Distinguished Scholars as Conference Panelists

On 3 and 4 November 2025, the Faculty of Croatian Studies at the University of Zagreb will host the two-day International Scientific-Professional Conference Croatian Language and Culture Abroad: Exploring the Past, Present, and FutureThe conference will bring together prominent scholars, lecturers, and experts in the humanities and social sciences, representatives of educational institutions, teachers of the Croatian language and culture, and members of Croatian communities from around the world. The shared goal is to initiate a discussion on the preservation of the Croatian language and cultural identity abroad, examine contemporary challenges, and foster dialogue on the future of the Croatian language in a globalized world. The thematic areas encompass Croatian national identity and its components, Croatian as a second and foreign language in Croatia and abroad, issues of Croatian emigration, and the role of language in safeguarding cultural heritage. An interdisciplinary approach linking scholarship, education, and cultural policy will be at the forefront of conference deliberations. A special contribution to the conference comes from the invited keynote speakers — distinguished scholars whose work is crucial for understanding contemporary linguistic and cultural processes.

Distinguished scholar Vanda Babić Galić, PhD, Full Professor , from the Institute for Migration Research, will address the status of the Croatian minority in Montenegro, particularly in the Bay of Kotor region. Her presentation will offer an in-depth analysis of the historical and cultural context and of the current challenges faced by the Croatian community. She will discuss threats to cultural identity and highlight strategies for its preservation within the European context, emphasizing the importance of unity between the homeland and the Croatian diaspora.

One of Croatia’s leading experts in Croatian as a second and foreign language, Lidija Cvikić, PhD, Full Professor from the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Teacher Education, will present findings from contemporary research on learning and teaching Croatian abroad. She will underscore the importance of evidence-based instruction rather than reliance solely on experience and intuition. Drawing on the RAPID project, she will highlight the potential of corpus linguistics for developing new curricula and teaching materials, positioning Croatian as a second language alongside world languages in the field of applied linguistics.

One of the most eminent Croatian linguists, Marko Tadić, PhD, Full Professor from the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, will discuss the recently adopted Croatian Language Act and the Draft Plan for Croatian Language Policy, with particular focus on teaching Croatian outside the homeland. His presentation will open an important discussion on a systematic approach and institutional support for Croatian language instruction among the diaspora, as well as on new measures needed to strengthen the position of Croatian among foreign learners.

Jasna Novak Milić, Phd, Assistant Professor, from Macquarie University (Sydney), a Croatian scholar working in Australia, will provide a diaspora perspective on the challenges of preserving language and identity in an era of globalization, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. Through an analysis of higher education policies and social change, she will highlight the need to adapt academic programmes and the importance of technology as a tool for safeguarding linguistic and cultural distinctiveness. Her lecture raises a broader question: how can the Croatian language and culture endure and flourish in the 21st century.

Each panelist, from their own scholarly and cultural standpoint, will illuminate the complex processes shaping Croatian identity abroad. From minority communities in the Bay of Kotor and children learning Croatian as a second language, to university programmes on the other side of the world, the mission remains clear: to preserve the Croatian language as a cornerstone of identity, connection, and cultural heritage.The conference Croatian Language and Culture Abroad: Exploring the Past, Present, and Future will offer a forum for scholarly discussion, dialogue, and collaboration — and for building new bridges between the homeland and Croatian communities across the globe.