Velimir Srića

Innovation and Learning for the Future

We live in a world of disruptive change, based on innovation, learning and creativity. We must deeply understand these phenomena because they provide business success. It is necessary to master the creativity process, to learn how to turn an idea into an entrepreneurial activity, how to develop innovation, and win in the competitive and complex global market. Since the origin of innovation is the ability to see all problems as challenges, as well as to search for unusual ideas that will provide original solutions, the new learning should be based on challenging the reality, and being open for change. Innovative learning helps us solve the most difficult, seemingly unsolvable problems. The presentation will address the future of innovation and learning. It will discuss the content and methodology of transformative learning programs, and it will focus on best examples of creative learning in innovation-based environments.

Velimir Srića is professor of management at Zagreb University and a visiting professor at UCLA, with a PhD in IT management and an MBA from Columbia University. He has been a visiting professor at Renmin University in China and various universities in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Montenegro, and Dubai. He is also a program director of DELFIN (Developing Effective Leadership for Innovation), a private consulting firm. He was CEO of Croatian Institute for Informatics, Minister of Science and a member of the Government of Croatia. He is a member of The Club of Rome, a World Bank expert on Change Management and a member of The European Academy of Science and Art. He is a Fulbright scholar and Eisenhower Fellow and was elected President of Zagreb’s city assembly. As a consultant, he worked with many regional companies, including Coca Cola, Fina, Gorenje, dm, Uljanik, INA, PBZ and Krka. He is a coauthor of the International Encyclopedia of Business and Management and has published more than 70 professional books and 500 articles.