Assoc. Prof. Gordana Nikolić, PhD, is the founder of the first private university of applied sciences in Rijeka and the only female owner of a private higher education institution in Croatia. She holds a PhD in Management and has continuously advanced her professional expertise through international education, including executive programmes at Harvard Business School. She graduated from the Faculty of Maritime Studies in Rijeka, while both her master’s degree and doctoral dissertation were completed at the Faculty of Economics in Rijeka. Prior to her academic career, she gained extensive experience in the business sector, working in import–export operations, international freight forwarding, logistics, and transport organisation.
In 2007, she founded the Business Academy Rijeka, followed by the establishment of PAR University of Applied Sciences in 2011. The unique combination of experience in both academia and industry has positioned her as a prominent leader in higher education and entrepreneurship. She has actively participated in numerous international initiatives focused on entrepreneurship development and is a member of global networks such as G100, where she leads the Higher Education sector. She also serves as Croatia’s ambassador for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED), is a senator at the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), Vice President of its Global Women’s Committee, and President of the Rijeka branch of the Croatian Association of Business Women KRUG.
Throughout her career, she has received numerous national and international awards, including Entrepreneur of the Year in Croatia, the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Award for outstanding international achievements, and the City of Rijeka Award for contributions to higher education and entrepreneurship. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Exceptional Women of Excellence award, presented in New Delhi by the Women Economic Forum, as well as the Woman of the Decade recognition. In 2019, she received the Business Partner Award for her contributions to education and managerial development, as well as recognition from the Croatian Chamber of Economy for introducing innovative study programmes and advancing entrepreneurial knowledge. Her work and achievements have earned her strong global recognition in education, leadership, and the empowerment of women in entrepreneurship.