Blaženka Divjak

Blaženka Divjak
Minister of Science and Education
Assumed office
9 June 2017
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković
Preceded by Pavo Barišić
Personal details
Born (1967-01-01) 1 January 1967
Varaždin, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
(now Croatia)
Political party Independent
Alma mater University of Zagreb

Blaženka Divjak (born 1 January 1967) is a Croatian mathematician who has been Minister of Science and Education since 9 June 2017 in the Cabinet of Andrej Plenković.

Early life and education

Blaženka Divjak was born on January 1, 1967 in Varaždin. After finishing elementary and high school, she enrolled at the Zagreb Faculty of Science from which she graduated in 1989 earning title of math and physics professor. In 1993, she got her master's degree in natural sciences, field mathematics, and in 1998 PhD in mathematics.[1] Divjak also attended programs at the University of Kentucky (October-November 1997), University of Georgia and Duke University (March 2010), University of Leuven (2010), and University of Edinburgh (March-May 2015).[1]

Career

In 1990, Divjak got employed as a professor of mathematics at the Varaždin Gymnasium. In 1994, she became mathematics assistant at the Zagreb Faculty of Organization and Informatics. Between 1999 and 2003, and 2007 and 2010 she served as Vice Dean for Science and International Cooperation at the same Faculty. In 2010, Divjak got position of the full-time professor of Natural Sciences, field of mathematics. Between 2010 and 2014, she served as Vice-Rector for Students and Studies of the University of Zagreb.[1] Her full scientific title is - full-time professor in permanent vocation in the field of natural sciences, field of mathematics, and scientific advisers in the field of social sciences, field of information and communication sciences. She has published over 50 scientific papers and around 30 professional papers and has presented at many scientific and professional conferences. Divjak is the author of seven books, two of which are university textbooks, and chapters in many books, as well as editor of four books.[2] She serves as croatian member in the Executive Committee of the European Access Network, an organization promoting wider access to higher education for under-represented groups.[3] Following extraordinary reconstruction of the Cabinet of Andrej Plenković, Divjak was named Minister of Science and Education as non-partisan candidate nominated by the new party member of the Plenković's cabinet, Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats.[4][5]

Criticism

On the occasion of Divjak' nomination for Minister of Science and Education, the Croatian Lesbian Group Kontra accused Divjak of being jointly responsible for sexual discrimination of a gay assistant at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics in Varaždin, when she was serving as Vice Dean for Science and International Cooperation.[6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Vlada Republike Hrvatske - Blaženka Divjak". Vlada.gov.hr. 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
  2. ↑ Piše S.D.M. , 09. lipnja. 2017. @ 14:06 - komentara (2017-04-26). "BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, biografija, ministrica znanosti, obrazovanja i sporta". Dnevnik.hr. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
  3. ↑ "EAN Executive Committee". www.ean-edu.org. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  4. ↑ "DIVJAK UVJERENA DA ĆE BITI BOLJA MINISTRICA Najavila je obrazovanje bez ideologije, Barišić joj objasnio kako je on radio - Jutarnji List". Jutarnji.hr. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
  5. ↑ Darko Tomaš / CROPIX. "PRVI VELIKI INTERVJU S NOVOM MINISTRICOM ZNANOSTI I OBRAZOVANJA Samo za Jutarnji otkrila kada bi kurikularna reforma mogla krenuti u primjenu - Jutarnji List". Jutarnji.hr. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
  6. ↑ Hina / PIXSELL. "Kontra protiv imenovanja Blaženke Divjak zbog sudjelovanja u diskriminaciji - Večernji List". Vecernji.hr. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  7. ↑ M.V. / PIXSELL. "Kontra: Divjak je s fakulteta otjerala profesora zbog seksualne orijentacije - Index". Index.hr. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
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