Successfully concluded the first Festival of Slovenian Universities UNI-SI
On Friday, 16 January, and Saturday, 17 January 2026, the first Festival of Slovenian Universities, UNI-SI, took place at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre. All eight Slovenian universities, members of the Rectors’ Conference of the Republic of Slovenia (RK RS), were presented at the event. The organisers are satisfied with the attendance, estimating that around 10,000 visitors took part. The visitors fully represented the target audience, namely secondary school students interested in pursuing university studies and those who support them in their decision-making.
The students explored the exhibition areas of all eight universities and familiarised themselves with more than 400 study programmes available to them. To make orientation easier, the programmes were presented across seven thematic fields—an innovation and a unique concept of the event—which are also available for review on the festival’s website. UNI-SI is more than just a fair: through year-round communication, it provides unified support via its channels, guiding prospective students from the decision-making process through to enrolment, both at the national and international levels.
The collaborative concept of all universities also enabled a joint presentation of all three student dormitory offices (Maribor, Ljubljana, Koper), as placement in subsidised accommodation is managed at the national level throughout the entire process—from application to final placement, which is carried out in accordance with dormitory regulations. The offices also presented these procedures as part of the accompanying festival programme, where other more formal but essential processes, such as application and enrolment, were also explained. In addition, workshops and lectures were held to support a better academic and student life experience.
Advice was provided by staff from various services and fields, academic representatives, and the students themselves. A distinctive feature of the festival are the ambassadors—a group consisting of one student from each university—who offer guidance and additional information to their younger peers both through social media and in person at the festival.
The festival officially began on Friday with a formal morning protocol programme. This year’s festival was held under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar, who also visited the event and toured the festival grounds, accompanied by the rector and rectors (or their representatives) of the Rectors’ Conference of the Republic of Slovenia (RK RS). The event was also attended by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Igor Papič, as the responsible ministry supported the festival. Support was also provided by the Ministry of Education (MVI), which serves as a key link to the secondary school population.
The organisers consider the implementation and concept of the festival to be successful, as the event enabled them to highlight and realise all the concepts and information developed through many years of experience in advising and guiding young people. The coordination of the festival within the organisational group—comprising representatives of all universities—is, by agreement, part of the responsibilities of the presiding university of the Rectors’ Conference of the Republic of Slovenia (RK RS). Accordingly, for the next two years, coordination will be taken over by the University of Maribor from the University of Primorska, with the University of Nova Gorica as co–vice-presiding university.
Until the next festival, activities will continue via the website and social media channels, where secondary school students will receive regular and up-to-date information and reminders regarding deadlines, procedures, and news related to applications for both first- and higher-cycle study programmes. With its English-language version, the website also serves as an important source of information for prospective international students and, at the international level, presents the breadth of Slovenia’s university landscape.
