Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb

What Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb does

The Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb (Geotehnički fakultet) is a public higher education institution and constituent of the University of Zagreb, located in Varaždin, northwestern Croatia. It is the only University of Zagreb constituent offering technical-sciences study programs in northwestern Croatia and operates as a state-funded entity under the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education. The faculty delivers three study levels in Environmental Engineering: a 3-year undergraduate program (180 ECTS), a 2-year graduate program with three specializations (Geoenvironmental Engineering, Water Management, Environmental Management, 120 ECTS), and a doctoral program with five modules (Sustainable Waste Management, Environment and Nature, Geoenvironmental Engineering, Water Management, Energy).

The institution is organized into four departments (Geotechnical, Water Management, Environmental Engineering, General Sciences) and operates three specialized research laboratories (Geotechnical Laboratory, Environmental Geochemistry Laboratory, Environmental Engineering Laboratory). Proprietary infrastructure includes the AGENDA SAS-based georeferenced research database, the GOSSIP online professional practice management platform, and the peer-reviewed journal 'Environmental Engineering - Inženjerstvo Okoliša' indexed in CASSI, Crossref, and Google Scholar. The faculty also maintains the DIGI LIO LAB smart environmental monitoring system and a Technology Transfer Office supporting industry collaboration.

The faculty is funded through a diversified mix of Croatian state budget allocations, EU/ESF competitive research grants (with active projects such as MAURICE at 2,920,259.45 EUR, OS-Mi at 8,518,482.20 HRK, and SPIO at 3,974,834.79 HRK), Croatian Science Foundation grants (HRZZ), NextGenerationEU institutional projects (2025-2029), and direct consultancy contracts with government and industry clients including HEP, Croatian Waters, Croatian Highways, and municipal authorities. Summer school programs (e.g., Remote Sensing in Environmental Engineering, Python Programming through Hydrology) generate supplementary fee-based revenue at 250 EUR per participant. Customer segments span prospective university students, government and public institutions, and industry/private-sector companies across construction, energy, water, and environmental consulting sectors. The faculty does not report commercial revenue.

Name

Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb

Legal name

Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Geotehnički fakultet

Website

https://gfv.unizg.hr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb is a public higher education institution in Varaždin, Croatia, offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in Environmental Engineering, operating three research laboratories, and conducting applied research funded by EU and Croatian grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education in Environmental Engineering

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAEAI

Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

SECONDARYEDAHAAAD

Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Public Research Universities

Keywords

• Environmental engineering education
• Geotechnical engineering research
• Water resource management
• Waste management research
• Applied environmental science

Headquarters

HQ city

Varaždin

HQ country

Croatia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb is a public higher education institution that delivers university study programs in environmental engineering across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, and conducts applied research in geotechnical engineering, water management, waste management, and environmental protection. It operates three specialized research laboratories, publishes a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and provides technology transfer, summer school programs, and consulting services to government and industry clients.

Product overview

The Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb (Geotehnički fakultet) is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive suite of educational programs and research services in environmental engineering. The core academic offerings consist of three study levels: a 3-year undergraduate program (Inženjerstvo okoliša - Environmental Engineering, 180 ECTS), a 2-year graduate program with three specializations (Geoenvironmental Engineering, Water Management, Environmental Management, 120 ECTS), and a doctoral program with five modules (Sustainable Waste Management, Environment and Nature, Geoenvironmental Engineering, Water Management, Energy). Supporting services include a Career Development Center (Centar za razvoj karijera), the X-ica student information system for rights management, a STEM Center with Makerspace for youth outreach, a Technology Transfer Office, and a network of research laboratories (Environmental Engineering, Environmental Geochemistry, Geotechnical). The faculty also publishes the Environmental Engineering journal and organizes summer schools, student mobility fairs, and maintains an active alumni network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Environmental Engineering - Inženjerstvo Okoliša (Journal): Scientific journal publishing interdisciplinary environmental engineering research including geotechnical engineering, water resource management, and environmental protection technical aspects.

