05/08/2026
Hybrid Classroom at the University of Banja Luka: A Milestone in Digital Transformation of Higher Education
The Hybrid Classroom at the Faculty of Philosophy, UNIBL, represents a significant milestone in the institution’s ongoing efforts toward digital transformation and the modernization of higher education teaching practices. Its establishment and early use can be traced through a series of coordinated academic and institutional activities implemented within the framework of Erasmus+ projects DilanEdu-WB.
The first major public event marking the introduction of this innovative learning space took place on 31 March 2026, when the Hybrid Classroom was officially opened at the Faculty of Philosophy. The opening ceremony also included a student-led workshop titled “Application of Digital Tools in Learning,” delivered by students Ernad Lepir and Tatjana Todorović from the Study Program in Business Informatics at the Faculty of Economics. UNIBL. This workshop demonstrated the pedagogical potential of the new facility by actively engaging students of Study Program for Preschool Education and Study Program for Elementary School Education, in the use of digital tools for learning and collaboration. The Hybrid Classroom was presented as a technologically enhanced environment designed to support simultaneous in-person and online teaching in two and more learning environments, thereby enabling flexible learning pathways, improved accessibility, and increased international collaboration.
A subsequent institutional visit further confirmed the strategic importance of the newly established learning space. On 28 April 2026, the Rector of the University of Banja Luka, prof. dr Radoslav Gajanin, together with the Vice-Rector for Human and Material Resources, prof. dr Dalibor Kesić, visited the Hybrid Classroom at the Faculty of Philosophy. During the visit, the classroom was presented as a key component of the University’s broader digital transformation agenda. The Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, prof. dr Srđan Dušanić, emphasized that the initiative reflects a commitment to digital transformation and sustained institutional orientation towards the modernization of teaching, integrating the digital technologies into academic practice.
Prof. dr Tamara Pribišev Beleslin introduced the functional and pedagogical features of the Hybrid Classroom, highlighting its capacity to support contemporary hybrid and blended learning models that integrate physical and virtual learning environments. She emphasized that such approaches represent an important developmental direction in university pedagogy and language study in early childhood, characterized by increased flexibility, accessibility, and the potential for individualized learning trajectories.
The establishment of the Hybrid Classroom was preceded by a comprehensive refurbishment and adaptation process of the existing teaching space, undertaken to ensure full alignment with institutional capacities, existing infrastructure, and project guidelines. Following an assessment of the current infrastructure and technical requirements for digital transformation, the classroom was carefully redesigned and upgraded to support hybrid and digitally enhanced teaching formats. This process included architectural adaptation of the space, upgrading of electrical installations and Wi-Fi infrastructure, and ensuring compliance with technical requirements for the installation of IT equipment and stable internet connectivity. Particular attention was given to didactic principles of higher education, enabling the creation of a flexible learning environment suitable for both individual and collaborative work. The adaptation of Classroom 316 into a fully functional Hybrid Classroom was carried out between August and September 2026, with the classroom design developed by prof. dr Diana Stupar, Head of the Department of Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, UNIBL.
Taken together, these activities demonstrate a coherent and progressive institutional effort to embed digital innovation into higher education practice. The establishment and operationalization of the Hybrid Classroom confirm the University of Banja Luka’s commitment to aligning with contemporary European educational trends and to actively contributing to the development of innovative, technology-enhanced teaching and learning models for future teachers.
