About Libertas

Libertas International University is the oldest private University in Croatia. It was developed by merging the Libertas Business School and DIU Libertas International University in Zagreb and Dubrovnik as two higher education institutions into the current university institution during 2016. Libertas International University today consists of four faculties and one Business School.

Course lectures at the Libertas International University are delivered in Zagreb, Kutina and Dubrovnik, with classes in Dubrovnik being delivered in the English language and in other locations in the Croatian language.

Full-time and part-time students are offered the possibility to choose among 8 undergraduate, 6 graduate, 1 postgraduate specialist and 1 postgraduate doctoral study programmes. Therefore, Libertas offers the opportunity of academic and professional advancement from the undergraduate to the doctoral educational degree, making it the only higher education institution in Croatia to do so. So far, this opportunity has been seized by thousands of students from Croatia and 30 countries worldwide.

Teaching and learning activities at Libertas take place in small groups and knowledge is acquired through an active approach to relevant topics. Students are equal participants in the educational process, and not passive observers reproducing someone else’s knowledge. We emphasise teamwork, but at the same time individual approach to each student, their intellectual needs and affinities.

Libertas’s greatest strength lies in its exceptional teachers who possess outstanding academic and professional experience. Our community of renowned international scientists includes professors who used to or still teach at Harvard University, Princeton University, Georgetown, London School of Economics, University in Sorbonne, New York University, the Faculty of Law at the University of Virginia, as well as plentiful leading educational institutions in Europe, USA and elsewhere in the world. Furthermore, they represent a group made up of current and former ambassadors, ministers, economic experts, CEOs, experts in international law, generals, directors of cultural institutions, representatives of the United Nations, OSCE, IMF and other distinguished international institutions. This combination of academic excellence and rich experience ensures the balance between theory and practice of our programmes.

With its commitment and exceptional choice of teaching staff, as well as implementing the latest teaching and learning methods, the University educates experts who are ready to assume the leading roles in diplomacy, business, tourism and hospitality, healthcare, sports management and business security.

A lot of our former students have already acquired significant positions in business, diplomacy, banking, politics, sports management, tourism and other areas in Croatia and abroad. Ninety-five percent of several thousand students who graduated at Libertas are employed and developing successful professional careers.

Our constituents

Faculty of International Relations and Diplomacy

The Faculty of International Relations and Diplomacy offers interdisciplinary education through a blend of academic excellence, cultural diversity and exchange, science and research. The study programmes delivered by the faculty encompass areas of international business, diplomacy, comparative studies and international organisations, operations and law, confirming the fact that the area of international relations and diplomacy can be understood in its entirety only through a multidisciplinary and all-encompassing approach.

The old tradition of Croatian diplomacy is experiencing its revival at the Faculty of International Relations and Diplomacy of the Libertas International University, both in Zagreb as the most populated city in the country, and in Dubrovnik as the historic capital of Croatian diplomacy. The knowledge acquired by studying international relations and diplomacy has wide applications, and the education of young experts in diplomacy, international political, economic, humanitarian and other institutions is the imperative of the development of Croatian foreign affairs, as well as the development of society as a whole in the age of the growing globalisation challenges.

Faculty of International Business and Economics

The Faculty of International Business and Economics prepares students for professional positions in the global business environment through a combination of theoretical knowledge and a range of practical skills relevant for international business and economics. The students acquire a wide spectrum of competences in the area of business by developing problem-solving and communication skills necessary for success in the corporate arena.

As the issues in international economics and business spread in volume and complexity, it is of vital importance to educate new generations of leaders in the areas of politics, the private sector and economics that possess critical understanding of economic concepts and the role of economic processes in international business activities. Indeed, in the Lisbon Strategy, the European Union recognised the primary method of increasing competitiveness and growth in the global economic system through education and knowledge. The European Union example has shown that businesspeople having current business and economics knowledge and skills are key elements for a successful integration and operation on the common European market.