Products and services

• Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Study Program (Inženjerstvo okoliša - Prijediplomski studij) Three-year undergraduate university study program (180 ECTS) in Environmental Engineering for prospective students, covering geotechnical engineering, water resource management, and technical aspects of environmental protection.
• Environmental Engineering Graduate Study Program (Inženjerstvo okoliša - Diplomski studij) Two-year graduate study program (120 ECTS) with specializations in Geoenvironmental Engineering, Water Management, and Environmental Management, preparing students for professional engineering roles.
• Environmental Engineering Doctoral Study Program (Inženjerstvo okoliša - Doktorski studij) Doctoral program with modules in Sustainable Waste Management, Environment and Nature, Geoenvironmental Engineering, Water Management, and Energy, requiring minimum average grade of 3.5 and B2 English level.
• Summer Schools (Ljetne škole) Short-term intensive courses including Remote Sensing in Environmental Engineering and Python Programming through Hydrology, designed for graduate students, doctoral students, and professionals, priced at 250 EUR per participant.
• Environmental Engineering Scientific Journal (Časopis Environmental Engineering - Inženjerstvo okoliša) Peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing interdisciplinary environmental engineering research, indexed in Google Scholar and Chemical Abstracts Service. Published twice yearly since 2014.
• Career Development Center (Centar za razvoj karijera) Center helping students with professional guidance, career development, organization of Career Days, mentoring workshops, and professional practice monitoring.
• Technology Transfer Office (Ured za transfer tehnologija) Office facilitating technology transfer, commercialization of research results, and collaboration between academia and industry.
• Research Laboratories (Laboratoriji) Research laboratories including Laboratory for Environmental Engineering, Laboratory for Environmental Geochemistry, and Geotechnical Laboratory supporting teaching and research activities.
• Professional Practice Placement Service (Stručna praksa) Professional practice placement service connecting students with employers via the GOSSIP online platform, established through the ESF SPIO project, facilitating practical training with industry partners and government bodies.

