The University of Ljubljana awarded the Rector’s Prizes for the best UL innovations for 2024 in three categories as part of the closing event of the UNI.MINDS festival, which aims to build an innovation community in Slovenia and beyond:
· students and UL alumni,
· researchers, UL employees,
· 1st and 2nd cycle students and UL alumni in the field of HAS (Humanities, Arts and Society) – to address the challenges of society.
“At universities we develop new knowledge, but it must not remain locked up in lecture halls and laboratories – it is important that it goes out into society. The University of Ljubljana is well aware of this mission and has been promoting the transfer of knowledge and discoveries to society for more than ten years with the Rector’s Awards for the best innovations at the University of Ljubljana. The awards are given in various categories, including the best social innovations, because innovations are not only something directly related to the economy, which is often too narrowly understood, but they are important in all areas because they also change the functioning of society,” said the Rector of the UL, prof. dr. Gregor Majdič, and congratulated all the award winners.
The University of Ljubljana awarded nine Rector’s Prizes for outstanding ideas, including the innovative 3D magnet printing project, which took an outstanding third place in the category of UL researchers and employees.
Assistant Urban Klanjšček from the Laboratory for Tribology and Surface Nanotechnology (TINT), in collaboration with the Jožef Stefan Institute, has proved that innovations in mechanical engineering are essential for the future of technology and industry. This achievement represents a major new breakthrough in magnet manufacturing and opens new opportunities and markets for advances in areas such as electrical appliances and medical technology. With a completely new way of producing magnets using 3D printing, they are the first to be able to print arbitrary magnet geometries at the same time as a polymer product. The end products are therefore smaller and lighter, more efficient and more integrated with magnets. In addition, the products are easily recyclable, which is an important step towards more efficient and environmentally friendly production.
We are proud that the work of our researchers has once again been recognised and ranked among the University’s best innovators. The award recognises the Faculty’s commitment to research and development and its contribution to the wider scientific community.
Sincere congratulations to the team on winning the award!
Photo: Nebojša Tejić (STA)
