Development of Educational Activity at the University of Maribor

Authors

Andrej Sotlar
University of Maribor
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8678-4958
Sebastijan Frumen
University of Maribor

Synopsis

The educational activity currently carried out by the University of Maribor has its roots in higher vocational and higher education, which began at the institutions that would later become its constituent members, approximately a decade and a half prior to the University’s formal establishment. The development of study programmes was initially guided by the needs of the local community, gradually expanding to address broader economic and societal demands. Following the founding of the University, the range of study programmes and fields of study expanded rapidly, particularly through the establishment or integration of new faculties. At present, the University of Maribor comprises seventeen members, collectively offering 178 study programmes across all levels of higher education in the fields of engineering, natural sciences, agriculture, medicine, social sciences, and the humanities. A diverse and comprehensive selection of study programmes, their continual adaptation to societal needs, an interdisciplinary orientation, a strong commitment to internationalisation, and a consistent rate of student enrolment are key features of its academic engagement. These attributes position the University of Maribor as a significant national higher education institution, which has long since transcended its local and regional origins and now confidently asserts its presence within the global academic sphere.

Author Biographies

Andrej Sotlar, University of Maribor

Andrej Sotlar is a Full Professor of Criminal Justice and Security at the Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, University of Maribor. He served as Dean from 2015 to 2023 and is currently Vice-Dean for Quality and Development as well as Head of the Chair of Policing and Security Studies. His research, teaching, and professional work focuses on national security, security and safety in local communities, plural policing, extremism and terrorism, private security, detective activity, and municipal policing. He leads the central national conference pertaining to Criminal Justice and Security – Days of Criminal Justice and Security and co-organizes the annual conference Days of National Security. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the journal Varstvoslovje.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: andrej.sotlar@um.si

Sebastijan Frumen, University of Maribor

Sebastijan Frumen, Professor of Slovene, is the Head of the Department for Education and Study at the University of Maribor that is monitoring and assuring the quality of study programs in accordance with ESG standards. A special focus is placed on creating an inclusive educational environment that will contribute to improving the quality of education and enable students to develop their diverse potential in a comprehensive and balanced way. The department also addresses the needs of society in acquiring knowledge necessary for sustainable development, both during studies and through lifelong learning, including the implementation of micro-credentials. As a doctoral student in the field of higher education didactics, his research focuses on introducing flexible learning pathways and future learning environments in higher education.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: sebastijan.frumen@um.si

Downloads

Published

September 9, 2025

Categories

How to Cite

Sotlar, A., & Frumen, S. (2025). Development of Educational Activity at the University of Maribor. In G. Meško & N. Ulčnik (Eds.), 50 let Univerze v Mariboru: Pol stoletja znanja in raziskovanja (pp. 147-196). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.1.2025.6