As part of the AI-COM project, Assoc. Prof. Željka Metesi Deronjić, PhD, participated in the international academic and professional conference "Croatian Language and Culture Abroad: A Look at the Past, Present, and Future."

Her presentation, Croatian Philosophical Heritage: A Challenge for the Future, explores the challenges and issues currently encountered when researching Croatia’s philosophical heritage. It highlights necessary future steps, such as the application of artificial intelligence in the research, processing, and accessibility of this heritage; the digitization and internationalization of materials; and the promotion of research and project funding.

Abstract

Research into Croatia’s philosophical heritage faces serious challenges, characterized by a continuous decline in academic interest, a lack of generational continuity, and insufficient state support. Despite the invaluable contributions made by certain institutions and individuals—many of whom have since passed away or retired—efforts toward the preservation, development, and transmission of Croatia’s intellectual legacy have been reduced to a minimum. The number of active researchers in this field is falling rapidly, while institutional support—including curricula, research projects, and funding—continues to weaken. The history of Croatian philosophy is not an integral part of philosophy curricula in *gimnazijas* (general secondary schools), nor is it taught at every Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Croatia; furthermore, doctoral dissertations dedicated to this subject are almost entirely absent. This situation—which points to a real danger that Croatian philosophical thought might vanish from our scientific and cultural memory—demands an urgent response at both the state and university levels. This includes incorporating the history of Croatian philosophy as a mandatory subject into secondary and higher education curricula, translating the works of earlier Croatian philosophers, digitizing and internationalizing the material, and popularizing this intellectual heritage with the aim of attracting young researchers.

You can view the full presentation here.