Project leader: Dr. Matej Mertik
Project duration: 1 Jan 2024 – 31 Dec 2025
Funding programme: Interreg SI-HU
Short project description:
The project responds to the challenges of the increasingly poor health condition of residents on both sides of the border.
The assessment that the eating and physical activity habits of young people (and not only them) are catastrophic is, unfortunately, not exaggerated at all. National institutions responsible for this type of issue have reached the same conclusions and have also adopted many systemic measures to at least curb, if not reverse, these negative trends. Systems for addressing obesity and poor dietary and physical activity habits among young people and other target groups have therefore already been introduced, but in many places they are not producing the desired results, or they are insufficient and need to be continuously strengthened and supplemented. Slovenia and Hungary are no exceptions in this regard; according to the latest statistical data, they are rather on the negative side of the EU scale for these parameters. Joint and coordinated addressing of these issues by Slovenian and Hungarian institutions connected within this project can play an important role and can potentially achieve greater effects than would be possible without cooperation.
Project leader: Dr. Polonca Serrano
Project duration: 1 Sep 2025 – 31 Aug 2028
Project partners: Alma Mater Europaea University, Maribor (applicant), ŠENTPRIMA – Institute for Rehabilitation and Education, Institute – Center for Assistance to Children and Parents, Žalec, Atempo BetriebsGesmbH, Jugend am Werk Steiermark GmbH
Project funded by the programme: Interreg SI-AT
Short project description:
The STEP-AUT project is aimed at improving the employment of persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the cross-border programme area. It addresses the lack of understanding of the specific needs of persons with ASD and the insufficient adaptation of workplaces, which limit their employment opportunities. The main goal of the project is to increase the employability of persons with ASD and strengthen their social inclusion.
The project includes training employers for inclusive employment, developing the soft skills of persons with ASD, and preparing them for the labour market. Key activities include research into employment trends, employer training, support for job seekers with ASD, and the establishment of a digital platform to connect employers and persons with ASD.
The central results of the project include training at least 20 employers, involving at least 100 persons with ASD in training activities, and establishing a digital platform with at least 300 users in the first two years of operation. The project will contribute to reducing discrimination, increasing awareness of inclusive employment, and generating long-term positive effects on the labour market.
Through cross-border cooperation and the exchange of good practices, the project introduces innovative, sustainable solutions that will benefit persons with ASD, employers, and society at large even after the project ends.
Project funded by the programme: Interreg SI-AT
Total project budget (ERDF funds): 596,591.24 EUR
Amount of ERDF funds for AMEU: 151,200.00 EUR (80%)
AMEU partner contribution: 37,800.00 EUR (20%)
Project leader: Dr. Matej Mertik
Project duration: 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2028
Project partners: Municipality of Moravske Toplice (applicant), Alma Mater Europaea University, Maribor, Kampus Raumplanungs- und Stadtentwicklungs GmbH, Town of Voitsberg
Project funded by the programme: Interreg SI-AT
Short project description:
The DIRDET project focuses on the challenge of revitalizing village/town centres in cross-border rural communities and on the limited capacities of smaller rural municipalities to use modern digital tools in efficient and inclusive spatial planning. Rural municipalities in this area face monofunctional land use, limited access to services, empty and deteriorating buildings, a lack of green areas and social spaces, and increasing depopulation pressures. To promote economic development, protect the environment, and improve quality of life, development challenges must be addressed while taking into account the shared interests, potentials, and opportunities of both countries.
As a solution, the project offers the preparation of an integrated spatial development concept for village/town centres in two pilot rural municipalities: Moravske Toplice in Slovenia and Voitsberg in Austria. This is a comprehensive strategic plan for the development of village centres, where optimal solutions will be designed in the fields of spatial planning, infrastructure, economic development, environmental protection, transport, and socio-cultural content. A digital twin, which will enable the display of the current state of space and simulations of future development scenarios, will be a key supporting element of this concept.
With the help of the consortium, external experts, and local stakeholders, the project will create the critical mass of knowledge and innovation potential needed to introduce the digital twin and develop the integrated spatial development concept. We will design a 3D model of both pilot areas and the conditions for carrying out credible simulations. Cross-border cooperation and the pooling of knowledge, resources, and experience will make it possible to design optimal measures for different spatial development scenarios, which we will test and present with the help of the digital twin. In addition, the digital twin will serve as a platform for involving residents in the co-creation of solutions.
