About SASS
The School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica (SASS) was established as an independent private higher education institution on 15 June 2006.
In 2007, the teaching process started at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In the academic year 2007/08, SASS began implementing full-time study programmes, namely the undergraduate study programme Advanced Social Studies, which is renamed into (academic) study programme Social Management, and the master’s study programme Intercultural Management. In 2008, the School obtained accreditation for a doctoral programme of Sociology, thus vertically completing the system of study programmes, i.e. at the postgraduate, master’s and doctoral levels.
A year later, we started creating an additional vertical line vertical in the field of social management, where we obtained accreditation for the undergraduate (BA) study programme and a master’s study programme titled Social Management (currently inactive). In the academic year 2012/13, bachelor of arts study programme and master’s study programme Psychosocial Counselling were added to the existing programmes.
The Faculty of Media joined the School of Advanced Social Studies on September 30, 2022.
Since the annexation, the study programs of the Faculty of Media (undergraduate study program Media and Journalism, master’s study program Strategic Communication, master’s study program Media and Journalism, doctoral study program Strategic Communication and Management) are carried out by the School of Advanced Social Studies (SASS). The study programs of the (former) Faculty of Media and their implementation, as well as the rights and obligations arising from the status of a student, remain the same.
SASS Research excellence
In their productive research work, our research staff and higher education teachers with high orientation towards applicability (in accordance with the name of the School) address issues that are extremely important from both the economic and the wider social point of view. Social problems and challenges never cease and never run out.
Functioning of democratic societies, rule of law, knowledge society, migrations, cultural diversity, discrimination, stereotyping, poverty, hunger, unemployment, right to work, harassment, mobbing, sexual harassment, domestic violence, abuse, online safety, addictions, environmental pollution, health management and healthcare … are just a few examples from the long list of challenges that modern people and societies are facing.
SASS researchers have repeatedly proven that they do not avoid sensitive topics but rather tackle them in accordance with the standards of scientific impartiality and with rigorousness and correctness in terms of research and methodology. There are two institutes established at SASS, namely the Institute for Advanced Social Studies and the National Institute of Psychotherapy.
The School has been awarded the title of Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence.
Vision
"We will become one of the leading European centers in the selected fields of social science, with a significant impact on the local, national and international environment."
Mission
We are committed to innovativeness, excellence and usefulness of knowledge. We encourage intellectual reflection and the transfer of scientific findings to the local and global environment. We educate responsible individuals, capable of performing their work in a competent manner and to cope actively with the situation on the market and in society. Thus we co-create the conditions for openness, freedom, welfare and sustainability.
Four fundamental guides
Despite the rather solid development of individual social sciences in Slovenian society, their interconnectedness is relatively low. This lack of connections is also evident from the professional profiles created by the existing higher education institutions, as somewhat narrowly specialized and therefore less flexible professional profiles are predominant. Until the establishment of SASS, a broader interdisciplinary or even transdisciplinary social science profile was practically non-existent, although the labour market would often find it more useful than a very narrowly specialized profile. The School promotes interdisciplinarity in both pedagogical and research work.
The field of social sciences is evidently becoming more international. Successful integration into the international environment and achieving international standards in research and learning outcomes has become a key measure of success also in the social sciences.
The School pays special attention to high theoretical awareness and methodological quality of its research and teaching. The experience so far and notable international recognition of the involved higher education teachers and researchers provide a guarantee of research and teaching excellence in all the projects aimed directly at students, users in the economy, local community, region and the country, and other users.
Several social sciences still don’t put a sufficient emphasis on the direct applicative dimension. This applies both to the direct transfer of knowledge from academia to the economy, the state and the entire public and non-governmental sphere, and to the lack of coordination between the generated graduate profiles and the labour market requirements expecting a broader profile of graduates with methodological and applied knowledge. At our School, applicability is reflected in two aspects, namely in the structure of the study programmes and in its research work.
Values of organizational culture
Truthfulness as the main guide in scientific and pedagogical work, which means seeking new knowledge about the studied phenomena and spreading knowledge about them in a credible and intellectually honest way.
The right to freely create, research and impart knowledge.
The independence of the faculty and its associates from the political, economic, and ideological centers of power.
The commitment of the faculty and its associates to enforcing academic standards and their focus on ensuring the well-being of students, other stakeholders, the academic community and society as a whole.
Achieving top quality standards in all areas of the school.
Ability to create new knowledge, original intellectual thinking and innovative solutions to social and technological problems.
Belonging of school’s employees and students to common goals and principles, mutual respect and understanding.
School's strategic orientations
Strategic orientations are:
- Scientific research and development excellence
- Excellence in studies
- Excellence in business
- Responsible attitude towards the environment