We are very proud for the recognition we received from a renowned daily newspaper in Croatia Slobodna Dalmacija which listed us among the most successful companies in Dalmatia in 2021. This gives us an additional motivation and purpose to continue with our hard work in the following period.

Here is the extract published in the Premium edition of Slobodna Dalmacija:
„The Public Open University Božić presented its programs for adult education at the Open Days of EU projects (Dani otvorenih vrata EU Projekata), with an emphasis on the training of teachers of vocational subjects, seafarers and maritime experts.

POU Božić as part of the SSM Group is the first international maritime school in the Republic of Croatia. It was founded in 2015 in Split. As a center of lifelong learning, the basic activity of the College is education, additional training, retraining, advanced training and training of adults for various professions. Their mission is to “be the leading institution for lifelong learning in this part of Europe, contributing to the intellectual, social and general development of the environment, creating new employment opportunities through the development of multidisciplinary education programs”.

The school not only offers maritime programs, a total of 160 education programs are available to students, and the programs are designed in accordance with the new methodology for developing adult curricula according to the recommendations of the EU Education Agency. All programs are internationally recognized, and programs in English are also offered. Also, they are the only maritime college in this part of Europe that has a decision of the competent Ministry for the implementation of secondary school retraining programs in English for the professions of maritime navigator and marine engineering technician. Their goal is to obtain a solution by the end of 2021 for the implementation of a high school program in English for the professions of electro-technician and technician for yachts and marinas. Within the College there is also a school of foreign languages, whose certificates are also internationally recognized.

The implemented project “Modernization of professional development of teachers of maritime vocational subjects” for work on CARGO simulator, DP simulator, High voltage simulator, COLREG range and range for handling a lifeboat, was presented to us by Eli Sudar Borković, followed by Captain Vjekoslav Grgić who went us through the simulators and showed us how they work and how education and exercises are conducted.
Ivo Perković, the professional andragogical leader of the University, gave us more details about the project itself.
– We first applied for the project through a public tender announced by the Agency for Vocational Adult Education, in order to strengthen the professional competencies of teachers of vocational schools. With a positive response from the Agency, we reported the same project to the European Commission, which is the organizer of the European Week of Skills Acquired in Vocational Education and Training. The Commission accepted the project and provided us with all the necessary materials for visibility and a formal decision on our partnership. The commission fully covers the costs of organizing the event. They would send their ambassador to the Week, who would attend the event had it not been for the COVID situation. We are proud to be the organizers of workshops specifically for teachers of maritime schools, which is a unique case in the European Union of over 600 events organized as part of the Week – he said.

Finally, it was mentioned that in cooperation with SELS Split Association of the Faculty of Law were organized lectures for law students coming from various European countries, as part of the project “2nd and 3rd edition of the Summer ELSA Law School Split, Croatia on Maritime Law”. The lectures lasted three days and dealt with the topics of terrorism, piracy and accidents, maritime and general maritime law and rules on avoiding collisions at sea. As a final detail of the presentation, Captain Grgić also showed us the exercises to avoid collisions at sea in the pool with models. ”

Enrollment in the International Maritime School programs for maritime navigators, marine engineering technicians and electro-technicians is underway. You can register in person at the address: 114. brigade 12, Split, by email: [email protected]; or on tel. 021/558 519, mob: 091/4782892.