Representatives of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava participated in the prestigious NAFSA 2025: Association of International Educators international conference in San Diego, USA, on 25-30 May 2025. The event was one of the most important world forums in the field of higher education and its internationalization, where thousands of experts of universities and institutions from all over the world meet every year.
The STU delegation consisting of Ján Híveš, Vice-Rector for Science and Research, Mikuláš Bittera, Bursar, Dominika Reynolds, Director of CEVES as project manager and coordinator of internationalization activities, and Natália Gurská, EULiST coordinator for the Institute of International Studies, represented the University within the framework of the implementation of the "Support for university promotion projects". The project is aimed at supporting global visibility and attractiveness of Slovak universities. Just like in the previous year, the Slovak stand "Study in Slovakia" at the conference presented ten Slovak universities -successful applicants in the call in question; however, in total 16 Slovak universities were represented at NAFSA 2025. Tomáš Drucker, the SR Minister of Education, also participating at the conference, emphasized in his address the importance of similar events and approved the Ministry's intention to support corresponding projects.
The STU's participation this year was focused mainly on establishing new partnerships with foreign universities, strengthening existing relationships and finding opportunities for joint research projects in the field of technical sciences, mobility of students and teachers, and joint educational programs. The strategy of STU's participation at this year's NAFSA 2025 conference was aimed at expanding the network of strategic partners and intensifying relationships within the programs such as Erasmus+ ICM or the EULiST alliance.
An important part of the participation in NAFSA 2025 was presentation of the Slovak University of Technology as a modern, innovative and open institution with a strong emphasis on international cooperation. Besides establishment of new contacts, the goals comprised optimization of the STU position in the awareness of foreign partners and strengthening of its brand in the field of technical and scientific education.
The NAFSA 2025 Conference provided venue for individual negotiations with representatives of partner universities from Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. The STU delegation established new contacts that may lead to the expansion of the University's international activities in the future and to strengthening its competitiveness in the field of research and education. Interest in cooperation with STU was expressed primarily by universities from non-European countries, which have traditionally dominated the Conference. The achievement of the STU participation is a series of prospective contacts with institutions from Latin America and Asia.
STU's participation in the NAFSA 2025 event is a step further towards systematic increase in quality of the University's internationalization and expanding its global impact in compliance with the strategic goals of the higher education development in Slovakia.
