The Chair of Foreign Languages ​​(today the Chair of Foreign Languages ​​and Sociology) organized and led three scientific-professional projects, two of which are in progress, and in one Tempus project the Faculty of Law Osijek was a member of the project consortium.

Description of projects in chronological order:

1. Interregional project IurOP

The Chair of Foreign Languages ​​was a pioneer in the organization and implementation of international projects. The first among them was an interregional project created in cooperation between the Faculty of Law Osijek and the Faculty of Law Pécs. The project involved both students and professors, was held in German and was implemented for three years: 2005, 2006, and 2007. It bore the symbolic acronym IurOP (from the Latin Iura + Osijek + Pécs), whose pronunciation is identical to the English name for Europe.

Project meetings of students and professors of the two Law faculties were held for three years in the spring (April or May) in Pécs, and the next weekend in Osijek. Meetings were organized in the form of workshops on European law and European integration. Financial support was provided by the Robert Bosch Foundation, the University of Pécs, and the University of Osijek. The idea holder and project leader at the Faculty of Law in Pécs was the then lecturer of the German language and the representative of the Robert Bosch Foundation for Middle and Eastern Europe, Assistant Professor Dr. Jens Wuttke. Ljubica Kordić was the project manager and coordinator for the Faculty of Law in Osijek. Professional meetings of the two faculties included student presentations in German and presentations by professors from two faculties of law each year. Professors who participated in workshops by giving presentations in German were Ljubica Kordić, Željko Rišner and Igor Bojanić. In this way, in 2005, 2006 and 2007, i.e. before the Bologna reform and the possibility of student exchange in the Erasmus + programme, students participated in student exchange between the law faculties of Croatia and Hungary. Students presented their papers (by using PowerPoint) on the topics of European integration and European law. The first student meeting (seminar) entitled IurOP: Recht dreidimensional was held in April 2005, the second IurOP: Recht verbindet in April 2006 and the third IurOP: Recht europäisch in early May 2007.

2. TEMPUS PROJECT Foreign languages in the Field of Law – FLIFL (2006—2009)

Consortium members:

- Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb - Grant Coordinator (www.pravo.hr)

- Faculty of Law, University of Antwerp - Grant Holder

- Faculty of Law, University of Osijek

- Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka

- Faculty of Law, University of Split

- Faculty of Law, University of Trento

- Faculty of Law, University of Graz

- Ministry of Justice

- Ministry of Science & Higher Education

Project coordinator: prof. Lelija Sočanac, - Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb

Coodinator for Slavonia and Baranya: assist. Prof. Ljubica Kordić

Project activities:

Teacher Training Workshops in the field of EU Law; Foreign Languages Trainings for Lawyers; Conference Curriculum, Language and the Law - Dubrovnik, 18-21 September 2008; The Conference Legal and Linguistic Aspects of Multilingualism - SPLIT, 26-28 JUNE 2009;

Establishing Foreign Language Center for Law (FLCL) at the University of Zagreb with extensive expert library.

The programme of the project addressed the increased needs and demand for foreign language skills in the field of law in several ways:

1) It strived to solve the problem of the insufficient number of foreign language lecturers specializing in law, so language teachers were given the opportunity to spend re-training periods at related EU-institutions and teacher-training courses in languages for special purposes (LSP) in the field of law were organized at Croatian law faculties.

2) it was intended to meet the need for adequate language training of law students, so foreign language curricula have been updated and developed at BA and MA levels at Croatian law faculties in keeping with the Bologna requirements.

3) Since Croatian legal practitioners who had completed their university studies before the higher education reform were expected to take an active part in harmonizing Croatian legislation with the EU law often lack both adequate language and information technology skills, intensive training courses were organized for them focusing on legal languages and also offering practical training in legal database research.

To address those issues, an interdisciplinary Foreign Language Center for Law was established at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, with the task to develop strategies in foreign language education for law in Croatia and become a reference center for foreign languages in the field of law. Within this framework, Croatian and EU lecturers gave lectures on various topics, such as legal terminology, forensic linguistics, EU law and institutions, international law, human rights, European language policies and planning, intercultural communication, etc. Foreign language courses were offered to employees of Croatian courts and lawyers employed in other institutions and companies.

