Dear academics and practitioners,
dear colleagues,

For the past three decades, the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism of the University of Split has been organizing a biannual international conference that actively addresses current economic and social issues and serves as a platform for a scientifically based dialogue on policy-making and business practice.

During the transition phase of the Croatian economy, we chose the name “Enterprise in Transition” for the conference. Afterwards, the many obstacles we faced when joining the European Union inspired us to choose the title “Challenges of Europe”.

Today, more than ever, the challenges are global. Economics and finance without borders, the rise of systemic risks, the slow recovery from the financial crisis, the outbreak of pandemics, geopolitical unrest, the twin transition, the imperative of sustainability and competitiveness, all of which might increase our anxiety and the feeling of not being able to change anything, or make our actions seem trivial compared to the uncertainty we face. However, there is no substitute for the personal responsibility of each individual and for changing mindsets and building competences. Universities have an important role to play in this process. They have to serve society in a cross-cutting way by creating knowledge, promoting the values and skills that shape a more sustainable future, but also by contributing to social change through their research and innovation. The emphasis on the active contribution of higher education institutions to solving the accumulated social and economic problems and the broadening of the conference topics beyond the perspective of European policies are one of the main reasons why, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary since the establishment of the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism (FEBT) and the University of Split (UNIST), the “Challenges of Europe” will become the FEBST International Conference.

The conference is reinvigorated with:
• an extensive list of topics ranging from economics and economic policies to all areas of business perspectives and sustainability transformation, to name just a few of the key tracks,
• expanded publication opportunities,
• new programme committee members and renowned keynote speakers who are among the most cited researchers in their fields.

I am confident that with this restructuring, our conference will expand its scope and impact and continue to serve as an important platform for the dissemination of research findings, exchange and discussion of ideas and expertise in the publishing and development of project proposals, while remaining a venue for networking among young researchers, experienced academics, business practitioners, and policy makers.

I look forward to your participation in this event and to future opportunities for cooperation!

Bruno Ćorić
Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Split