A dormitory complex built for the University of Dubrovnik, Croatia, provides accommodation for 503 students, many from disadvantaged backgrounds. The seven-storey building has 254 bedrooms, including five single rooms adapted for students with disabilities. The complex also contains a gym with locker rooms, a student club, cafeteria and a multipurpose meeting hall. The new build was completed and opened to students in September 2020. Up to that point Dubrovnik was a university city which lacked dedicated student accommodation.
- 10 April 2021
“The student dormitory will solve two key problems of Dubrovnik’s students, namely accommodation and food – and students of poorer financial status will finally have the opportunity to study in Dubrovnik.”
The new dormitory offers students a comfortable and secure environment in which to study and live. Each room has its own private bathroom, adjustable air conditioning, internet access and mini-fridge. Most doors and devices are activated by a card-reading system. In addition, parking facilities are provided in a closed garage. The cafeteria can serve around 2 000 meals a day, and students have access to counselling services on site.
Bespoke accommodation
By providing good-quality, bespoke student accommodation, the city and university aim to keep young, educated people in the local area and attract students from all over the world. The dormitory reserves 295 beds for disadvantaged students. Many of these young people hail from more remote parts of the county, including Neretva Valley, Korcula, and Peljesac.
In the past, local students struggled to find accommodation in the city, especially during the eight-month-long tourist season. Often they would have to leave rented apartments to make way for tourists. This had the effect of making the University of Dubrovnik a less attractive option compared with other places of learning in Croatia.
Collaborative effort
The project to build the dormitory complex was funded through the European Regional Development Fund with co-financing from the City of Dubrovnik, the Ministry of Science and Education, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and the University of Dubrovnik.
The University of Dubrovnik was founded in 2003, having previous status as a polytechnic established in the 1990s. The university caters for a student population of around 2 000 and has about 150 academic staff.
Courses are provided in diverse areas including aquaculture, maritime studies, engineering, information technology, economics and business. While known as the country’s youngest university, the Dubrovnik campus has evolved from institutions that taught maritime engineering and naval architecture.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Student Dormitory Complex of the University of Dubrovnik” is EUR 24 677 266, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 20 120 000 through the “Competitiveness and Cohesion” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Education & Vocational Training”.