UNIZA Opens the New Academic Year with the Inauguration of its Rector

On Monday, 21 September 2026, the University of Žilina officially opened the new academic year and inaugurated Prof. Ing. Branislav Hadzima, PhD., as its new Rector. The ceremony, held in the DATALAN Hall, brought together representatives of the City of Žilina, the Žilina Self-Governing Region, the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic, as well as Slovak and international universities. The programme featured a performance by the Omnia Choir, which recently won two gold medals at the World Choir Games 2026 in Helsingborg, Sweden. In his inaugural address, Rector Hadzima highlighted the importance of flexible education, stronger links with industry and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. Under his leadership, UNIZA will focus on modern education, excellence in science and research, international cooperation, innovation and the development of a vibrant SMART campus.

15^th UNIZA Rector’s Sports Day Brings Employees Together

On 10 September, the UNIZA campus came alive with sports, competition and a great team spirit. The 15^th UNIZA Rector’s Sports Day brought together employees from across the university, who competed in a variety of sporting and team-building activities. Archery proved to be the most popular discipline, attracting as many as 95 participants. The event once again highlighted that UNIZA is more than a place to work and study – it is also a space for meeting, collaboration and shared experiences. The Rector’s travelling trophy was once again won by employees of the Rectorate. The Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications took second place, followed by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology in third. Starting next year, the Rector’s Sports Day will take place in May.

UNIZA at IBM Research: Exploring the Future of Quantum Technologies

Quantum computing, artificial intelligence and post-quantum cryptography were among the key topics discussed at a meeting between representatives of Slovakia and the Czech Republic and IBM on 18 August 2026 at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York. UNIZA was represented by Prof. Ing. Emil Kršák, PhD., Dean of the Faculty of Management Science and Informatics. IBM experts presented the latest developments in quantum computing, its future potential and emerging practical applications. UNIZA is already preparing the next generation of experts for this rapidly developing field. The Faculty of Management Science and Informatics is expanding its Applied Informatics studies to include quantum informatics and has introduced Slovakia’s first academic desktop quantum computer for teaching purposes. New courses covering the fundamentals of quantum informatics will be introduced in the summer semester of the 2026/2027 academic year, with a Quantum Algorithms course to follow in the subsequent academic year.

Ing. Martina Slavíková and Department for International Relations and Marketing UNIZA 


SUBSCRIBE TO THE UNIZA NEWSLETTER