INTERVIEW: MARKO ŽUNIĆ, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES GAMES
Marko Žunić is the Secretary General of the European Universities Games, with a scholarship of the Executive MBA programme of the leading business school in the region, COTRGULI Business School and, as of recently, an elected representative in the International Control Committee (CIC) of the International University Sports Federation (FISU).
How did you find yourself in the organization of EUG2016?
In my student days I became actively involved in the organization of sporting events, by organizing the Unisport League of the University of Rijeka. Concurrently with the development of Rijeka’s university sports, I became actively involved with the work of the Croatian academic sports federation as the President of the Supervisory Committee. In the meantime, we organized several international university championships. As a reward, the position of the vice-president of the technical commission of EUSA arrived in 2012. You could say it all started as a hobby and through love, but became almost a permanent occupation and, as a result, I’m building a career both in the sporting world and as a lawyer.
This year, you were named in a committee of the International University Sports Federation (FISU). Please explain the purpose of this committee and the meaning of this election for Croatian academic sports.
The CIC is the main operative body of FISU which, in addition to having a certain political importance, coordinates and supports the implementation of world championships and the summer and winter Universiades. This election is a reward, of sorts, for the invested efforts, as well as a motivation for the continued positioning of Croatian academic sports on the world sports map.
The European Universities Games have been evolving since the candidacy until today. How much has changed since the initial idea and is everything proceeding according to plan?
The basic idea was to promote Croatia in a high-quality way by organizing a major sporting event. Zagreb and Rijeka weren’t accidentally chosen. Our desire was to show the very best of Croatia’s continental and sea-side beauty to young, academic citizens, ambassadors, of sorts, of the countries of Europe.
In addition, the plan on the national level is to use the Games as an engine to drive wider social changes by improving student standards, through the renovation of student villages in Zagreb and through the construction of entirely new capacities in Rijeka’s campus.
COTRUGLI Business School (CBS) is the exclusive Business Education Partner in the preparation and implementation of the European Universities Games Zagreb-Rijeka 2016. project. How did this cooperation come about and why COTRUGLI?
An advisory role for renowned partners is typical for major sporting events. As the leading business school in the region and the only international AMBA (Association of MBA’s) accredited business school in Croatia, with more than 1600 alumni, studying in three educational centres in Zagreb, Belgrade and Sofia on four different MBA programmes (International, Executive, Chief Executive and Doctoral), COTRUGLI was, logically, the best choice.
Cooperation came about naturally, as we share and promote the same vision – excellence, diversity and the highest ethical standards in the development of society as a whole. Together, we believe that by a synergy of sport and excellent education, by setting high standards in the education of leading cadres, as successful managers make even more successful leaders and, with that, a happier community. The promotion and development of dual careers through excellence in the field of sports and education, student sports become the foundation and platform for the creation of world leaders.
Can you explain, in brief, what this is really about and how COTRUGLI is advancing the Games?
With its knowledge and experience CBS is offering educational and advisory support for members of the organization. Just as the Games bind together sport and education, so does CBS bind together business and education. By a combination of the aforementioned, we reach a win-win-win situation. By strengthening human capacities, their continued improvement, active support in planning, implementation and oversight of certain processes within the project, CBS helps to govern a non-profit project with business principles and processes.
Personally, by organizing the largest European sporting event of 2016, my experience in COTRUGLI would best be described with two words – networking and confidence. With a scholarship of the Executive MBA programme, knowledge of practice in strategic management, entrepreneurship and finance is used as tools for the improvement of leadership abilities and resolve in decision-making.
As the Games advance, so does your career. What comes after the Games?
On the personal level, first a bit of rest (laughter). Then, new projects – a continued improvement and binding of business, academia and sports.
As part of the EUG team, after the Games we’re going into new games, new challenges. Where some see potential problems and weakness, others see opportunity. I truly believe that academic sports are the future and I plan to dedicate myself to seeing that future come to pass – the development of sports in which victory over an opponent is not as important as self-improvement, on both the academic and sports levels.
In addition, I’d like to invite those interested to apply for the COTRUGLI Business School Executive MBA scholarship. Everyone who applies by April 10th has a chance to win a scholarship. One full, five half-half and a certain number of partial scholarship, up to 30 percent of the full scholarship amount, will be awarded. This is an opportunity I heartily recommend to all perspective managers and entrepreneurs.
