Students at Penn State and University of Zagreb spark global innovation

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Last December, Penn State hosted the third International Student Business Meetup, bringing together more than 50 students from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and College of Education, the University of Zagreb Faculty of Organization and Informatics, XV. Gymnasium (formerly known as MIOC), First Gymnasium Varaždin, Technical School Sisak and the Czech Technical University in Prague.

The project was led by University of Zagreb Associate Professor Mario Konecki, together with colleagues Igor Pihir and Mladen Konecki, both associate professors, and project expert Jerry John Antolos. Additional organizational support was provided by school leaders and teachers such as MIOC headmaster Nikola Dmitrović, First Gymnasium Varaždin principal Janja Banić, Technical School Sisak headmaster Davor Malović, and teachers Bojan Banić and Milan Toš. Penn State Global’s Global Partnerships team, including Alexandra Persiko and Vlad Likholetov, contributed to program design and coordination.

Empowering student innovation

This hybrid, week-long program offered an intensive, practice‑oriented curriculum covering artificial intelligence, virtual reality, the Internet of Things and other emerging technologies, along with entrepreneurship and marketing topics. University of Zagreb faculty — Konecki and Pihir — joined Penn State presenters Jamey A. Darnell, associate clinical professor in management and organization in the Smeal College of Business, and Dr. Leila Bradaschia, director of international programs and assistant teaching professor of education in the College of Education, to deliver a coordinated series of lectures and hands‑on workshops.

Students worked in international teams to design project concepts and develop them into functional prototypes with guidance from faculty mentors. The experience culminated in final presentations to an international judging panel -— primarily from the Smeal College of Business, including Darnell, Eberly College of Science Associate Teaching Professor Beatrice Sirakaya and Jaida Copeland with Penn State Sustainability. A winning team was selected, though judges emphasized the overall quality and creativity demonstrated by all groups.

Sharing global perspectives

Participants also explored Penn State’s academic community and campus life. Visits to the Smeal College of Business and the College of Education featured presentations by Christine Ann Wiedemer, admissions officer, and Krishawna Goins, recruitment and student engagement officer, who highlighted academic programs and global engagement opportunities. Students toured University Park, connected with Penn State Global staff, learned about student entrepreneurship pathways and attended Pitch Fest 2025 at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub.

To close the program, Vice Provost for Global Sabine Klahr met with the participants to present individual and team awards. She underscored the significance of the initiative, noting that the project marks a concrete step forward in the partnership between Penn State and the University of Zagreb thanks to its scope, innovative content and strong collaborative impact. The initiative, she said, reflects Penn State’s commitment to global partnerships, student empowerment and innovation-driven learning.