(Hina) - An international conference on European studies entitled "(New) Challenges for Europe in Times of Change/Knowledge – Tool for a Better Europe" opened on the university campus in the northern Adriatic city of Rijeka on Monday.
The participants were greeted by the Rector of the University of Rijeka, Pero Lučin, and the Assistant Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Hrvoje Marušić.
The conference opened with a panel discussion entitled "European and International Studies: New Challenges for Europe in Times of Change", involving the President of the Florence Institute of European Studies, Joseph H. H. Weiler, the President of the European Journalists' Association, Paolo Magagnotti, the Deputy Rector of the University of Rijeka, Snježana Prijić-Samaržija, and Hrvoje Marušić.
The conference will discuss topical issues and challenges facing Europe, as well as possible scenarios for the future of European projects in economic, financial, social and political context. The conference will also try to offer answers to questions on how to increase knowledge about European processes, both inside and outside the EU, offer a new model of educational programmes at the University of Rijeka and present an international programme of interdisciplinary postgraduate European studies.
The European Studies programme is an important contribution to Croatia's successful EU membership and the Euro-integration processes as a whole, said the organisers of the conference -- the Centre for Advanced Studies - Southeast Europe, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and the University of Rijeka.
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Vesna Pusić, the Minister of Science, Education and Sport, Vedran Mornar, and representatives of the academic community will attend the conference on Tuesday.