At the beginning of September 2016 I met three Croatian students from the Polytechnic of Rijeka – Martina Vukelić, Korina Ćiković and Mario Miličić. They proved to be great students at my Polytechnic Institute of Beja. Intrigued by their work, knowledge, language and culture, I decided to visit their educational institution. My aim was, also, to encourage cooperation between the institutions.  

I paid my visit to the Polytechnic of Rijeka in February 2017. As an Erasmus teacher, my task was to give two lectures – “Emergency Evacuation during Fire Accident” and present my educational institution to students. Also, Croatian students had the task to present their projects (about Safety in Hospital, Ergonomics at Farms and Ventilation Systems in Mines) carried out during their visit to Portugal.

During the first presentation, I realized that professors at the Polytechnic of Rijeka are familiar with the same or similar evacuation rules. In addition, I realized how they do not lack knowledge and interest in that area. Finally, I was glad to see that students were quite curious to hear about the Polytechnic Institute of Beja.
After the second presentation, students had  many questions, not just about education, but also about life in Portugal. Your Erasmus students gave a very good presentation about their project. They did not just show their excellent work, but also good knowledge of the English language, considerable organization skills and that they are not afraid of the unknown. 

I met with the Vice-dean for International Cooperation, Head of Occupational Safety Department and other teachers. We discussed our plans for the future and they seem very promising. After the meeting, I visited the Telematics laboratory, which is well-equipped, the Polytechnic’s Library, where I was familiarized with the Journal of the Polytechnic of Rijeka and invited to be a reviewer, and all the other facilities.
At the end of my visit to the Polytechnic Institute of Beja, I had a chance to try traditional Croatian cuisine, which is certainly delicious and special. Also, I had time to travel around the town, which I think is very unique due to its position on the Adriatic coast. 

All in all, my experience in Rijeka was excellent. With the organized Institution, professional teaching staff, good facilities and even better plans, it seems that the Polytechnic of Rijeka has ambitious goals for the future.
 

Rui Isidoro, PhD