RIT Croatia welcomes new faculty!

Five new faculty members are joining us this spring semester: Ines Nanić will teach in the Hospitality and Tourism Management program; Jagoda Poropat Darrer will join the International Business program faculty; Jurica Dolić, Petar Jelušić, and Maja Strgar Kurečić are joining forces with the faculty of the New Media Design program.

Dr. sc. Jurica Dolić will be teaching Digital Survey II. He decided to join RIT Croatia due to his enthusiasm for the innovation behind the New Media Design program. "The program’s emphasis aligns with my areas of expertise and passion”, says Dolić. "It has the potential to make a significant impact in the field of design education, and I am looking forward to working with the team that is dedicated to making this program a success.”
Dr. sc. Dolić has been developing his career in higher education for the past 17 years. He is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Graphic Arts, University of Zagreb. His main activities and responsibilities include research and teaching activities at the Department of Graphic Design and Image information. Dolić is working on several professional and scientific projects, and has published many scientific papers. "I am excited to engage in passionate discussions about design and to guide students as they unlock their creative potential. Students can expect me to provide a clear and organized curriculum that covers the fundamental principles of design and their application to creative work as well as the latest industry tools and trends. I will provide constructive feedback on their work, encourage them to explore their own creative ideas, and push the boundaries of what they think is possible. I will strive to create a dynamic, inclusive and supportive learning environment that encourages collaboration.”

Petar Branislav Jelušić will teach Interactive I course as part of the New Media Design program. "Interactive I is a course where students will be introduced to HTML, CSS, and the Web Design process. By the end of the semester, they will be able to write their own code and publish their own websites.” Jelušić is a Research Assistant at the Faculty of Graphic Arts, University of Zagreb and his main activities and responsibilities include scientific research (image processing). He obtained his Master's degree at the Faculty of Graphic Arts in 2016. Being a founder of a company that focuses on brand design, visual design, web and print design, Petar has relevant experience of working in the industry as well. However, he decided to pursuit a career in academia and has thus returned to the Faculty of Graphic Arts. His research interests include neural networks, machine learning, image processing, data analysis and data visualization. 

"As someone who has experience as a freelance web designer, teaching at RIT Croatia sounded like a great opportunity to convey that knowledge to new generations to come”, said Jelušić. "I will encourage students to follow best practices and they will be given lots of freedom to tackle the tasks in their own way. I will always be there to provide support and guidance. Looking forward to starting my RIT journey!”

Dr. sc. Jagoda Poropat Darrer is joining our International Business faculty. She is a lecturer at the Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb as well as a Department Secretary at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences from the same university. "The decision to teach at RIT Croatia, for me, has been a natural sequence after over 15 years teaching at prominent universities and colleges in Croatia, Europe and US”, says Darrer. "I am delighted to join the RIT Croatia team.”  Alongside her academic career, dr. sc. Darrer has immense experience in delivering workshops in the field of communication, rhetoric and public speaking for various renowned brands from different industries. She is the director and coach at the Umijeće govora company, focusing on business communication coaching, as well as author and co-author of many scientific papers in the field of communication. It comes as no surprise that she will be teaching a course about – communication. "Students can expect engaging, dynamic, resourceful, and hardworking but above all - fun and interactive classes. I wish everyone a prosperous and enjoyable new semester!”

Dr. sc. Maja Strgar Kurečić is also joining the New Media Design faculty at our Zagreb campus. She is a fine art photographer and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Graphic Arts, University of Zagreb, and a recipient of several significant international awards and recognitions for photography, most notably for her own projects Other Worlds, Escape Landscapes and Floating Garden. Dr. sc. Strgar Kurečić has been making contributions to the world of photography for years. Her work was exhibited on the first cover for the Croatian edition of National Geographic, and even though she started in advertising and reportage photography, her true passion lies within the field of abstract photography. She exhibited her work on numerous exhibitions in Croatia and abroad. 

Excited to join RIT Croatia, she will be teaching the Intro to Digital Photography course. "I will encourage my students to work and learn through research, discussion, experimentation and play”, says Strgar Kurečić. "I will always give them a feedback for their work - praise as well as constructive criticism. I will strive to teach them to accept constructive criticism, to be patient and not to be afraid of mistakes - you can learn the most from them. Also, I want to motivate them not to give up if they don't succeed the first time, to be persistent in what they love and to follow their dreams.”

Ines Nanić is a well-known name in RIT Croatia community. Our alumna (Class of 2004), and a student who is currently finishing RIT’s MS program in leadership and innovation, is also a renowned expert in event management. For the past 15 years Ines Nanić has been the owner and managing director of Dubrovnik event company, with the organization of more than 220 weddings on Dubrovnik Riviera under her belt! She has received local and international awards and acknowledgment for her work. Her career includes working on international markets of UK and USA as well.  Ines Nanić is joining our Hospitality and Tourism Management faculty and will be teaching Event and Project Management course. "There is nothing more rewarding than sharing the knowledge and experiences to young minds ready to change the world”, says Nanić. "Education has been my long term goal for a while now. I enrolled in RIT’s MS in Service Leadership & Innovation program so I can get new learning experiences; the opportunity to teach came in the moment where I was finally ready for it. I have been guest speaking at different educational institutions for so long; I see the opportunity to teach my favorite subject at RIT as a crown of my professional development so far!”

As for students, Nanić says they can expect "…an interactive class where theory, practice and experience will be intertwined in a way that will empower them to understand and grasp event management so they not only get the concept, but are ready to plan an event and join a company specialized in doing so with confidence!”