From idea to portal: student project Odgovoren.si for social responsibility and sustainable development


Slovenia (EU), Maribor, May 30, 2025 – An interdisciplinary project to design a new information platform for sustainability and social responsibility – the Odgovoren.si portal – was carried out at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Maribor between January and May 2025, in collaboration with the Institute for the Development of Social Responsibility – IRDO. The project was carried out within the framework of the call for Problem-Based Learning of Students in the Workplace (PUŠ) 2024–2027, co-financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).

The Odgovoren.si portal is designed as a central digital point for promotion, awareness-raising and connecting stakeholders from various fields – economy, NGOs, public administration and individuals – for whom social responsibility and sustainability are core values. The portal’s content will include good practices, interviews, research, news, education and opportunities for collaboration.

The project included the entire journey from market analysis, user needs and technological requirements to the design of the corporate identity (CGI), the design of the portal structure, the design of the business model and the marketing of advertising space.

       

Student team, mentors and partners

The project group included students from the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Maribor: Ajša Lutar, Ines Pačnik, Maks Srt, Nataša Barberić, Ognjen Savković and Nomi Hrast, under the leadership of pedagogical mentor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Igor Perek and mentor from the work environment Anita Hrast, MSc.,  from the Institute for the Development of Social Responsibility – IRDO. The project was implemented within the framework of the PUŠ operation, which is led by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and supports the integration of students into the real work environment and the strengthening of competences in the fields of entrepreneurship, digitalization and sustainability.

 

Key highlights of the project

The students undertook challenging tasks: market analysis, preparation of a CGP, design of the structure and form of the portal, business model proposal, target user analysis, marketing strategy proposals, and preparation for registration in the media register. They said the following about their experiences in the project:

” Odgovoren.si is not just a website, but a space for connecting and exchanging between individuals and organizations who want to create a more responsible future. ” – Maks Srt and Nomi Hrast

” Designing the logo and CGI was a creative and at the same time learning process for me. I learned to think holistically and strategically. ” – Ines Pačnik

” The biggest challenge was how to translate the vision into an actually functional digital prototype – but that was precisely where the greatest added value of our teamwork lay. ” – Nataša Barberić

” We recognized the decision to register portal as a media crucial for credibility, legal certainty and broader opportunities for cooperation. ” – Ajša Lutar and Ognjen Savković

   

Mentor statements

” Collaborating with students was inspiring – the Odgovoren.si project is an example of how academic knowledge can directly contribute to the development of innovative solutions for a sustainable future. ” – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Igor Perko at IUniversity of Maribor, Faculty of Economics and Business

” I am happy that we were able to collaborate with the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor, Slovenia, again. Years ago, we jointly created the Slovenian Youth Award for Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development – ADRASTOS, which we will be awarding to young people for the third time in a row this year. Now we want the Odgovoren.si portal to come to life as a long-term platform. I am grateful to the entire team, especially the students and professors, as well as the University of Maribor – Faculty of Economics and Business and the co-financiers of the PUŠ project for this opportunity. ” – Anita Hrast, MSc, CEO at Institute for the Development of Social Responsibility – IRDO

Vision for the future

The Odgovoren.si portal will be completed with technical implementation in the coming months, and then presented to the public. Its goal is to connect at least 5,000 users annually and become a recognizable platform for all who believe that sustainability is not a choice, but a necessity. The project was an example of good practice in involving young people in designing concrete solutions for the society of the future – and proof that ideas become reality when supported by knowledge, mentorship and a clear vision. Now they invite all companies and institutions to support the conceptual design of the young people and join in co-financing the portal and designing its content.

Presentation at the 20th IRDO International Conference

The young people will also present their contributions on the project work on June 11 and 12, 2025 at the 20th international IRDO conference entitled  INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE SOCIETY 2025:  Personal responsibility as part of social responsibility and sustainability. The conference will take place at the EPF UM (Maribor, Slovenia) premises and virtually.

The project group will present the following contributions at the conference:

  • Designing a mobile web portal Odgovoren.si – the backgrounds (Igor Perko, Matjaž Mulej, Anita Hrast)
  • User requirements analysis as a foundation for marketing planning in Odgovoren.si (Ajša Lutar, Ognjen Savković)
  • Content Analysis for the Development financial planning in Odgovoren.si (Maks Srt, Nomi Hrast)
  • Identifying digital technologies for designing a mobile portal odgovoren.si (Ines Pačnik, Nataša Barberić)

The conference is free for young people to attend.

The invitation to attend the conference and the application form can be found here: 2025 INVITATION – FOR PARTICIPANTS:  20th IRDO International Conference – IRDO

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