management and financial management.
With her experience in higher education, research and international cooperation, she brings valuable expertise to the continued development of the Faculty of Information Studies. We are confident that her professionalism, dedication and leadership experience will contribute to strengthening the quality of education, advancing research activities and fostering the Faculty’s collaboration with national and international partners.
We warmly congratulate Assoc. Prof. Dr Alenka Pandiloska Jurak on her appointment and wish her every success in leading the Faculty.