The knowledge necessary to conduct business in new, global markets is lacking on the markets of East, South and South-East Europe. A very small share of the labour market is oriented toward the area of international business. The undergraduate study programme of International Business and Economics of the Libertas International University is focused on providing crucial knowledge and skills for the international market, which in fact corresponds with the specific needs of companies dealing in international business and trade. The study programme is conceptualised as a combination of theoretical understanding sustained by practical knowledge; therefore, the acquired competences can be applied to various professional challenges in the area of international business and trade. Upon completion of the study programme, the graduate will be ready to work in companies dealing in international business, institutions for analysis and consulting in international economic business activities, as well as state and international organisations focused on international economics (especially WTO and EU).

Instead of focusing on a specific skill or aspect of international business, Libertas International University offers a uniquely organised study programme, considering that students are provided with the possibility to study international business in an interesting, interactive and flexible environment. The main focus of this study programme is to enable students to succeed in the global market through increasing the competitiveness of their companies and national economies, and provide them with the necessary skills to shape their future careers in international organisations and the private sector.

Faculty of Health Sciences

The Faculty of Health Sciences is a constituent of Libertas International University founded with the task to prepare and implement professional development programmes for experts in demand in the healthcare system. Due to its complexity and speed of technological advancement, the healthcare system constantly seeks adjustment and innovations both in educational programmes and shaping of expert profiles.

The Faculty of Health Sciences of the Libertas International University aims to prepare educational programmes for jobs that are lacking in the healthcare system and labour market, implementing a blend of theoretical classes and the acquisition of practical skills in clinical practice. The University has strongly developed cooperation with the clinical bases and other universities in Croatia and the EU that have the vision of developing innovative areas in biomedicine and healthcare. During the study programme, students develop personal scientific competencies in the areas of biomedicine and healthcare, enabling them to critically assess the new methods of diagnosing, treating and caring for healthcare beneficiaries, as well as to translate their scientific knowledge into clinical practice. The interdisciplinary approach and the wide range of elective classes provides students with the possibility to shape their professional profile to work in the EU healthcare systems.

The quality of healthcare interventions and patient safety have become a significant factor in the healthcare system, due to exceptional advancement and development of innovative methods and the demand for their rational and safe implementation in practice. The postgraduate study programme of Quality Management in Healthcare delivered by the University is the first of its kind in the area of South East Europe. The focus of this programme is to produce leading experts in establishing, managing, monitoring and researching quality of services in healthcare institutions, agencies and healthcare administration responsible for the organisation and financing of the healthcare system.

Libertas Business School

Libertas Business School delivers accredited professional study programmes according to the 3+2 model, i.e., three-year professional undergraduate study programmes followed by two-year specialist graduate study programme.

In keeping with the economic demands, the study programmes offer education that is the most likely to be sought after on the labour market, which is essentially reflected in the high employability rate of our graduates. The contemporary nature of the offered study programmes is also confirmed by the direct interest of economic entities in educating their own employees.

Besides companies and institutions in the area of trade, banking, insurance and finance educating their employees at the study programmes of the Libertas Business School, a significant number of banks and other financial institutions, trade companies, international freight forwarders, transporters, commercial and container terminals, insurance companies and other large corporations in Croatia signed a cooperation agreement with us to ensure student practice in their companies and institutions. The cooperation with economic entities enables students to study and acquire practical knowledge in direct working environment, also offering them high likelihood of fast employment upon graduation, as our partners from the economic sector have the possibility to offer jobs to the best performing students after they acquire their degrees, which is also the main goal of our higher education institution.

Libertas International University has conceptualised the studying process through an original and innovative approach toward acquiring knowledge, confirmed by the relatedness of study programmes to the direct demand of the economy, but also to the contemporary professional and scientific knowledge. The professional undergraduate and graduate study programmes are based on the acquisition of operational knowledge and skills aligned with the syllabi of study courses of professional business higher education institutions abroad educating the same or similar profiles of future experts in the area of economics.