The municipalities of Moravske Toplice and Voitsberg will strengthen their capacities for managing complex spatial processes through the use of the digital twin. The project will be an example of a cross-border approach to spatial planning that will enable greater connectivity and better integration through the introduction of a shared digital tool. The developed methodology will be adaptable for other rural municipalities in the cross-border area, which will in the future enable broader interconnection of local digital twins and coordinated spatial development of both countries.
The consortium consists of two pilot municipalities, a professional spatial planning organization, and a professional organization in the field of artificial intelligence.
Project funded by the programme:
Interreg SI-AT
Total project budget (ERDF funds): 752,294.58 EUR
Amount of ERDF funds for AMEU: 173,376.00 EUR (80%)
AMEU partner contribution: 43,344.00 EUR (20%)
Project leader: Dr. Martin Rakuša
Project duration: 1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2028
Project partners: University Medical Centre Maribor (applicant), Medizinische Universität Graz, Alma Mater Europaea University, Maribor, Klinikum Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Project funded by the programme: Interreg SI-AT
Short project description:
The CrossReg-4-Health project responds to a shared challenge in the Slovenia–Austria cross-border programme area, namely the insufficient exchange of knowledge and good practices among healthcare professionals in both countries. Currently, healthcare provision in these regions is fragmented, leading to unequal treatment of patients and varying quality of healthcare services.
The overall objective of the project is to improve the quality of treatment and rehabilitation of patients by establishing a sustainable educational platform and network for the cross-border exchange of healthcare workers. The project strives to introduce innovative treatment methods and increase the competencies of healthcare professionals in both countries. The expected change we aim to achieve is the improvement of clinical practices and the standardization of care, which will enable better patient rehabilitation and reduce the long-term consequences of disease.
The project will improve the competencies of at least 500 healthcare workers through the use of a digital educational platform and international exchanges. A sustainable e-learning platform with at least 500 users will be established, enabling access to modern learning content and the results of pilot projects. The results of pilot activities will be incorporated into clinical protocols, contributing to higher-quality patient care and the alignment of healthcare standards with European policies.
The project is based on cross-border cooperation, as it brings together experts from various hospitals and research centres in Slovenia and Austria (UKC Maribor, Med Uni Graz, KABEG, AMEU). This cooperation enables the transfer of knowledge and best practices between the regions, where healthcare systems differ but face similar challenges. The platform will establish a space for the lasting exchange of knowledge and experience, which will significantly contribute to improving the quality of care at the cross-border level.
The CrossReg-4-Health project brings innovation by combining the use of innovative technologies, such as haptic rehabilitation in virtual reality, with the exchange of healthcare workers and digital education. The combination of pilot projects based on the latest research and a digital platform ensures a sustainable and adaptable solution that will enable continuous learning and knowledge exchange even after the project is completed. The platform will make it possible for the results to spread to a wider European area, which is important for improving the quality of healthcare in the long term. The platform can easily be adapted to other content with the aim of improving knowledge and the quality of patient care across different medical fields.
Project funded by the programme: Interreg SI-AT
Total project budget (ERDF funds): 724,444.33 EUR
Amount of ERDF funds for AMEU: 63,999.93 EUR (80%)
AMEU partner contribution: 15,999.99 EUR (20%)
Project leader: Dr. Matej Mertik
Project duration: 1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2028
Project partners: Municipality of Moravske Toplice (applicant), Csörötnek Község Önkormányzata (Municipality of Csörötnek), Alma Mater Europaea University, Maribor, Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem (Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences), Projektna razvojna agencija in komunikacija d.o.o.
Project funded by the programme: Interreg SI-HU
Short project description:
The BioGemTwin project addresses the cross-border challenge of mitigating the effects of climate change on biodiversity. It focuses on the development of a digital twin, an innovative tool for simulating the impacts of climate change and supporting decision-makers in designing strategies to protect biodiversity.
