Speaking for the STA, Papič said his main concern in the four-year term would be not only to secure better conditions in terms of finance and premises, but creative relationships between members of the academia.

His first activities would include meetings within international university associations as well as the start of talks aimed at putting in place more stable financing, which would have to increase.

"I have reiterated often that the University of Ljubljana is an excellent university. Despite the difficult financial conditions in the past term it has been making progress.

"I believe the university is in good shape, while the new leadership's job is to make use of the good economic conditions and take a new resolute development step ahead," Papič said.

Similarly, his predecessor in office looks positively on his record in office overall. "We could've
excelled better if the working conditions were better," Svetlik told the STA.

Over the past four years the university was forced to implement more programmes with less funding, while it also faced interference from government officials.

Speaking about his achievements, Svetlik said that the number of exchange students from abroad has risen by 45% and the number of regularly enrolled foreign students by 25%, the number of foreign professors and researchers has risen by 17% and the value of international projects by 20%.

Since he started his term in 2013, the value of projects where the university cooperates with business has increased by 10%, and the citation of published works rose by 50%.

The university also adopted a new statute, transformed into a community of academic and other staff and students, and established a working system of quality monitoring.

Despite the shortage of funds, the university has invested in infrastructure, completing construction of new buildings of the chemistry and computer science faculties, among other things.

Commenting on scandals involving excessive earnings of some professors, Svetlik said that new rules were implemented dealing with industrial property rights and conflict of interest.

For Svetlik one proof of the university's good work is its ranking among the world's top 3% universities; during his term it received a number of invitations for strategic cooperation from the most esteemed universities in Europe and the world.

The 44th chancellor of the University of Ljubljana, Papič has so far served as the dean of the Ljubljana Faculty of Electrical Engineering. In 2009 he co-founded environmental technologies company Reinhausen 2e.

The 51-year-old professor has highlighted quality development of the university in his programme as well as cooperation with students.

The inauguration ceremony today is being attended by Minister of Education, Science and Sport Maja Makovec Brenčič and Archbishop of Maribor Alojzij Cvikl as vice-president of the Slovenian Bishops' Conference.