By Lily Rutherford
Exploring Croatia through the lens of study abroad provided students with a once in a lifetime educational experience.
The Digital Agriculture in Croatia program took place during the summer mini-term. Spanning a few weeks, the program showed students different parts of Croatia and gave them opportunities to interact with European digital agriculture systems up close. Intended to utilize experiential learning, this program educated through classroom lectures and visits to various agricultural processing facilities in the country. Aspects of the program like this made it not only a unique experience for students, but positioned Croatia in an entirely new light on a global stage.
Kristen Graas, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education, and communication, shared the extent of where her delegation traveled while abroad.
“We went around the entire country. We started in Osijek, then went to Zagreb, Plitvicka, Zadar, Ston, Split, Brac and Dubrovnik. We also stopped in tons of little towns in between!”
In Osijek, students got to meet with master’s and undergraduate students from FAZOS (Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Science Osijek). They discussed research, culture, and individual experiences.
After meeting with FAZOS students, Graas said, “Meeting locals to me is the most important part of going abroad. Learning their culture through conversation and food is the whole point of leaving home. Everyone we met was so wonderful.”
Visiting so many places within Croatia was a key way in which the program allowed students to see diverse perspectives across the country. For example, to learn about the implementation of technology in agriculture production, the delegation visited wineries, olive orchards, sheep farms, and many more locations vital to the industry.
For their solo winery visits, students were able to learn about how the fermentation process for wine involves the extensive use of technology. And for additional hands-on learning opportunities, participating students got to present at an international conference in Brac where each chose a different digital agriculture related topic.
While abroad, students also got to experience the rich culture and history behind Croatia’s position in agriculture. Graas could hardly contain her enthusiasm about her experience exploring.
“Plitvicka was unlike anything I have ever seen. It is a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site! The water was crystal clear; there were lakes and waterfalls. It was incredible. I have hundreds of pictures from there and not even one does it justice.”
Seeing the environment of Croatia up close is an integral part of understanding the country on a broader scale. This also provides an environmental context for its place in the digital agriculture industry.
The program also took students to various UNESCO sites. Graas emphasized, “All of these sites were so culturally rich. It’s kind of unreal that we had the opportunity to visit so many places that are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years old.”
Ranging across different sites in Croatia, this study abroad opportunity provided students with a once in a lifetime experience in digital agriculture. Paired with the cultural richness of the region and its highlights of vital historical sites, the program was an all-in-one package.
Interested in having an experience like Kristen’s? Learn more about how you can grow global through study abroad here.
Join us to learn more about the global engagement taking place across the Institute at the 2025 UTIA International Showcase on Thursday, September 11 from 12:30 – 2:30 pm on the first floor of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Building. This event will include a highlight of Herbert College’s study abroad programs, the chance to vote on our top International Photo contest submissions, tables that highlight the global engagement taking place across the Institute as well as within our own Knoxville community, a silent auction item that supports study abroad opportunities, and not just a FREE Capybara Coffee tasting, but also Italian ice! Stop by to celebrate another year working to #GrowGlobal at UTIA!