The result was a better expertise of foreign language teachers from Croatian faculties in law and better language skills in legal professionals in all parts of Croatia. Also, the language courses at our law faculties were updated by introducing new, student-centered teaching methods and information technologies enhancing the students' oral and writing skills.  Results of the conference have been incorporated into the foreign language curricula development for law at all levels. The target group included both law students and legal professionals of different profiles who were involved in Croatian integration into the EU. Within the project, professors Kordić, Rišner and Papa have developed, organized and led series of foreign language trainings in Legal English and Legal German for judges, advocates, notary publics and other legal professionals in the years 2008 and 2009. As an output of the project and a proof of the sustainable development of the project, the Chair of Foreign languages has developed a Lifelong Learning Programme for Lawyer Linguists in the academic year 2012/2013 that still exists and attracts interested audience among senior year law students and legal professionals from Osijek and wider region. In the academic year 2020/21 there were 38 candidates involved in this lifelong education. The head and the coordinator of the Lifelong Learning Programme for Lawyer Linguists is Professor Ljubica Kordić.

4. Project with the support of the Faculty of Law Osijek: IP-PRAVOS-20:

Interdisciplinary project "Germans and Austrians and the German language and culture in the city of Osijek through history - legal and linguistic aspects" (IP-PRAVOS-20). Project duration: 2020-2024.

Project leader: Assoc. dr. sc. Ljubica Kordic

Project team members: Miro Gardaš, Višnja Lachner, Dubravka Papa, Željko Rišner, Vesna Širić, Zoran Vladović

The German language and culture and the influence of Germans and Austrians on all aspects of life in the city of Osijek have been insufficiently researched. This interdisciplinary project from the legal-historical and linguistic aspect explores the position of the German language in education and public life of the city and the contribution of citizens of German and Austrian origin to the development of the judiciary, economy and culture of the city in general. They participants in project activities are professors of foreign languages ​​and kinesiology and the Chair of Legal History as well as students of the Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate Law Studies and Professional Studies. Representatives of Osijek minority associations of Germans and Austrians, the Jewish community and interested stakeholders from the local community will participate in workshops and scientific conferences as a part of the project. Researchers present on the topic of the project at international scientific conferences and publish papers in indexed journals and other international publications. Interdisciplinary approach, modern methodology and involvement of students and representatives of minority communities make this project innovative and in line with the strategy of the faculty.

The project is based on the interdisciplinary cooperation of researchers in the field of philology and legal history, with the cooperation of kinesiology teachers who will give the project a research contribution in their field. The aim of the project is to explore the position of the German language in education and public life of the city of Osijek throughout history from a legal and linguistic point of view. Its task is also to explore the contribution of Osijek Germans of German and Austrian origin to the development of urban life, judiciary, economy, culture and art. In addition to professors of foreign languages, legal-historical sciences and kinesiology, the students of the Integrated and Professional Studies of the Faculty of Law participate in the field research of the presence of German language in the linguistic landscape of Osijek today. Tradition of multilingualism and multiculturalism of Osijek will be the topic of the Round table organized with the representatives of German associations and the Jewish community in the second year of the project implementation. In the final year, a conference on the position of the German language and Germans and Austrians in the legal and political life of Osijek will be organized. A number of papers will be published in esteemed national and international journals and other publications. The goal of the project is to make students and the general public aware of the need for intercultural dialogue and cooperation and to develop respect for cultural differences and tolerance.

In the first year of the project, the following results were achieved:

1. A Facebook profile of the project has been opened with the aim of disseminating project activities and results; members of the project team, each in their own field, researched into a part of the legal sources, archival materials and secondary literature and presented their papers at international conferences.
2. The following papers have been published in international journals and publications:

- Kordić, Lj., Lachner, V. (2021): Multilingualism and the Social Status of Women in the City of Osijek in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Research in Behavioral and Social Sciences, Stockholm, July 23-25, 2021, pp- 1-15. Stockholm: Diamond Scientific Publishing. (978-609-485-175-9). https://www.dpublication.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/A25-900.pdf

- Papa, D., Rišner, Ž. (2021): Language Policy and Multilingualism in the City of Osijek in a Diachronic Perspective. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Research in Behavioral and Social Sciences, Stockholm, July 23-25, 2021, pp- 15-30. Stockholm: Diamond Scientific Publishing. (978-609-485-175-9). https://www.dpublication.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/A25-901.pdf  

3. All project team members participated in international scientific conferences:

Ljubica Kordić, Višnja Lachner, Dubravka Papa and Željko Rišner presented their scientific papers as highlighted speakers (online) at The 8th International Conference on Research in Behavioral and Social Sciences in Stockholmu, Sweden, 23-25. July, 2021.,

Vesna Širić and Zoran Vladović (with the co-author Petar Kerže) presented at the 28. International Scientific Conference „Nijemci i Austrijanci u Hrvatskom kulturnom krugu“ (Germans and Austrians in Croatian Cultural Milieu) Osijeku,  13-14. November 2020. godine. Profesor Miro Gardaš presented his paper in October 2021 at the International Scientific Conference „Pravna teorija i novi pravni izazovi“ (Legal Theory and New Legal Challenges) at the Faculty of Law, University of Novi Sad.

