Every year, around 28 million cataract surgeries are performed worldwide. The fact that this most common medical procedure is now faster, safer and far more comfortable for patients than it once was is due in part to the work of the Slovenian engineer Anton Banko, whose technological innovations permanently changed the field of ophthalmic surgery.
ITER, the world's largest experimental fusion reactor, is under construction in southern France. Slovenian experts are also part of this effort, contributing to the development of the technology used to demonstrate that nuclear fusion, the process that powers the Sun and the stars, can be a safe and sustainable source of energy.
Artificial intelligence, which has become an integral part of our lives in recent years, has a long and rich tradition in Slovenia. The development of artificial intelligence in Slovenia began as early as the 1970s, when Slovenian researchers were among the pioneers in this field. What once started in a modest attic would lead to groundbreaking global innovations.
The University Medical Centre Ljubljana is launching the first clinical study for the development of a gene therapy that is largely the result of Slovenian expertise and perseverance. Urbagen is a gene replacement therapy intended for the treatment of CTNNB1 syndrome. This trial marks an extraordinary milestone in Slovenia's history: for the first time, a clinical study for a genetic disease will be conducted domestically for a drug that was primarily developed within the country.
Slovenian and international researchers, representatives of universities, institutes, and public administration gathered in Ljubljana for the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme Information Day. The event provided an opportunity to learn more about the programme’s operation, financial mechanisms, and opportunities for cooperation in international scientific and technological projects.
Slovenia is entering a new digital era. By 2027, a state-of-the-art data centre featuring a high-performance supercomputer and an artificial intelligence factory is expected to become operational. This development will place the country among Europe's leading centres for artificial intelligence. The supercomputer will support scientific and industrial research, academic work and public services.
Science has taken us further than we could have ever imagined. It extends our lives, enables communication across continents, and uncovers the most remote corners of the universe. If we just look around us, we can quickly see how closely science is connected to our daily lives. When we check the weather forecast on our smartphone, take medication, use the internet or satnav, we rely on the work of researchers who improve our world through curiosity and perseverance.
The Slovenian language is not only a means of communication but a cornerstone of national identity. For centuries, it has withstood various authorities and influences for centuries, but technological progress now poses new challenges. In order for Slovenian to retain its place in the digital future, Slovenian experts from the Centre for Language Resources and Technologies at the University of Ljubljana are building a generative model for the Slovenian language – GaMS, the Slovenian version of large language models, such as ChatGTP or Claude.
Although Slovenia may appear as a tiny fragment of Earth when viewed from space, its role beyond our planet is becoming increasingly significant. In September 2020, the first pair of Slovenian satellites was launched from French Guiana, marking Slovenia's entry into the group of nations engaged in space exploration. This historic milestone proved that Slovenian expertise and innovation reach far beyond conventional technological limits. Five years later, it is time to look at how these projects have evolved and what they mean today.
The Bled Strategic Forum opened its doors for the twentieth time at the beginning of September, once again providing a platform for dialogue among politicians, diplomats, business leaders, academics, representatives of civil society, and young people. Over two decades, the event has grown from a one-day regional discussion into the leading international conference in Central and South-Eastern Europe, where ideas and visions for the future of the world are shaped each year. The anniversary edition, held in Bled on 1–2 September 2025 under the title “A Runaway World”, reaffirmed that Slovenia remains a recognized and respected interlocutor in global debates through this forum.
Today, families in Slovenia often own up to three cars, but just over a hundred years ago, the automobile was an intruder on Slovenian streets. Once a symbol of prestige, today it is a necessary evil. Horsepower was replaced by the smell of gasoline, dust, and exhaust fumes.
As international trade flows increasingly focus on sustainability and efficiency, cooperation between maritime ports is becoming crucial in shaping the future logistics landscape. One such example is the partnership between Port of Koper and China’s Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, which goes beyond conventional commercial cooperation.