Quantifiable outcome

• ESF project 'Stjecanje ključnih praktičnih vještina u području inženjerstva okoliša' (UP.03.1.1.04.0059) value: 3,974,834.79 HRK, 100% EU funding, implemented 2020-2023, established Career Center, developed GOSSIP online practice platform, organized 3 Career Days.
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ruđer Bošković InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on NanoPeroPhotoSens project (2018-2022, HRZZ funded) researching nanocomposites with perovskites for photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and sensors. GFV faculty members Doc. dr. sc. Marko Petric and Doc. dr. sc. Lucija Radetić participate as GFV collaborators alongside Institute researchers. Also collaborated on OS-Mi project for solar photocatalysis water treatment.
• Croatian Geological InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on UKV project (KK.05.1.1.02.0022, 2020-2022) managing coastal karst aquifers threatened by climate change, with pilot areas in Zadar, Korčula, and Cres. Contributed 3,113,833.96 HRK (84.9999% EU funded) to research on groundwater salinization and quality.
• Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in the ESF project 'Stjecanje ključnih praktičnih vještina u području inženjerstva okoliša' (UP.03.1.1.04.0059, 2020-2023). IRMO contributes expertise in international relations and development cooperation to the professional practice development program.
• Croatian Geotechnical Engineers Society (HGD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in the ESF SPIO project. Contributes to professional practice development and career events for environmental engineering students.
• University of Velika GoricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in the ESF SPIO project (2020-2023), collaborating on professional practice program development for environmental engineering students.
• Green Energy Cooperative (Zelena energetska zadruga)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ESF SPIO project, contributing to the professional practice ecosystem for environmental engineering students with a focus on renewable energy and sustainability.
• Alumni Association AMAC-GFVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of Geotehnički fakultet graduates (AMAC-GFV) partnered in the ESF SPIO project to support alumni engagement and professional practice program.
• Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb (PMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on hydrodynamic modeling of Plitvice Lakes (2016-2020). PMF Geophysics Department and GFV jointly with Faculty of Civil Engineering Rijeka, developing a hydrodynamic model of the Plitvice Lakes karst system for sustainable protection and management.
• Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of RijekaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Plitvice Lakes hydrodynamic modeling project consortium, contributing civil engineering expertise to the multidisciplinary research initiative.
• Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of ZagrebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in VIRTULAB project (KK.01.1.1.02.0022, 2018-2020) establishing a virtual research center integrating 15 laboratories across 5 University of Zagreb constituents in the raw materials sector. Co-funded by European Structural and Investment Funds.
• Faculty of Metallurgy, University of ZagrebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in VIRTULAB project, contributing metallurgy expertise to the interdisciplinary virtual laboratory network for primary and secondary raw materials research.
• Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of ZagrebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in VIRTULAB project, contributing food technology and biotechnology expertise to the virtual laboratory consortium for raw materials research.
• Ministry of Science and Education (MZO)coreOthersLevel 1 intermediate body for ESF project funding. Oversees ESF 2014-2020 operational program for higher education institutions, providing funding approval and monitoring for the SPIO project and other EU-funded initiatives.
• Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AZVO)coreOthersLevel 2 intermediate body for ESF funding of the SPIO professional practice project, responsible for funding contracting and verification.
• Central Mining Institute, Katowice, PolandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in Interreg Central Europe MAURICE project (CE0100184, 2023-2026, total value 2,920,259.45 EUR) on urban water resource management under climate change. GFV participates as Project Partner 10, contributing to pilot actions and climate adaptation solutions across Central Europe.
• TU Graz (Graz University of Technology), AustriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Professor Erich Bauer (TU Graz) on the HRZZ WtE project (2018-2022) examining mechanical behavior of bio-dried waste as a prerequisite for energy recovery. Brings multi-year expertise in numerical modeling of municipal solid waste to the GFV research team.
• Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of RijekacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in UKV project (KK.05.1.1.02.0022) alongside Croatian Geological Institute and DHMZ, contributing civil/hydraulic engineering expertise to research on coastal karst aquifer management under climate change.
• Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in UKV project providing meteorological and climatological data for climate and hydrological modeling of coastal karst aquifers threatened by climate change at Zadar, Korčula, and Cres pilot sites.
• University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Assoc. Prof. Nastja Rogan Šmuc on EkoGeoKem project, contributing environmental geochemistry expertise to research on ecological and geochemical investigations of landfills in northern Croatia.
• Eko-Monitoring d.o.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EkoGeoKem project providing environmental monitoring expertise and field research support for the interdisciplinary investigation of heavy metal contamination from landfills.
• Zelenjak d.o.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EkoGeoKem project contributing to field research and data collection for ecological restoration studies of waste disposal sites.
• Institute Ruđer Bošković (OS-Mi Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in OS-Mi project (KK.01.1.1.04.0006, 2019-2022, total value 8,518,482.20 HRK) developing solar photocatalysis as the fourth stage of water treatment for maximum reduction of micropollutants in surface waters and wastewater treatment plant effluents.
• Varkom d.d. VaraždinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated financial resources to Geotehnički fakultet for the project 'Save the Bees to Save Life on Earth' (2021), supporting establishment of a public apiary near the faculty in the public orchard for education on bee protection and environmental awareness.
• Gumiimpex-GRP d.o.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner in R&D project developing eco-innovative multi-purpose products from recycled rubber with photocatalytically active surface, combining industrial manufacturing capability with faculty research expertise.
• Premifab d.o.o. KerestinecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in ERDF-funded project (OP Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020) developing new technology for more efficient solvent and hazardous waste recovery. GFV faculty (Doc. dr. sc. Vitomir Premur) contributes environmental engineering expertise.
• University of ZagrebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a constituent faculty of the University of Zagreb, GFV participates in the UNIC European University of Post-Industrial Cities alliance (with universities in Bilbao, Bochum, Istanbul, Rotterdam, Cork, Liège, Oulu). Faculty representative Prof. dr. sc. Sanja Kovač serves as UNIC commissioner.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Croatian Geological Institute (HGI): Existing GFV partner on the UKV coastal karst aquifer project. National applied geoscience institute conducting hydrogeology, geochemistry, and geotechnical research, with overlapping capabilities and a competing pool of Croatian/EU research funding.
• Faculty of Civil Engineering, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek: Another Croatian public technical faculty in eastern Croatia with overlapping geotechnical and environmental engineering offerings, competing for domestic students and Croatian Science Foundation research grants.
• Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Split: Croatian public technical faculty offering civil engineering, geotechnics, and environmental programs. Competes for the same Croatian high-school graduate pool and participates in similar EU-funded water and environmental research initiatives.
• Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb: Existing GFV partner within the VIRTULAB consortium and a key academic lineage for several GFV faculty. Overlaps on environmental chemistry, water treatment, and polymer/materials research, sharing lab infrastructure and doctoral students.
• Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb: Sister technical faculty within the University of Zagreb that historically fed into GFV's academic pipeline. Offers overlapping domains in geology, mining, and petroleum engineering, competing for the same Croatian technical student pool and EU research funding.
• Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana: Existing GFV partner on the EkoGeoKem landfill geochemistry project. Comparable regional technical faculty with applied geology, geochemistry, and environmental engineering programs, sharing the Central European research ecosystem.
• Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka: Existing GFV consortium partner on the UKV and Plitvice Lakes hydrodynamic modeling projects. Offers civil and hydraulic engineering programs with overlapping water management and geotechnical content, directly comparable curriculum and applied research scope.

Broad incumbents

• Central Mining Institute (GIG), Katowice: Lead partner on the Interreg Central Europe MAURICE project where GFV is Project Partner 10. A larger established applied research institute with mining, geoenvironmental, and water management capabilities, collaborating with GFV on climate adaptation solutions.
• Ruđer Bošković Institute: Existing GFV partner on the NanoPeroPhotoSens and OS-Mi projects. Croatia's largest multi-disciplinary research institute with established capacity in photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and environmental science, competing for and often leading the same large EU grants.
• TU Graz (Graz University of Technology): Existing GFV research partner via the HRZZ WtE project with Professor Erich Bauer. A larger established technical university with broader engineering portfolio including geotechnical and environmental tracks, serving as a benchmark and pipeline for GFV doctoral students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVKyvGlQqDerXhsgt_0NJHA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/unizg.gfv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/faculty-of-geotechnical-engineering-university-of-zagreb
• Instagraminstagram.com/inzenjerstvo_okolisa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering University of Zagreb