Matjaž Juhart and Dr. Darjo Zuljan (UP PEF) recipients of the RS award for outstanding achievements in higher education

date: 09.10.2025

category: News

Matjaž Juhart received the award for his significant achievements in promoting the inclusion of the language of the deaf and the integration of deaf people, while Prof. Dr. Darjo Zuljan was recognized for his work in the field of technology education, with a focus on technological literacy.

Traditionally, around World Teachers' Day (October 5, 2025), the highest state awards in the field of education are presented at Cankarjev dom by the Republic of Slovenia Awards Committee. Among the recipients of awards for outstanding achievements in higher education are UP PEF colleagues Matjaž Juhart and Prof. Dr. Darjo Zuljan, who have made a significant contribution to the development and reputation of the profession through their work. The award winners thus join 20 colleagues from the faculty who have received similar awards since 2005.

A more detailed explanation is provided below.

We sincerely congratulate the award winners and wish them much success in the future!

Matjaž Juhart obtained his license as a Slovene Sign Language interpreter in 1996. After completing his university studies at the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, he worked at the Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Ljubljana. Since 2005, he has been employed at the Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Slovenia, and since 2009, he has also served as a professional associate at the Faculty of Education, University of Primorska. He complements his practical expertise with theoretical knowledge, which he passes on to future professionals in the field of education for children with special needs.

His most notable contribution is the adoption of a new article in the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, which guarantees the free use and development of Slovene Sign Language and the language of the deafblind. Slovenia thus became the first country in the world to include the language of the deafblind in its highest legal act, and the fifth country in the European Union—and the twelfth in the world—to include the sign language of the deaf.

The results of his work are reflected in the rights of children and young people with various degrees and types of hearing loss. He researches sign language by enabling the development of new signs, expanding vocabulary, and promoting literacy among children who use sign language as their first language of communication and learning. Matjaž Juhart demonstrates a high level of ethical integrity and professional competence in improving the quality and effectiveness of education for children with special needs.

Prof. Dr. Darjo Zuljan has dedicated his entire career to scientific research at the intersection of engineering and education. He is a distinguished expert who confidently translates his professional experience into the field of education. His educational work primarily focuses on learning methods and students’ understanding of learning, issues of technological literacy among both pupils and university students, and ways of promoting a reflective paradigm in teacher education. He researches constructivist approaches to teaching and student-centered learning models.

He is an exceptionally prolific author of scientific publications, and his citation record confirms his success in addressing both scientific and professional challenges. The findings of his research represent an original scientific contribution of great significance to both engineering and education. His scientific achievements are closely connected to the needs and challenges of the engineering profession and the teaching of technology in primary and secondary schools.

He began his academic career as an assistant at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, and later continued as an assistant professor, associate professor, and full professor at the Faculty of Education, University of Primorska, and the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana. His scientific and professional work is remarkably extensive, making it difficult to summarize in just a few lines. He is one of the few who successfully and confidently applies his scientific work to practice, both in the field of engineering and in educational sciences.