At our faculty, we are proud to have participated in a historic step for the future of higher education in southeastern Slovenia – the signing of a letter of intent to establish a new public university based in Novo mesto.

The ceremonial signing of the letter of intent took place on Tuesday, 10 June 2025, at the Municipality of Novo mesto. The document was signed by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr. Igor Papič, the Mayor of Novo mesto, Gregor Macedoni, representatives of the economy and the academic communities of Dolenjska, including the Dean of our faculty, Prof. Dr. Matej Makarovič.

As the first public faculty based in Novo mesto, FIS has been developing high-quality research and teaching in the fields of information science, digitalisation, and data science for more than a decade. Our role in the creation of the university is crucial – not only due to our academic excellence, but also because of our close cooperation with the economic community, as well as the local community.

“The government has recognised both the need and the opportunity for the development of the southeastern region of Slovenia,” emphasised Dean Prof. Dr. Makarovič on this occasion. Minister Dr. Papič pointed out that “this region also offers excellent employment opportunities for students after graduation, so with its strong economic background, it deserves a strong public university as well.”

The new university will be based on the integration of local higher education institutions, research excellence, and labour market needs. We believe this will be an important step towards improving the quality of life, regional development, and access to knowledge and innovation.

Photo: Bor Slana, STA, and MONM