The strategy will be tested in two pilot areas — in Slovenia and Hungary — and is based on linking expert knowledge in the field of biodiversity with digital technologies, including artificial intelligence. The project includes data collection and analysis, scenario simulations, participatory events, training activities, and the establishment of a cross-border network of experts and stakeholders, thus ensuring the sustainability and wider use of the digital twin even after the project ends.
The goal is to connect the EU green and digital transition, promote the cooperation of local communities, and enable efficient and innovative biodiversity management in the cross-border area.
Project funded by the programme: Interreg SI-HU
Total project budget (ERDF funds): 458,396.96 EUR
Amount of ERDF funds for AMEU: 115,234.56 EUR (80%)
AMEU partner contribution: 28,808.64 EUR (20%)
Project leader: Dr. Tomaž Goričan / Dr. Matej Mertik
Project duration: 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2027
Project partners: Municipality of Beltinci (applicant), Take naše, o.z., Cooperativa Sociale F.A.I. PADOVA, Alma Mater Europaea University, Maribor, Első Magyar Felelősségteljes Innováció Egyesület (First Hungarian Association for Responsible Innovation)
Project funded by the programme: Interreg Central Europe
Short project description:
The BLUETWIN-CE project improves the quality of life and sustainability of rural areas in Europe. It focuses on the health, well-being, and longevity of residents, inspired by the principles of the Blue Zone — movement, healthy nutrition, strong social ties, stress reduction, and living with purpose.
The pilot municipalities of Beltinci (Slovenia), Svidník (Slovakia), and Montegrotto Terme (Italy) are testing an innovative governance model supported by Digital Twin technology, which enables forecasting the effects of measures such as walking trails or community gardens. The project involves local authorities, experts, NGOs, companies, and residents, creating solutions for sustainable, healthy, and attractive rural communities.
The goal is to create a model that can be expanded across Europe, increase cooperation between communities, and promote a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle in rural areas.
Project funded by the programme:
Interreg Central Europe
Total project budget (ERDF funds): 638,960.00 EUR
Amount of ERDF funds for AMEU: 123,680.00 EUR (80%)
AMEU partner contribution: 30,920.00 EUR (20%)
Project leader: Dr. Matevž Vremec
Project duration: 1 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2028
Project partners: Mariborski vodovod (SI), Institute for Sustainable Environmental Solutions at National Level (SI), Office of the Styrian Provincial Government (AT), University of Graz (AT)
Short project description:
The GW-CARE project focuses on the challenge of the increasing vulnerability of groundwater resources due to climate change in the cross-border area of Slovenia and Austria. The regions along the Drava and Mura rivers are facing declining groundwater levels, prolonged droughts, and extreme precipitation events, which are putting pressure on aquifers on which drinking water supply, agriculture, and industry depend. Current water management is often reactive, fragmented, and based on outdated or suboptimally used measurement sites, while tools for effective forecasting and coordinated cross-border action are lacking.
As a solution, the project offers a shift from crisis response to proactive management through digitalization and artificial intelligence. An interoperable, open-source decision-support system will be developed that integrates hydrogeological, meteorological, and water abstraction data. This system will enable scenario modelling under future climate pressures, real-time anomaly detection, and the optimization of management strategies. A key element is the participatory approach, in which the tools will be co-created with stakeholders (water managers, decision-makers) through a cross-border ?design thinking? process.
The project will create concrete solutions through pilot measures on both sides of the border. In Maribor, Mariborski vodovod will test the optimization of artificial aquifer recharge to ensure water reserves during dry periods and prevent pollution from the city centre. In Austrian Styria, the provincial government office will pilot the detection of network disturbances and inspection of wells based on data analyses. In this way, the project will establish solid foundations for long-term cross-sector cooperation, improve monitoring infrastructure, and ensure that innovative solutions are integrated into regional and national water management policies.
The consortium consists of a leading private university, a regional water supply company, an institute for environmental solutions, and an Austrian regional authority and university, ensuring a comprehensive approach from research to practical implementation.
Project funded by the programme:
Interreg SI-AT
Total project budget (ERDF funds): 845,257.44 EUR
Amount of ERDF funds for AMEU: 229,582.08 EUR (80%)
AMEU partner contribution: 57,395.52 EUR (20%)
