News

Seven months ago, our institution was granted approval for a bilateral Croatian-Chinese cooperation project titled:

Green Optics – A Research Project on the Environmental Impact of Ophthalmic Optical Aids.

The project builds upon earlier research by our Vice-Dean, Prof. Sanja Kalambura, Ph.D., which began in 2019 and earned her the National Geographic Croatia Award.

The research focuses on a comparative analysis of consumer habits in the European Union and China, as well as on identifying effective and sustainable solutions for the final disposal of optical aids.

Our key partner in this project is the prestigious Tongji University in Shanghai – one of China’s leading universities in eco-engineering, environmental protection, and urban development. We are deeply honored to collaborate with Prof. Pinjing He and his research team – an internationally renowned expert and authority in waste management, Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Waste Management (Elsevier, Impact Factor 7.1), one of the most cited journals in this field.

Prof. He, together with his colleagues Wei Peng and Liu Fan, spent five days in Croatia. During their visit, we organized tours of several key facilities and locations:

Velika Gorica Waste Disposal Site

Spectra Media – a WEEE waste treatment facility in Bistra

Biljane Donje Waste Management Center, Zadar

In addition to the scientific and professional aspects of the visit, we also introduced our colleagues to Croatia’s natural and cultural heritage – from Plitvice Lakes National Park, Smiljan and Nikola Tesla’s birthplace, to the Krapina Neanderthal Museum, Kumrovec, and many other sites.

We were especially pleased to host colleagues with whom our Vice-Dean has maintained a collaboration spanning more than 15 years. The project will continue next year, when our team will travel to China for the second research phase, including knowledge exchange and further academic cooperation.

The project team also includes Dean Dr. Tamara Čendo Metzinger and Head of the Communication Department Dr. Ana Mirenić.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to this significant and inspiring project!

#GreenOptics #CroatiaChina #EnvironmentalScience #WasteManagement #SustainabilityResearch #InternationalCollaboration #AcademicExchange #CircularEconomy #GlobalScience #EcoInnovation

#Veleučilište Velika Gorica #Tongji University