Book of speakers
Representatives of partners of the PROFFORMANCE+ consortium
Institutional PROFFORMANCE Ambassador
Awardees in INTERNATIONALIZATION
REPRESENTATIVES OF PARTNERS OF THE PROFFORMANCE+ CONSORTIUM
Flóra MEGYERI - Policy Officer for higher education
Ministry of Culture and Innovation
Hungary
Flóra Megyeri has five years of experience in higher education policy. She holds an MA in Education and History. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Education at ELTE. Her research focuses on academic integrity, with a particular emphasis on cheating in higher education. She is committed to bridging research and policy to enhance quality and ethics in tertiary education.
www.linkedin.com/in/flora-megyeri-8464a8256
Alexander KOHLER, Senior Expert
Austrian Federal Ministry of Education
Austria
András BÁLÓ, Head of Department of Higher Education Training
Ministry of Culture and Innovation
Hungary
Tomáš BARTÁK, Policy Officer
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
Czech Republic
Tomáš Barták currently works at the Analytical and Conceptual Department of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. In terms of the quality of educational activities at universities, he is currently working on innovations in teaching and perception of new trends in teaching and learning in the university environment. He is also currently actively focusing on the topic of financing of higher education systems and their link to strategic aspects of higher education policy.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomáš-barták-7b53b31b9/
Đurđica DRAGOJEVIĆ, Advisor at the Strategy and Development of Higher Education Unit
Ministry of Science
Education and Youth
Croatia
Đurđica studied to become an English and Social Studies teacher, but started working as a project manager in education administration early on. She worked in external quality assurance of higher education for more than a decade, helping to align the Croatian system with European standards. For her this work was always connected with supporting and training teachers and students, and she has participated in implementing a number of initiatives connected with teaching and learning as well as the social dimension of higher education. She is currently focusing on this aspect of her work as the coordinator of the Croatian National Group for Enhancing the Social Dimension of Higher Education.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/durdicadragojevic/
Lasha MARGISHVILI - Acting Director
Acting Director of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE)
Georgia
Ivana BALŠIĆ, Acting Coordinator of Higher Education Unit
Foundation Tempus
Serbia
Project officer with extensive experience in the management and implementation of the Erasmus+ programme in higher education, enhancing internationalization within higher education, ensuring that institutions leverage global opportunities for academic exchange, research collaboration, and promoting academic mobility for students and staff; supporting higher education institutions in navigating the complexities of international cooperation, ensuring compliance with Erasmus+ programme requirements.
Gábor KAMOCSA - Head of Cooperation Programmes Unit, Directorate for Erasmus+ and Internationalisation of Higher Education
Tempus Public Foundation
Hungary
PROFFORMANCE+ Experts
Vilmos VASS, Profformance+ lead expert
Budapest Metropolitan University
Hungary
Vilmos Vass is habilitated Associate Professor of Education Science and a teacher of Hungarian language and literature, history and pedagogy. He has been teaching in schools and universities for 41 years. He is a board member of several national and international associations. Between 2004 and 2010 he was a member of the EU Key Competences Cluster. In 2003 and 2007, he was the head of the revision on the National Core Curriculum and the Implementation Board. He is member of the Editorial Board of 14 national and international journals. He now works at the Budapest Metropolitan University, Hungary. He is the author or co-author of nearly 200 Hungarian and English language publications. His research areas and recent publications are on learning-centred curriculum theory and creative knowledge transfer.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vilmos-vass-758400b9
Bárbara Filipa CASQUEIRA COELHO GABRIEL, Vice-Dean for Internationalisation at Mechanical Engineering Faculty
University of Aveiro
Portugal
Bárbara Gabriel, Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, is a researcher at the University of Aveiro specializing in innovation, entrepreneurial education, and engineering teaching methods. She serves as Deputy-Director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, leads the SEE Group, and coordinates European projects such as THEI2.0 and TANDEM+. She is also an expert and facilitator for HEInnovate, a joint initiative of the European Commission and OECD.
Jan BESEDA, Head of National Centre for Distance Education
Centre for Higher Education Studies
Czech Republic
Jan Beseda, PhD, is a senior researcher at the Centre for Higher Education Studies and holds the position of Head of the National Centre for Distance Education. Additionally, Jan serves as the Director of the Czech Association of Professional Tertiary Education. His primary areas of expertise include leveraging ICT in education, ensuring quality in higher education, and fostering competency development. Jan is also renowned for his role as the primary organizer of the international DisCo conference, focusing on the integration of ICT in education. Furthermore, he actively participates in several influential working groups, such as EURASHE Quality Assurance Community of Practice, and has been involved in numerous international projects.
