The Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), in partnership with the leading global cloud communication platform Infobip, has launched a new service aimed at streamlining the freshman enrollment process and fostering further research collaboration.
The innovative AI assistant is named “Branka”, after the first Croatian female PhD in electrical engineering, prof. emer. Branka Zovko Cihlar, PhD (1933–2023).
During the enrollment period, the volume of student inquiries creates significant workload for FER’s student services. To address this, FER turned to Infobip for a project that could assist students with their enrollment queries and alleviate the student services’ workload.
Given that the enrollment process is well-defined, it was ideal for developing a chatbot. Infobip’s SaaS platform includes a tool called Answers, specifically created for AI assistant solutions. Infobip has extensive experience in this area, having previously developed an AI assistant for LAQO.
Aiming to develop the AI assistant, the project brought together Infobip’s AI team led by Danijel Temraz, Principal Engineer at Infobip, FER professors Tomislav Jagušt and Marko Horvat, head of student services Petra Lukina, and the FER CIP team.
Branka can be accessed via the link. By clicking the chat icon in the bottom right corner of the screen, users are greeted and able to interact with her. Branka currently provides answers to frequently asked questions, guides users through enrollment steps, and offers quick and efficient support. She assists prospective students with understanding enrollment criteria, required documents, deadlines, rules, and exceptions related to the enrollment process.
FER’s Dean, prof. Vedran Bilas, PhD, emphasized that this project aims to help new students navigate the enrollment process more effectively while allowing the student services to manage numerous applications more efficiently.
“This is a very interesting and useful experience, and I believe we will expand the application of similar solutions. FER is designing and exploring the use of artificial intelligence in engineering education together with other leading higher education institutions in Europe,” Bilas stated.
Ervin Jagatić, Director of AI Products at Infobip, highlights that this project is just one of the initial steps in Infobip’s long-term plan to develop innovative solutions beneficial not only to educational institutions but also to the broader community.
“We are extremely proud of our collaboration with FER and believe that this generative AI-powered chatbot will significantly enhance the enrollment experience for future students. This is just the beginning of our joint efforts in researching and developing advanced technologies,” Jagatić stated.
In addition to enhancing services for prospective students, this collaboration opens up further opportunities for joint research and development of solutions. Students will have the chance to participate in internships and projects within Infobip, gaining valuable experience and knowledge needed in the job market, while mentoring by Infobip experts will further enrich their education and professional development.
Source: Netokracija
