The young Croatian innovator and entrepreneur will be awarded an honorary degree for his contribution to the progress of the University of Pula and Croatian science and culture in general
Mate Rimac will receive an honorary doctorate from Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, reports Glas Istre on April 14, 2018. More well-deserved recognition for Rimac, one of the best known Croatian entrepreneurs who dazzled the world with his electric car Concept Two, unveiled in Geneva a month ago. The decision can also be called significant for the University of Pula, which has clearly shown in which direction it plans to develop in the future by granting an honorary doctorate to a young, successful businessman specialising in new technologies. It’s worth noting it’s a rare occasion for people from the world of business to be awarded honorary degrees, making the latest move of the Juraj Dobrila University a bold and interesting one.
Apart from Rimac, the University decided to recognise another prominent figure this year: Professor Werner E. G. Müller, a distinguished German scientist and an associate of the Rovinj Centre for Marine Research of the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb.
Rimac and Müller were nominated for their outstanding contribution to the progress and promotion of the University of Pula and the Croatian science and culture in general. Decisions regarding honorary degrees are traditionally passed right before the University Day which is celebrated on Monday, April 16, marking the day of birth of the great Croatian bishop and enlightenment icon Juraj Dobrila. As both nominees are otherwise engaged on Monday, they will be presented with their degrees on another occasion. Professor Müller will receive his doctorate on April 20, while Mate Rimac is expected to visit the University of Pula at the end of May.
Rimac Automobili signed a cooperation agreement with the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula two years ago, allowing their technology students to visit the factory in Sveta Nedjelja near Zagreb. Inspired by this collaboration, the University has recently been introducing new courses in domains such as 3D design and robotics. Moreover, Rimac Automobili supported some of the University’s projects applied for EU funding, providing the educational institution with their battery systems for a project of construction of an astrobiological probe.
The Juraj Dobrila University of Pula released a statement regarding the reasoning behind the decision to award Rimac with an honorary degree, saying he’s setting new world records on the regular, promoting the Croatian intellect and innovation all around the globe. He started with smart bicycles that are known to reach a speed of 90 km/h and were exported to 30 countries on five continents. His EV Concept 1 was the first car of its kind on the global market, while C_Two, presented to the public only a month ago, already has its first edition entirely sold out.