Silke PREYMANN, Project manager and researcher
University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
Silke is a project manager of the Erasmus+ funded projects EnhanceIDM! (Enhanced Programme Leadership for Inclusion and Diversity Management in Higher Education) and ENTRANTS (Enhancing the transition of non-traditional students). She is working as a researcher in the Department for Higher Education Research and Development at FH Upper Austria with a focus on change and change management at universities (e.g. the implementation of the social dimension/the introduction of measures in the field of diversity management and inclusion).
Irine DARCHIA, Associate Professor, Deputy Director
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Georgia
Dr. Irine Darchia is an Associate Professor of Classics at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) and a Higher Education Reform Expert (HERE) for the Tempus/Erasmus+ National Office Georgia since 2009. She studied Georgian, Classical, and Modern Greek Philology, completing internships and dissertations at TSU and universities in Germany. As a visiting professor, she has lectured across Europe and coordinated numerous international projects on Classics and Higher Education. Dr. Darchia has held leadership roles at TSU, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, and other institutions, and serves as an accreditation expert for agencies in Georgia, Lithuania, and Latvia. She is also a member of the International Advisory Board of Ukraine’s Higher Education Quality Agency.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/irinedarchia/
https://tsu-ge.academia.edu/IrineDarchia
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Irine_Darchia
https://twitter.com/DarchiaIrine
Institutional PROFFORMANCE Ambassador
Dr. Laura SINÓROS-SZABÓ, Expert, consultant
University of Sopron
Hungary
Dr. Laura Sinóros-Szabó is a higher education development and strategy expert. Until November 2023 she worked as head of department in the ministry responsible for higher education of Hungary. In her role she was responsible for higher education strategy, development policy, EU and international affairs. She was also responsible for the PROFFORMANCE projects while working in the ministry. In her current position she is working on building interinstitutional relations with higher education institutions. Being a green university her main focus is sustainability and higher education strategy.
linkedin.com/in/laura-dr-sinóros-szabó-18a46936
Awardees in DIGITALIZATION
Elske AMMENWERTH - Full professor
Elske Ammenwerth is Professor of Medical Informatics at UMIT TIROL and head of the Institute of Medical Informatics. She is a pioneer in developing online-based study programs in health informatics, including a fully online master's in Health Information Management and a blended-learning program in Medical Informatics. She emphasizes social and cognitive presence in virtual learning environments using approaches such as the Community of Inquiry model and learning analytics.
linkedin.com/in/elske-ammenwerth-7baa4615
Alan MUTKA- Area Head for Web and Mobile Computing Program
RIT Croatia
Croatia
Alan Mutka is a Research Associate and Senior Lecturer at RIT Croatia, where he serves as the Area Head of the Information Technology (Web & Mobile Computing) program. He earned both his Bachelor's and Ph.D. degrees from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), where, as an active member of the LARICS (Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems), he participated in numerous scientific and professional projects.
His expertise and research interests include data visualization, robotics, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM), deep learning, and big data analytics, with a particular focus on behavioral analysis in education and cybersecurity.
He is the co-founder and CEO of SmoothSoft, a company focused on consulting and developing advanced software solutions.
