The University of Split’s Centre for Croatian Studies Abroad opened its doors in 2007 as the hub for the learning and adoption of Croatian as a foreign language. The first year of operations saw sixteen people enrol in the programme, which has jumped this year to 227.
The University of Split’s Centre for Croatian Studies Abroad, part of the university’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, celebrated a decade of work on Friday the 12th of May with a round table discussion on the topic of The Croatian Language Among the Emigrant Communities at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences premises at the peristyle of Diocletian’s palace.
On hand for the gala event were assistant science and education minister and associate professor Ms Ivana Franić PhD, State Office for Croats Abroad advisor Milan Bošnjak, University of Split prorector professor Branko Matulić PhD, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences dean professor Aleksandar Jakir PhD, the head of the centre and senior lecturer Marita Brčić Kuljiš PhD and many guests from our other universities.
Prorector Matulić noted that the Centre for Croatian Studies Abroad has a dual mission – to assist Croatians living outside of Croatia who wish to learn about their language and culture, and to advance and preserve our language among students and professors. In this regard an initiative has been launched to see every university study programme include a lecture course on the culture of speech and orthography.
Dean Jakir, State Office for Croats Abroad advisor Milan Bošnjak and former dean and professor emeritus Josip Milat, one of the founders of the centre, all offered their congratulations and thanks to staffers for their successful and persevering work.
Josip Lasić, a senior lecturer from the Croatian language and literature department and a long time collaborator with the centre, spoke of its work, success and future plans. He noted that the University of Split’s Centre for Croatian Studies Abroad has for many years conducted semester Croatian language instruction programmes for the descendants of Croatian emigrants (most from overseas countries that are now home to numerous Croatian diaspora communities, primarily in the South American countries of Chile and Argentina, and in Australia) of which many who complete the programme at the University of Split remain to live and work in Croatia.
The University of Split’s Centre for Croatian Studies Abroad opened its doors in 2007 as the hub for the learning and adoption of Croatian as a foreign language. The first year of operations saw sixteen people enrol in the programme, which has jumped this year to 227, which speaks volumes about its successful work and development.
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