The ECTS credit system enables easier student mobility on the domestic and international level. The modern study programmes are aligned with the standards of studying and programmes of the most renowned study programmes of higher education institutions in Europe and the USA. This ensures full student mobility in both directions, especially because Libertas International University employs teachers that can hold classes in English or another modern language, and has students who have good English-speaking skills, as English is the core study course of professional study programmes. We are especially proud of some of the specific characteristics setting us apart as a recognisable higher education institution in the Republic of Croatia, as well as internationally. Soe of those specific features are: Classes at Libertas International University in Dubrovnik are held in English only, while lectures in Croatian are held in Zagreb. Our lecturers are among the most distinguished experts from Croatia, but also from the most prestigious universities in the world, such as Harvard, Princeton, London School of Economics, Sorbonne, etc, and our students come from numerous countries in Europe, US, Asia and Africa. Such and international characteristic ensures exceptional contemporary knowledge, as well as social networking among students, which is highly significant in career building. Our students can use the knowledge of our teachers and all the benefits of the international cooperation as a special and additional advantages of their study programmes. Libertas Business School has exceptional teachers and cooperates with top experts of all profiles who appear as guest lecturers at our study courses, which blends theoretical knowledge with the modern operational business elements. Each year, Libertas Business School awards scholarships to exceptional high school graduates who would not be able to study at our prestigious private higher education institution due to material reasons. Besides scholarships, the most successful students are awarded Rector’s Awards for exceptional studying achievements during the course of study. All of the above mentioned enables graduates of our professional study programmes at the Libertas Business School to continue studying at one of our faculties, completing their educational process at the doctoral study programme delivered by Libertas International University. Through this entire process and with stimulative professional and scientific environment, a developed student life and possibility of adding value provided through social networks that we especially develop, we are especially pleased that all the activities take place at our premises which are examples of high quality lecture halls with modern equipment and scientific and teaching facilities with all the corresponding advantages at a top location, enabling students and teachers to completely dedicate themselves to developing their knowledge and skills. The professional study programmes delivered in Zagreb, and partly in Dubrovnik and Kutina are the professional undergraduate study programmes of Business Economics, Tourism and hotel Management, Sports Management, Business Security Management. The specialist graduate programmes are Banking, Insurance and Financial Management, Domestic and International Trade Management, Tourism and Hotel Management. The professional study programmes at the undergraduate level educate experts with the purpose of their fast integration into the operational jobs in the economy. Regardless of the type of programme, all study programmes are organised to provide students with the possibility to acquire contemporary knowledge in corporate IT, electronic business, foreign languages, principles of marketing, entrepreneurship and management. The undergraduate study programmes last three years (6 semesters) and award 180 ECTS credits, and are vertically followed by specialist graduate study programmes that last two years (4 semesters) and award 120 ECTS credits.

Documents and publishing

Centres and offices

Career Centre

The Career Centre is an independent organisational unit whose primary goal is to connect high school graduates with higher education, monitor development and knowledge acquisition of existing students, as well as cooperation with economic entities with the purpose of integrating and cooperation among all the mentioned segments.

Lifelong Learning Centre

The Lifelong Learning Centre at Libertas University is committed to offer high-quality educational programmes that correspond to the needs of modern business. Through a wide array of educational programmes, seminars and courses, the Centre provides the acquisition of new knowledge and skills and perfection of existing competencies for various sectors and industries.

International Cooperation Office

The Office for International Cooperation of Libertas University represents a key place that coordinates and administers all activities related to international cooperation of our University. The Office holds a strategic and operational significance in promoting internationalisation and international activities of our academic community. Our Office for international and inter-university cooperation actively promotes various forms of international activities, simultaneously growing the reputation of our University worldwide.

Studying Scheme

Libertas University is the only private university offering the possibility of studying from the undergraduate to doctoral level.

Organisation and leadership

Rector of the University

Prof. Ivo Andrijanić, PhD

Vice-rector for Organisation and Quality

Ante Samodol, Assoc. Prof., PhD

Dean of Faculty for International Relations and Diplomacy

Prof. Ivan Gradešić, PhD

Message from the Rector:

„Libertas International University is a community promoting and rewarding intellectual curiosity, dedication and innovation, as of students so of staff.

Since the world is growing and thus becoming closer, and the inexorable questions are reaching more and more people, we prepare our students to face all the future may bring and create leaders of our global village.“