He is the author or co-author of more than 40 scientific papers published in prestigious international journals, conference proceedings, and books. He actively serves as a project lead, researcher, and collaborator on numerous industrial and scientific projects in Croatia and across the EU.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-mutka-6a6a76ab/
Ia MOSASHVILI- Associate Professor for Computer Science Program, Quality Assurance Manager
LEPL Kutaisi International University
Georgia
Dr. Ia Mosashvili is an Associate Professor at Kutaisi International University and holds a Ph.D. in Engineering. She is among the pioneers in introducing modern digital design and embedded systems courses in STEM fields in Georgia. From 2008 to 2010, she studied in Germany at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern with funding from the Volkswagen Foundation. Following her return, she successfully implemented the courses she studied abroad and established digital systems and remote laboratories in Georgia. Dr. Mosashvili actively collaborates with international colleagues in research and has published numerous scientific papers both in Georgia and abroad. Since 2008, she has been involved in international programs and has implemented various projects supported by both the European Union and the United States. Her academic and research interests include digital systems and their design, computer organization and architecture, embedded systems, Internet of Things (IoT), and computer systems.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ia-mosashvili-42360339/
Vatroslav ZUPPA BAKŠA- Lecturer
Zagreb University of Applied Sciences
Croatia
Vatroslav Zuppa Bakša is a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences in Zagreb. He is involved in teaching and course coordination in the undergraduate and postgraduate electrical engineering programme, focusing on power systems, electrical engineering and programming. He is the author of textbooks and workbooks used in both secondary and higher education. His DIGITS methodology integrates digital tools, gamification and social media to promote active, student-centred learning. He regularly presents his work at international conferences and distributes educational content via his YouTube channel, The Electrical Theory Channel. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Media and Communication at the University North, Croatia (2025–present). His research focuses on innovations in STEM education, gamification, mobile media, and the integration of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning practices.
Davorin PENAVA- Head of Department, Full Professor, PhD
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture Osijek
Croatia
Prof. Davorin Penava, PhD, is a Full Professor at the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture Osijek, where he also serves as the Head of the Department of Structural Mechanics. He holds degrees in Civil (Structural) Engineering at the BEng and MEng levels, Computational Engineering at the MSc (pg) level, and Structural (Earthquake) Engineering at the PhD level, complemented by international research stays in the UK (Swansea, Newcastle) and Germany (Aachen, Weimar), supported by ERASMUS+ and DAAD scholarships. He has participated in multiple national and international scientific and educational projects, involving countries such as Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Uzbekistan, Tajiskistan, Germeany and other, with a focus on earthquake protection of UNESCO-listed cultural heritage, forensic structural engineering, the development of interdisciplinary study programmes for heritage preservation, contemporary construction practices and earthquake-resistant design, as well as the establishment of an educational network of seismographic monitoring stations. He is an active member of several professional and scientific associations, serves on editorial boards of leading journals, and is the author of numerous scientific publications and conference papers, with notable contributions within the SPONSE network and extensive experience in editorial work, standardization, invited lectures, and thesis supervision, as well as participation in post-earthquake reconnaissance missions in Albania (ACI task group) and Croatia in 2020. His scientific involvement and outreach activities were recognised with the 2023 National Science Award of the Republic of Croatia in the category of science promotion and popularization.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davorin-penava-b6742aa4/
Awardees in INTERNATIONALIZATION
Barbara HEGYI PhD- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator & Lecturer
Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Informatics
Hungary
Barbara HEGYI, economist, holding a PhD in Regional Sciences. From 2016, she has been coordinating the Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) minor at the EIT Digital Master School Budapest and the undergraduate entrepreneurship education at ELTE Faculty of Informatics. She designed elective courses that focus on the social responsibility of innovations and created the methodology and content of bachelor's business courses as well. Hegyi is the inciter of several cross-disciplinary and inter-university initiatives, such as idea competitions, asynchronous courses, and summer schools. Besides leading tasks in international cooperations aiming to experiment with new flexible forms of innovative education for a multidisciplinary audience, she coordinates the Erasmus+ REDINEST project that aims to build interdisciplinary impact labs at an international level.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarahegyiphd/
Dražen ČULAR- Head of Cro Sport Talent Lab
University of Split, Faculty of Kinesiology
Croatia
Prof. Dražen Čular, PhD, is the head of the Cro Sport Talent Lab at the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split. He is the author of five university textbooks and over 100 scientific papers. He has received multiple awards for his contributions to science, education, and sport. In addition to his academic work, he is actively involved as coach and instructor in various sports. He currently serves as Vice President of the Croatian National Committee for Kinesiology, and as a scientific advisor to both the Center of Excellence of Split-Dalmatia County and the European Institute for Talent, Education, Research & Development. He also leads two of the largest kinesiology research projects ever funded by the Croatian Science Foundation.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4370-2446
Helena LOHROVÁ- Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics, Institute of English Studies, Faculty of Arts
University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice
Czechia
Dr. Helena Lohrová is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Bohemia (USB) in České Budějovice, Czech Republic. She holds a PhD in linguistics from the University of Birmingham, UK. Her teaching and research centre on linguistics and discourse analysis, with a particular focus on spoken interaction in institutional and workplace settings. She teaches across the general linguistics and teacher training programmes at USB.
