At the annual education conference of the portal srednja.hr, held under the title “Education Without Borders”, the Golden Chalk Awards were presented to the most outstanding teachers, pupils, students, and professors in Croatia. A total of 169 applications were submitted for the competition, and 30 finalists were selected for the final round. Among them, our professor Stjepan Jelica, lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences “Lavoslav Ružička” in Vukovar, won the prestigious title of Professor of the Year.

Professor Jelica, a physiotherapist and lecturer, is recognized for his exceptional empathy, expertise, and dedication, through which he contributes daily to the development of his students as well as the children with developmental difficulties he works with. In addition to his academic work, he actively participates in numerous volunteer projects and associations, and is a Bobath therapist committed to the inclusion of children.

His pedagogical and compassionate approach extends far beyond the classroom—on one occasion, he even took part in a marathon in Osijek, pushing the wheelchair of his patient, enabling her to symbolically run her own race. He is the author of a book on children’s rehabilitation, and our students describe him as a professor, mentor, and role model.

The University of Applied Sciences “Lavoslav Ružička” in Vukovar proudly congratulates Professor Jelica on this exceptional recognition, which affirms his long-standing professional, pedagogical, and humanitarian contribution to education and the community.