Luxembourg / Maribor – Academia Institute of Technology has become part of a new European initiative led by the European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the European Investment Bank Group, in partnership with Quotanda. The initiative, supported under the InvestEU programme, will provide up to €55 million in study financing for more than 4,000 students in Spain, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy.
The initiative enables students at participating institutions to begin their studies without upfront tuition payment, with repayment obligations starting only after graduation and employment. This significantly reduces the financial barrier to accessing quality tertiary education.
Academia is the only participating institution from Slovenia, confirming its role as an innovative and internationally relevant actor in the field of practice-oriented tertiary education.
Academia alongside leading European institutions
The initiative involves eight European universities, educational institutions and non-profit organisations: ESADE Business & Law School from Spain, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi from Italy, Hertie School from Germany, Academia Institute of Technology from Slovenia, partner Algebra Bernays University from Croatia, 4Geeks Academy from Spain, CODE.science from Germany and Yaran Foundation from Spain.
This places Academia within a group of European institutions developing new models of education financing and co-creating a more accessible, inclusive and employment-linked European educational space.
From financial barrier to career opportunity
The partnership between EIF, Quotanda and educational institutions enables the introduction of deferred tuition payment models or income-based repayment after graduation. For students, this means a lower initial financial burden, greater possibility of completing their studies and more predictable repayment aligned with their future employment.
At Academia, this mechanism will directly support the development of the Academia Generations Fund – Academia Intergenerational Fund , which Academia is introducing in the 2026/2027 academic year. The fund will enable a "study now, pay after employment" model and will be particularly targeted at domestic and international students who face financial barriers in accessing education.
The Intergenerational Fund will also be dedicated to supporting students from less supportive backgrounds, unemployed persons, students without guarantors and international students who often have limited access to traditional forms of education financing.
Žan Dapčevič, Director of Academia, said at the ceremonial signing of the initiative:
"For Academia, this partnership represents exceptional recognition and at the same time confirmation of our strategic orientation towards developing innovative, accessible and employment-linked education models. We are proud to be the only institution from Slovenia part of this European initiative and to stand alongside some of the most prestigious European universities and educational institutions. This collaboration is also clear confirmation of the value of short-cycle degree studies. Our graduates already achieve a high level of employability today, and after two years of study they achieve comparable starting salaries to graduates of three-year higher education programmes. This confirms that practical, industry-linked education at Academia is an investment with real returns. We believe that access to education must not depend on an individual's current financial capacity, but on their talent, ambition and readiness to work. At the same time, education must be linked to real career outcomes. This is precisely the model we are building at Academia – in Slovenia and more broadly in the region."
Partner statements
Marjut Falkstedt, Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund, emphasised at the presentation of the initiative:
"This is about fairness and equal opportunities for Europe. If you have the talent and skills for your chosen studies, but not the financial means, the EIF will help you. Investing in European education and talent is among the EIF's most important priorities, as knowledge and skills are the strongest foundation for a globally competitive and successful Europe."
Marco Marrone, Director of Investments at the European Investment Fund:
"By addressing skills gaps, we remain committed to strengthening Europe's competitiveness. This initiative opens access to education to a wider circle of individuals and creates long-term positive impact on the European educational space."
Lino Pujol-Soliano, co-founder of Quotanda, added:
"This initiative is an excellent example of European cooperation: the EIF, educational institutions and Quotanda are working together to enable more students to access the knowledge and education they need. Together we are increasing the accessibility of quality higher education with payment options that are fairer, more flexible and better aligned with students' financial capabilities."
Strategic significance for Slovenia and the region
Participation in the initiative enables Academia to further increase the accessibility of education for a wider circle of students, strengthen links between education and the economy and further develop financing models that are directly linked to graduate employability.
For Slovenia, the initiative represents an important step towards introducing modern European education financing mechanisms that can reduce social inequalities, increase inclusion in tertiary education and strengthen economic competitiveness.
Academia thereby strengthens Slovenia's position as an active co-creator of European innovations in the field of education, employability and talent development.
Investment in knowledge is investment in the future
The initiative is part of the broader commitment of the EIB Group to investing in education, knowledge, skills and human capital. In 2025 alone, the EIB Group provided €3.3 billion for education and knowledge and skills, and over €13 billion in the last five years.
Data consistently confirm that each additional year of education is associated with higher individual income, whilst also bringing broader social benefits: greater social cohesion, greater innovation capacity and greater economic resilience.
Through participation in this initiative, Academia actively contributes to the development of a more inclusive, sustainable and European educational space linked to the real needs of the economy.
About Academia
Academia is an institute of technology based in Maribor, focused on practical, economy-linked education. With lecturers from industry and collaboration with more than 200 employers in delivering practical education, it delivers publicly recognised short-cycle degree programmes in the fields of economics, engineering, computing and informatics, and media production.
Academia develops an education model based on real projects, practical competences and direct connection with employers. In addition to a Slovenian publicly recognised diploma, Academia graduates also obtain a British Higher National Diploma, which strengthens their international comparability and employability.
Studies are delivered in Slovenian – ask us how to apply.
B1 Slovenian is required; we offer a free preparatory course. The admissions team replies within one working day.
Source: Academia (8. 5. 2026). Fotografije: arhiv Academie.
This English summary was produced automatically from the Slovenian article and is pending editorial review. Slovenska različica