Alongside her academic work, she currently serves as the coordinator of the TEFE and TEFE A+ EU-funded nternational projects, which aim to internationalise teaching practice as an integral part of teacher education. In the TEFE A+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), awarded under the Profformance in Higher Education initiative, she is part of the team leading the design and implementation of a structured international teacher training course that integrates practical teaching experience with competence development. Central to this initiative is the TEFE Framework for the Internationalisation of Teaching Practice and Employability, an innovative methodology supporting student teachers of English in developing their professional identity, intercultural awareness, and employability for international teaching contexts.
https://www.jcu.cz/cz/univerzita/lide/clovek?identita=Lohrova_Helena_46257
https://www.linkedin.com/in/helena-lohrova-94a670361/
Alena PROŠKOVÁ- Assistant Professor of English Language Teaching Methodology, Institute of English Studies, Faculty of Arts
University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice
Czechia
Dr. Alena Prošková is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Bohemia (USB) in České Budějovice, Czech Republic. She holds a doctorate in foreign language teaching methodology from Charles University in Prague. Her research centres on the Czech educational context and language learners, with a particular focus on competence-based education, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and the diachronic analysis of teaching materials. Alongside her academic work, she is an experienced language educator, teacher trainer, and teaching practice coordinator, contributing significantly to the professional development of future teachers in the Czech Republic.
Within the TEFE A+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), recognised under the Profformance in Higher Education initiative, Dr. Prošková is part of the core team designing and delivering an international teacher training course that integrates practical experience with competence development. She leads on classroom observation coordination, facilitates international reflection sessions, and provides ongoing support to student teachers as they engage with varied educational systems across the TEFE consortium.
https://www.jcu.cz/cz/univerzita/lide/clovek?identita=Proskova_Alena_33205
Tomáš JAJTNER- Assistant Professor of British Literature, Institute of English Studies, Faculty of Arts
University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice
Czechia
Dr. Tomáš Jajtner is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of English Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. He teaches British literature and cultural studies of English-speaking countries and contributes to the department’s teacher education programme. His academic work spans cultural studies and teacher training, with numerous publications, including monographs and peer-reviewed articles. He is also an accomplished literary translator from English, German, French, and Italian. As a member of the Czech TEFE A+ project team, he supports the development of grant-funded educational materials and the coordination of international project activities.
https://www.jcu.cz/cz/univerzita/lide/clovek?identita=Jajtner_Tomas_44756
Ivo PETRŮ- Assistant Professor, Institute of Romance Languages, Faculty of Arts
University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice
Czechia
JUDr. Mgr. Ivo Petrů, Ph.D. is a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Arts, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, where he leads the French section at the Institute of Romance Studies. Trained in both French and Law at Charles University in Prague and Panthéon-Assas University in Paris, he specialises in legal language and its translation, with a particular focus on French–Czech equivalence in European institutional contexts. Before joining academia, he worked as a trainee solicitor at Gide Loyrette Nouel and as a legal clerk at the Czech Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Justice. Since 2006, he has combined teaching, research, and translation, working also as a freelance translator for the European Court of Justice.
Dr. Petrů has significant experience in academic project coordination. He led a major national project focused on the innovation of Romance language teaching (2010–2013), and from 2015 to 2021 served as the chief project manager of an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership involving seven European institutions. Within the TEFE and TEFE A+ projects, he contributes to the Czech national team, supporting project management and international collaboration. He is also active in cultural outreach as President of the Alliance française de Bohême du Sud.
https://www.jcu.cz/cz/univerzita/lide/clovek?identita=Petru_Ivo_6840
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivo-petr%C5%AF-46891359/
Antonela DEVČIĆ- Senior Teaching Assistant
University of Zagreb Faculty of Organization and Informatics
Croatia
Antonela Devčić (ex. Čižmešija) is a Senior Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb (FOI, UNIZG). She holds a PhD in Information and Communication Sciences, with a dissertation on the impact of communication quality and shared mental models on the performance of virtual teams in the ICT sector. Her research interests include communication in virtual environments, digital inclusion, virtual collaboration, and the use of digital tools in education and business. She is experienced in statistical analysis (PLS-SEM), measurement instrument design and validation, and qualitative methods such as focus groups and data analysis. She has participated in national and international projects funded by Erasmus+ (Edubots, OOP4FUN, AI-HED) and the European Social Fund (Digitalna.hr), and has published in indexed journals and conference proceedings.
https://www.foi.unizg.hr/en/staff/antonela.cizmesija
Karolina KOKOT- Senior Teaching Assistant
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics
Croatia
Karolina Kokot was born on September 8, 1991, in Maribor. She graduated in 2015 from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics. In 2024, she earned her PhD from the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, with a specialization in Strategic Management.
