As part of the AGRIGEP project, the annual conference for project partners will take place on November 13, 2024, at the Faculty of Management, University of Primorska. The following day, on November 14, 2024, a public workshop and roundtable discussion titled Empowering Women will be organized. At this event, domestic and international experts will discuss gender equality and the important role of institutions, such as universities, in achieving sustainable development goals.
The event, held on November 14, 2024, from 1:45 PM to 4:15 PM in the faculty’s largest lecture hall (P6), will open with keynote speeches by distinguished speakers, setting the stage for an important discussion on gender equality in science, business, and international cooperation. The speakers include:
- Dr. Boris Jerman, Head of the Legal Department at Luka Koper, with a lecture on the role of public joint-stock companies in promoting women's quotas;
- Dr. Janez Rogelj from the Ministry of Economy, Tourism, and Sports, who will present Slovenia's international development cooperation;
- Dr. Kristina Žagar Soderžnik, Chair of the Commission for Equal Opportunities in Science at the Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana;
- Dr. Aurelia Calabro, Director of the Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Division at UNIDO, who will present UNIDO's efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, particularly Goal 5 – Gender Equality.
The main part of the event will be a roundtable on gender equality and the specific role of universities, led by Dr. Maxime Forest. The roundtable will feature the aforementioned speakers as well as Nadia Cigale, Head of the Slovenian-Cameroonian Business Club. The discussion will highlight how we can all contribute to greater gender equality in society. The event will conclude with closing remarks and a summary of the key points from the discussion by Prof. Dr. Štefan Bojnec.
The target audience for this event includes the interested scientific and professional public, as well as individuals attracted to the topic of gender equality and sustainable development. This includes researchers, academics, students, professionals from various sectors, and anyone interested in or actively engaged with this topic. The event aims to encourage open dialogue and knowledge exchange among different stakeholders striving for greater equality and sustainability in society.
Participants of the round table
Dr. Boris Jerman 
Dr. Boris Jerman is the head of the Legal Department of Luka Koper, d.d. and member of the Supervisory Board of the University of Primorska. He graduated at Faculty of Law in Ljubljana, where he obtained a master's degree and a Ph degree in the area related to transport law. He is active in the academic field, where he has published numerous articles in domestic and foreign journals. He was habilitated at the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana as the assistant professor of civil and commercial law and he lectured at the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport in Portorož. He kept in touch with practice, where he participated in the preparation of Port Usages for Slovenian Seaports, and participated in other maritime law projects, mostly within the framework of the Maritime Law Association of Slovenia. For some time he was a member of the executive board of ESPO - The European Sea Ports Organisation, which includes port authorities in the European Union. He is currently the president of the Maritime Law Association of Slovenia.
Dr. Janez Rogelj 
Dr. Janez Rogelj is a recognized expert in international development, trade policy, and economic cooperation, with over 35 years of experience in various leadership roles within the Slovenian government and international organizations. Currently, he serves as an expert on Slovenia's cooperation with UNIDO, leading numerous projects focused on innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development in the Western Balkans, Europe, and Africa. As Slovenia's representative in various EU bodies, he plays a significant role in shaping customs policy, trade agreements, and market access strategies, contributing substantially to Slovenia's strategic economic direction within the EU. His extensive knowledge encompasses innovation, trade policy, and project management at high government and international levels, particularly in the non-market services and agro-industrial sectors, where he works to strengthen international partnerships and sustainable infrastructure. His expertise also extends to integrating technology and formulating policies for trade and intellectual property, reflecting a comprehensive understanding of Slovenia's role in global economic development.
Dr. Kristina Žagar Soderžnik 
Kristina Žagar Soderžnik is a senior research fellow at the Department for Nanostructured Materials at Jožef Stefan Institute. She obtained PhD degree in 2011 in the field of Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies at Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School. In 2014, she was a postdoc at the Vienna University of Technology in Austria and at Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C) for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons in Jülich, Germany. She is the leader of the Sensors group and is involved in the research and development of electrochemical sensors for the detection of toxic organic compounds, biomolecules, and viruses that are portable, easy to use, selective, and highly sensitive. She is a co-founder and director of the Science on the Street action, a science promotor, and a coach at science communication workshops and slams. Since March, 2023, she is president of the Commission for Equal Opportunities in Science.
Dr. Aurelia Calabro 
Aurelia Patrizia Calabrò holds a master’s degree in political science and international Economy. Fluent in six languages, with basic knowledge of Amharic, she began her career at the UNIDO in 1989 as JPO at the Agro-Industries Development Department and during over 35 years of service, has specialized in agro-value chains development. As Chief of the Agro-Industries Technology Division, she was responsible for the technology aspects of agro-based industries in textile, leather, wood and agricultural tools for value addition and job creation. Emphasis was placed on the design and implementation of programs to support inclusive & sustainable development needs of the agri-businesses and related industries. Ms. Calabrò has worked in over 30 countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and has served as Deputy Director at the UNIDO Regional Hub in Ethiopia, UNIDO Representative to the AU and UNECA, and as UNIDO Director of the Division of Policymaking Organs. In July 2024, she was appointed Director of the Division for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment.
Nadia Cigale 
Nadia Cigale is an accomplished Business Development Manager with extensive experience in telecom, IT, and fashion industry. She specializes in strategic partnership, client relations, and digital transformation. Known for her expertise in event management and team leadership, Nadia has successfully coordinated business events, forged strategic partnerships, and driven new business initiatives across diverse industries. With robust digital marketing skills, including CRM systems and social media management, she is skilled in both B2B and B2C and B2G engagements. with Bachelor's degree in Business and Economics and is currently pursuing a Master's in International and Diplomatic Studies in 2022 she founded Slovenia Cameroon Business Club, an dedicated to promoting trade, investment, and bilateral relations between Slovenia and French Africa. In addition to her initiatives, Nadia is also an anonymous benefactor. She and her team are committed to advancing women and young people's literacy in ICT, aiming to close the digital gap and empower women via education and technology. Her efforts are centered on establishing an inclusive digital innovation Hub learning environments in the coming year where young women and youth would be educated on ICT, concretely work on IT project to expose their full potential, supplying resources, and training workshops to nurture digital competencies among women and youth. Nadia is devoted to effecting significant change in gender equality and aiding women and young individuals in achieving their aspirations within the tech sector.
dr. Maxime Forest
Maxime Forest, PhD, is gender expert and trainer at Yellow Window, and senior research fellow and lecturer at Sciences Po Paris University (Gender Studies Programme). His research interest and project expertise largely focus on designing, comparatively assessing and evaluating gender equality policies in higher education, research and innovation, notably in Central and Eastern Europe. A former executive member of the French High Committee for Gender Equality, he also served twice as an international jury member for UNESCO Prize on girls’ and women’s education, and a member of the European Commission’s Consultative body for gender equality. He has been the scientific coordinator of the EGERA project (2014-2017) and the principal evaluator of the SUPERA (2018-2021) and RESET (2021-2024) projects, also contributing with Yellow Window to the Gender Equality Academy, and to designing and updating EIGE’s GEAR tool. He is currently part to the AGRIGEP project. He authored or co-authored/edited numerous volumes, book chapters and articles, including the chapter on Europeanization in Abels, G., MacRae H., Kriszan, A. and A. van der Vleuten (eds.) (2021) The Routledge Handbook of Gender and EU Politics and (forthcoming, 2025): Towards Gender Inclusive Excellence at EU level? in Paoletti M., Matias M. and A. Rozalska (eds.) Scientific excellence and equality at university: overcoming the contradiction, Routledge.