4. A field research of the German language in the linguistic landscape of Osijek was conducted with students of the IPDSSP, SUS and SSR;
5. After that, a research workshop was held with students titled "German language in the linguistic landscape of Osijek in the history and today";
6. An exhibition of old postcards of Osijek with inscriptions in German and of student photographs taken during the field research has been set up in the hall of the Faculty of Law at Radićeva 13.
7. An online booklet of student works was created and posted on the project's Facebook profile.

For the next project years, it is planned to publish scientific papers in reputable journals; to organize a doctoral colloquium within the project topic; to organize a Round Table on Germans and Austrians as prominent citizens of Osijek who contributed to its development; to prepare an exhibition of printed books and posters of historical Osijek printed in historical printing houses of the city; finally, the closing conference of the project will be organized; selected papers from the conference will be published in the journal of the Faculty of Law Osijek after they have passed a double peer review procedure.

4. Jean Monnet Module Language and EU Law Excellence (620231-EPP-1-2020-1-HR-EPPJMO-MODULE

The European Union, through the Agency for Education, Audiovisual and Culture (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Agency), has positively assessed and accepted funding of the project developed by Ljubica Krdić from the Chair of Foreign Languages reg. No. 620231-EPP-1-2020-1-EN-EPPJMO-MODULE titled "Jean Monnet Module Language and EU Law Excellence" (decision no. 620231 of 17. 9. 2020).

Out of almost 1500 registered projects from all over the world, the financing of three projects from the Republic of Croatia was accepted, including our project "Jean Monnet Module Language and EU Law Excellence - LEULEX", which will be implemented from September 15, 2020 to August 31. 2023. The project is intended for students of the Faculty of Law of the J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, and students of the Faculty of Philosophy Osijek, legal practitioners, young scientists from neighboring countries, the representatives of the local community, civil society and the general public. The total value of the project is 30,240.00 Euros. tThe EU finances 75% (a total of 22,680.00 Euros), and the Faculty of Law Osijek the remaining 25%.

The basic starting point is that in the Republic of Croatia there is still insufficient knowledge of European Union law and insufficient knowledge of the working languages ​​of the Union - English, German and especially French as professional languages ​​in the field of law. The project activities aim to improve the study of EU law at the Faculty of Law in Osijek and to deepen the knowledge of the legal terminology of the European Union in these languages. Participants are undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate law students, lawyers, NGO representatives and civil servants, but also translation students at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Osijek who will improve their knowledge of EU law and adopt basic legal terminology in the field in German, English and French. In order to strengthen the quality of education related to techniques and tools in translating legal texts, distinguished professors of the Faculty of Philosophy in Osijek are also included as lecturers in certain courses. In this way, law students and law graduates have the opportunity to participate in lectures and workshops of teachers of the Faculty of Philosophy, get acquainted with modern computer translation tools and gain insight into conference translation skills practiced in specialized conference interpreting booths at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. This develops the abilities and competencies that have become a necessary part of the legal profession after the Republic of Croatia has become a full member of the European Union.

PARTICIPATION OF CHAIR MEMBERS IN PROJECTS:

Also, prof. Ljubica Kordić participated as a researcher in two projects of the Ministry of Science and Education and in one international GIP project:

1) Project no. 130-1300869-0879: German and Croatian language in contact - didactic and psycholinguistic aspects. Leader: prof. Maja Häusler, FFZG, MZOS); project duration: 2007-2009;

2) Project no. 066-0661428-2512 - Legal and linguistic aspects of multilingualism in the light of Croatia's accession to the EU. Leader: prof. Lelija Sočanac, PFZG, MZOS); project duration: 2007-2009 3).

She is currently participating as a member of the project team in the GIP project Spuren deutscher Sprache, Literatur und Kultur in Kroatien, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Osijek, DAAD Foundation and University of Gießen, project No. 57338369, https://www.unigiessen.de/fbz/fb05/germanistik/abliteratur/moebius/forschung/gip-projekt