She is currently employed as a Senior Teaching Assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics in Varaždin, working within both the Department of Organization and the Department of Economics.
Her research interests include Strategic Management, Corporate Governance, and Human Resource Management.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolina-kokot-71057a233/
Full Prof Marina KLAČMER ČALOPA- Dean
University of Zagreb Faculty of Organization and Informatics
Croatia
Marina Klačmer Čalopa is a Full professor of social sciences, in the field of economics and a Dean at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Organization and Informatics. She has been teaching within the Department of Economics (Financial Institutions and Markets, Management of Institutional Investor, Personal Finance, Capital Market, Entrepreneurial venture) and the Department of Organization (Corporate Governance, Strategic Management, Strategic Management of Human Resources). She has been leading and participating in several scientific and professional projects. At the moment she lead Croatian Science Foundation project Digitalization in entrepreneurship in the context of response to an exogenous shock: Drivers, barriers and impact on firm resilience In her work and professional development (IP-2022-10-6703). She has written and published independently and in co-authorship a large number of scientific and professional papers.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-kla%C4%8Dmer-%C4%8Dalopa-aa5313180/
https://www.foi.unizg.hr/hr/djelatnici/marina.klacmer
Violeta VIDAČEK HAINŠ- Full professor
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics Varaždin
Croatia
Scientist and University Professor, conducting research and publishing research articles and book chapters linked to the business communication, cross cultural communication and human resources management. Member of the Croatian Chamber of Psychologists, head of the Office for Students with Disabilities at the Faculty level, member of the National Volunteering Committee, coordinator of volunteering projects at the Center for Volunteering and Humanitarian Work at a Faculty; Member of the Gender Equality Committee - Varaždin County, leader of the Student's Symposium on Research and Intercultural Learning organized in collaboration with American universities since 2010 as well as the Students Research Section at the Central European Conference on Information and Intelligent Systems since 2011. She was guest lecturer and visiting scholar at different universities in Europe, USA and South Africa.
Awardees in INCLUSION
Martin DEINHOFER- Senior Lecturer, Researcher at Faculty of Electronic Engineering & Entrepreneurship
UAS Technikum Wien, Austria
Austria
Martin graduated at the vocational school HTL St. Pölten (Computer Science) in 1997. He worked in several companies as a software developer. He studied the Bachelor program Sports Equipment Technology and the Master program Healthcare and Rehabilitation Technology at the UAS Technikum Wien.
Since September 2013 he has been working as researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in the field of Assistive Technologies and Digital Accessibility and is currently project manager of Inclusion International.
Other research projects he was involved:
• BERTL (022022-current)
• StudyATHome Internationally (022018-012022)
• Prosperity4All (022014-022018)
• AsTeRICS Academy (092013-092016)
https://www.technikum-wien.at/personal/martin-deinhofer/
Oliver Simon OTT- Research Assistant
University of Innsbruck, Institute of Mechatronics
Austria
Oliver Ott is a mechanical engineer at the University of Innsbruck with a research focus on industrial exoskeletons. As part of the INNklusion initiative, he collaborates with students, academic peers, and people with disabilities to co-design assistive technologies that improve workplace safety and promote autonomy. INNklusion bridges academic learning and teaching with real-world challenges through a participatory, design-thinking-based approach, transforming diverse perspectives into meaningful innovations. This hands-on, inclusive process not only leads to accessible solutions but also aims to prepare students to approach complex problems with empathy, creativity, and social responsibility.
www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-ott; https://www.uibk.ac.at/de/projects/innklusion/
Dr. Jasmina S. ĆIRIĆ- Assistant Professor, PhD.
