ASEF Gala 2025: Prof. Dr. Ivan Bratko Receives ASEF ZGLED Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community

On Monday evening, June 23, the Grand Hotel Union in Ljubljana hosted the ASEF Gala Night, an event that brought together generations of ASEF scholars, mentors, and supporters in a warm and inspiring atmosphere.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the ASEF ZGLED Award – an award for outstanding contribution and exemplary leadership within the ASEF community – to Prof. Dr. Ivan Bratko, a distinguished scientist, educator, and individual whose work over decades has left an invaluable mark on the field of artificial intelligence and generations of Slovenian researchers both at home and abroad. ASEF Junior Fellows, who have been greatly influenced by Professor Bratko’s knowledge, approach and example, paid tribute to him on stage.

The evening was hosted by Lana Nastja Anžur and Martin Jurkovič, ASEF Junior Fellows of the 2024 cohort. Prof. Dr. Jure Leskovec, one of Slovenia’s most prominent scientists in Silicon Valley, greeted the attendees via a video message. This was followed by a presentation on the work of ASEF, delivered by Dr. Rok Sekirnik, who emphasized:

“In its ten years of operation, ASEF has grown into a community that strives for excellence in knowledge, character building, and giving back to the community.”

The evening was enriched with musical performances by Jakob Kobal and Veronika Strnad. The stage was also filled with inspiring stories from ASEF mentors – Dr. Andrej Prša, Maja Marija Potočnik, and Gorazd Lampič – as well as personal testimonies from ASEF Junior Fellows Stefanie Leber and Frenk Dragar, who presented the ASEF scholarship programs Research Abroad and Visit to Slovenia.