Public Open University Čakovec continuously invests in the quality of teaching and learning conditions. Following the completion of the energy renovation of the University building – the largest single investment in the institution’s history to date – the University is now placing additional emphasis on its interior: classrooms, equipment and adaptable spaces that support higher-quality everyday work.
The recently completed energy renovation of the building was worth €1,071,506.89 including VAT. A total of €832,212.37 in non-repayable funding was secured through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and through the NextGenerationEU instrument, accounting for 77.67% of the total value. The remaining €239,294.52 was provided by the City of Čakovec, as the institution’s founder, and from POU Čakovec’s own funds. In 2026, the University has so far invested €16,648.00 in new equipment and the adaptation of adult education spaces, using its own funds and European Union funding secured through various programmes and projects.
Mayor of the City of Čakovec Ljerka Cividini saw these developments first-hand during her visit and tour of Public Open University Čakovec this Tuesday. On that occasion, she highlighted its important role in the education of citizens, noting that POU Čakovec has for years been one of the key providers of lifelong learning and has become, in many ways, synonymous with education in Čakovec and Međimurje.
“The City of Čakovec will continue to support the work of the University. POU is a city institution whose financing does not place a burden on the city budget, while at the same time it delivers a large number of continuing education and retraining programmes. I am certain they could share many wonderful stories of participants who began a new chapter in their lives here.”, Cividini said, commending all employees of the institution for their many years of diligent and dedicated work, as well as the variety of continuing education and training programmes available to citizens.
“POU has a broader social role, not only an educational one. It connects adult education, the labour market, European projects, social inclusion and the preservation of cultural heritage.”, Cividini added.
Modern Technology and Spaces for More Active Learning
Participation in European projects enables Public Open University Čakovec to exchange experiences, learn about new educational methods and keep pace with contemporary European trends. At the same time, the University uses project opportunities to make tangible improvements to the conditions in which education takes place every day. One of the latest steps was the installation this summer of new interactive displays in five classrooms. The purchase was financed through a combination of the University’s own funds and European Union funding secured through various programmes and projects.
With the new equipment, the traditional presentation of learning content using a projector and projection screen is gradually being replaced by active work directly on the display. The interactive displays will enable greater learner involvement in lessons, make teamwork and project-based work easier, and support teaching methods in which learners are not merely observers but actively engage with the content.
Modern learning depends not only on digital equipment but also on the space in which it takes place. For this reason, one previously traditionally arranged classroom was transformed into a modular space with new chairs, allowing the seating arrangement and mode of participation to be changed easily. The space can be adapted for lectures, small-group work, project tasks, workshops or group discussions. Technological upgrades therefore naturally complement a change in teaching approach: from frontal instruction, or ex cathedra lecturing, towards active participation, collaboration and experiential learning.
From Project Activities to Everyday Practice
During the summer, the new possibilities were also tested by international participants staying at POU Čakovec as part of Erasmus+ group mobility activities. Around ten participants from Slovakia visited the University in July and used the interactive displays to try educational sustainability games developed within the InclusiGardens project. In August, POU Čakovec hosted 25 participants from Germany. They were introduced to the HER[AI]TAGE project and the interactive multimedia collection of stories developed within it. Participants were able to explore the collection independently using the new displays.
The interactive displays will also be used in future project activities. Among other things, their use is planned for focus groups within the CLEAR-PC and FCL4VET projects. Their greatest value, however, will lie in the fact that once individual project activities are completed, they will remain available to teachers and learners for the University’s everyday work.
Their use is not limited to teaching and project activities. They are already being used for working meetings as well, for example in the preparation and coordination of Lifelong Learning Week, for which POU Čakovec is once again the county coordinator in 2026. The displays make joint planning, presentation of materials and exchange of information with participating institutions and partners easier.
Investments That Remain with the University
POU Čakovec Director Mario Zamuda points out that when purchasing new equipment, particular attention is paid to its long-term value for the institution and its learners. “We do not use equipment purchased through projects only for the duration of those projects. We want every such investment to improve the quality of the University’s everyday work in the long term. The interactive displays are a good example of this approach: we are moving from traditional lectures using a projector and screen towards classrooms in which learners can actively engage with content, collaborate and solve tasks together.”, Zamuda said.
The new equipment and more adaptable learning spaces will make it possible to tailor teaching more effectively to different groups of learners. More interactive approaches are particularly important in programmes where knowledge and skills are best acquired through practical work, but also when working with learners whose educational needs are better supported by more dynamic, visual and active forms of learning.
Investment in modern equipment and the adaptation of learning spaces forms part of the continuous process of improving the quality of work at Public Open University Čakovec. “With the interactive displays, we have completed one stage in upgrading our classrooms, but this is not only about material equipment; it is also about improving the quality of teaching. Investment in modern equipment is part of the continuous process of improving the quality of work at POU Čakovec. For the recently completed series of culinary workshops within the MC Chef project, we upgraded some of the kitchen appliances in our specialised teaching facility; we purchased new computers within the SMART AGE project; while the upcoming AI4ID project includes plans to purchase virtual reality headsets. This will give us new opportunities to develop educational programmes and activities for future learners. We also plan to purchase another interactive display at the beginning of next year. We are pleased that in this way, too, we can continue to improve the quality of work of the first lifelong learning institution in Međimurje County.”, Director Zamuda added.
In this way, the knowledge, methods and experience gained through European cooperation are given very tangible application – in classrooms, educational programmes and everyday work with learners. European projects do not only bring new ideas and experiences to the University; they also help create the conditions for contemporary approaches to learning to become a lasting part of its educational practice.
Two Exhibitions – Photography and AI-Generated Photography
Two exhibitions are currently on display in the upstairs corridor of the University: an exhibition of photographs by participants in the Digital Photography and Image Editing programme and an exhibition of images created on the basis of stories shared by older adults and collected within the Erasmus+ project HER[AI]TAGE.
Through the Lens to Excellence: University Participants Present Their Work in an Exhibition
The world seen through a camera lens has a special kind of magic, and participants in the Digital Photography and Image Editing programme at POU Čakovec have succeeded in transforming that magic into outstanding visual works. Under the expert guidance of renowned photographer Silvio Benč, participants followed an intensive and comprehensive learning journey – from the historical development of photography to the most contemporary digital editing techniques.
From Theory to the Wild: How Is the Perfect Photograph Created?
Theoretical knowledge was put to the test in practice at a range of diverse and challenging locations. Participants captured images in mountain landscapes, explored the interplay of light and water along the Mura and Drava rivers, photographed dynamic sporting action in motion, and worked on precisely capturing emotion through portrait photography and minute details through macro photography.
HER[AI]TAGE Erasmus+ Project Exhibition
The stories focus on intangible cultural heritage, personal memories, traditional customs, and knowledge and experiences connected with nature and the environment. With the help of generative artificial intelligence, their content was transformed into visual representations (images) that present valuable local heritage to a wider audience in a contemporary way.
Each image is accompanied by a QR code that takes visitors to the story in multimedia form. Alongside the full text of the story, an audio narration, an additional illustration and a short piece of educational content related to its theme are also available.
More information about educational programmes and activities, participation requirements and enrolment procedures is available on the website of Public Open University Čakovec.
Text/photo: POU Čakovec and the City of Čakovec
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMPEU). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