University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Philology and Arts (Department of Applied Arts - Department of General Education)
Serbia
Dr. Jasmina S. Ćirić is a specialist in Byzantine Art and Architecture, focusing on the symbolic and sensorial dimensions of sacred space, visual perception, and liturgical practices in the medieval Balkans. She earned her PhD in Art History from the University of Belgrade and is currently preparing a book on the construction of sacred landscapes in late 14th-century Belgrade. Dr. Ćirić organized an international conference on Serbian King Milutin (r. 1282–1321) and the Palaiologan Age and edited its proceedings. She has authored numerous scholarly articles on symbolism in medieval Balkan architecture and serves as a peer reviewer and editorial board member for several academic journals. Dr. Ćirić regularly lectures across Europe through the Erasmus+ program and participates in international research initiatives, including COST Actions CA19131, CA23128, and CA21125.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmina-s-ciric-68a4a572/
Anikó SÁNDOR- assistant professor
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Anikó is an assistant professor and the head of the Institute for Disability and Social Participation at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education. She is also a co-founder of the Disability/Studies/ and Social/ Innovation Lab and co-leader of the Disability Studies Doctoral Workshop. Her main areas of interest are the self-determination of people with high support needs, and participatory teaching, research, and innovation.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anik%C3%B3-s%C3%A1ndor-629226204/
András FUTÁR- participatory lecturer
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
András is a participatory lecturer at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education. He teaches full-time and part-time students in various courses. He shares his lived experiences and provides insights into different issues and topics concerning people with disabilities. Examples include decision making and supported employment. He has participated in several study trips abroad and gives speeches on participatory research and teaching.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A1s-fut%C3%A1r-941356238/
Borbála BÁNYAI- associate professor
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Borbála is a sociologist and special needs educator. She is an associate professor at the Institute for Disability and Social Participation and a member of the Disability Doctoral Workshop. Her fields of interest are institutional environment, labour market and employment, and the social relationships and inclusion of people with learning disabilities and persons with psychosocial disabilities.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2768-6711
Csilla CSERTI-SZAUER- assistant lecturer
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Csilla is a special education teacher, an economist and a doctoral candidate at the ELTE Eötvös Loránd University Doctoral School of Education. Her research is related to career planning and employment of people with disabilities. She is one of the co-founders of Disability Studies and Social Innovation Lab.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/csilla-cserti-szauer-181baa20a/
Emese ZAGYI- assistant lecturer
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Emese is a doctoral student in the Special Education Program of the Doctoral School of Education at Eötvös Loránd University. She is also an assistant lecturer at the Institute for General Theory of Special Needs Education. Her research interests focus on the issues of women with physical disabilities, Feminist Disability Studies, and sexual assistance.
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3984-0740
Lizanka ORAVECZ- participatory lecturer
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Lizanka is a special needs teacher, specialised in the pedagogy of autism. She works as a participatory lecturer at the Institute for Disability and Social Participation. She strives to broaden students' knowledge and horizons in the field of Disability Studies, especially regarding the experience of autism. As an autistic person, she tries to supplement her own experiences with her academic studies to provide an approach that combines the latest research findings and draws the attention of students to the situation, strengths, and difficulties of the autistic society, thus encouraging them to think and act.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizanka/
Michael OCHIENG' OTIENO- doctoral student/guest lecturer
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Michael is a PhD student in Educational Science, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Doctoral School of Education at Eötvös Loránd University. He is currently a guest lecturer at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education and also a secondary school teacher at the Teachers Service Commission in Kenya.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5712-4109
Vanda KATONA- associate professor
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Vanda graduated as a sociologist and works as an associate professor at the Institute for General Theory of Special Needs Education at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education. She defended her PhD dissertation in 2015 on the topic of Independent Living. She has conducted several participatory research projects and teaches students of special needs education at the bachelor's and master's levels. The field of her research and teaching activities are: Disability Studies, transition to adulthood, parenthood of persons with disabilities, inclusive research, and inclusive methods in higher education.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanda-katona-0b40641a4/
Veronika KALÁSZ- participatory lecturer
ELTE Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education
Hungary
Veronika is a participatory researcher and teacher at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education. She studied international administrative organization at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Pázmány Péter Catholic University. She has been a wheelchair user since 2010 and currently works in the field of Human Resources at a multinational company.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronika-kal%C3%A1sz-326054250/
Awardees in SUSTAINABILITY
Katalin ÁSVÁNYI- Associate Professor, Dean for Sustainability
Corvinus University of Budapest
Hungary
Katalin Ásványi is the Dean for Sustainability at Corvinus University of Budapest and an Associate Professor and the Head of Department of Sustainability Management and Environmental Economics. As the Chair of the PRME Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Chapter, she plays a key role in advancing responsible management education across the region. She has received multiple prestigious awards, including the PRME Faculty Teaching Award (2024) and Corvinus Teacher of the Year Award (2023). She has recently developed an innovative ESG postgraduate program, equipping professionals with the knowledge and skills to integrate sustainability into corporate strategies effectively. With extensive research experience and numerous international publications, she is committed to fostering impactful collaborations between academia, businesses, and communities.
www.linkedin.com/in/katalin-ásványi-a4b86127
Márta FRIGYIK- Manager of Corvinus Science Shop
Corvinus University of Budapest
Hungary
Márta Frigyik works as partnership coordinator in the Corvinus Science Shop setting up course projects and thesis work between local community partners and lecturers, researchers and students of Corvinus. With a background in Management and Organization development Márta facilitates the community partners of the science shop to articulate their research needs and questions and supports the collaboration for Community Engaged Research and Learning to happen. Márta contributed as a member of Corvinus Science Shop in the E+ CIRCLET (Curriculum Innovation through Research with Communities: Learning circles of Educators and Technology) and is currently involve in project LOESS (Literacy boost through an Operational Educational Ecosystem of Societal actors on Soil health).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/m%C3%A1rta-frigyik-70878821/
Réka MATOLAY- Associate Professor, Head of Corvinus Science Shop
Corvinus University of Budapest
Hungary
Réka Matolay, PhD. Associate Professor and Head of Corvinus Science Shop. She has developed and taught courses on Sustainability, CSR, Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation at BA, MA and Postgraduate levels. As a committed advocate of community engaged research and learning she explores and establishes ways of supporting university-society partnerships, promotes participatory and transformative pedagogies in higher education.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rekamatolay/
Univ.-Ass. Dr. phil. Dipl.-Rest. (FH) Tanja KIMMEL- Head of Textile Conservation Departement
University of Applied Arts Vienna, Institute of Conservation
Austria
Tanja Kimmel is a conservator specialized in textiles and leather with a PhD (Dr. phil.) from the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Her research explores environmental and sustainability issues in museums and storage facilities, with a focus on carbon footprinting. She is a certified sustainability manager and has headed the textile workshop at the Institute of Conservation in Vienna since 2015.
Univ.-Lect. Sina HERRMANN, M.A.- Project Manager for Climate Action and Sustainability
German Museums Association
Filip JUKIĆ- Postdoctoral Researcher (Senior Assistant)
University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing
Croatia
Filip Jukić, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Electric Machines, Drives, and Automation at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER). He earned his B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology in 2014, his M.Sc. in 2016, and his Ph.D. in 2022—each from FER. In recognition of the industrial impact of his doctoral research, he received FER’s annual Končar Award for outstanding scientific achievement with industrial applications. His research focuses on advanced control strategies for electrical machines and drives, particularly sensorless control and energy-efficient systems. He has participated in numerous domestic industrial and research projects and has gained extensive teaching experience, for which he received the Roberto Giannini Award for excellence in teaching at FER. He is also a regular reviewer for the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/filip-juki%C4%87-98679628a /
https://www.fer.unizg.hr/en/filip.jukic
Eka DEVIDZE- Head of BA Programs in Tourism
International Black Sea University
Georgia
Eka Devidze (Professor) is the head of BA (Georgian and English Sectors) Programs in Tourism at International Black Sea University and The University of Georgia. She is the Accreditation Expert (Business Administration, Tourism) at National Center for Education Quality Enhancement, 2018-present, Tbilisi, Georgia, The scientific Expert of the fondazione Romualdo Del Bianco – Life Beyond Tourism, Florence, Italy. Tourism Expert of the Board of Studies (BoS) at Chandigarh University, India. The finalist of the nomination "The Best Woman Entrepreneur in the Tourism Industry Award 2017", Welcome to Georgia, National Tourism Awards, Georgia. Tourism Expert in EU, UN international projects implemented in Georgia. Director of the LNGO Tourism & Reality, the founder of the Travel Agency ,,Saba”. The founder of the Guest House Complex Tom’s Hut, Guria Region.
