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Study programs for engineers of the future

Faculty of Polymer Technology is the only one in South East Europe offering holistic study programs in polymer technology, covering all aspects: Chemistry and Materials Science, Design and Simulation, Processing, Characterization of polymer materials and Applications.

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Monday, June 15, 2026

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AM Connect 2026

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Attendance is free of charge. Register via the registration form.

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🏢 Information for Exhibitors
Interested in exhibition space? Get in touch at [email protected].

📄 Abstract Submission
The abstract submission deadline is 19 July 2026. Templates and guidelines are available on the conference website.

AM Connect 2026: International Conference on Research and Industrial Advances in Additive Manufacturing

The Faculty of Polymer Technology in Slovenj Gradec is hosting AM Connect 2026, an international conference on research and industrial advances in additive manufacturing, on 23–24 September 2026. Attendance is free of charge, and the conference will be held exclusively in person and in English.

AM Connect 2026 is the second edition of the leading cross-border additive manufacturing conference in the Slovenia–Austria region. It will bring together industry leaders, researchers, and innovators to share knowledge and experience on the latest developments in AM — from practical industrial applications to cutting-edge scientific research. We expect between 80 and 120 participants from industry and academia. The conference is organised within the framework of the ADDCIRCLES project, part of the Interreg SI–AT programme, which supports cross-border cooperation in additive manufacturing.

Two Days, Two Perspectives

The first day, 23 September, will focus on industry themes: medical and dental applications of additive manufacturing, mobility, automotive and aerospace, and construction. Alongside the plenary session, the programme includes short exhibitor spotlight presentations, followed by a networking dinner.

The second day, 24 September, will be centred on research and innovation. The programme will feature a keynote lecture and sessions on new materials and sustainable feedstocks, computational design and optimisation, and AM process innovation, including process monitoring and quality assurance. The conference will close with a session of short presentations of European and national AM projects, followed by a moderated discussion on collaboration and funding opportunities.

Call for Abstracts

We are accepting contributions for the second day of the conference, aligned with the thematic sessions. Abstracts of 300–500 words must be submitted by 19 July 2026, with acceptance notifications sent by 2 August 2026. Optional full papers (minimum 6 pages, including references) are also welcome, with the same submission deadline. The draft programme will be published on 17 August and the final programme on 1 September 2026. Further information and submission templates are available on the conference website.

Exhibition Opportunities

The conference will host up to ten exhibitors, each with the opportunity to present their solutions in a short 3–5 minute pitch. The emphasis is on technical content and real-world application cases. For details, please contact Zala Lorber ([email protected]).

Registration and Further Information

As the conference is organised within the ADDCIRCLES project, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, attendance is free for all participants. All information and registration are available at ammap.eu/conference.

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Faculty of Polymer Technology is an internationally recognized academic institution tightly linked with the economic sector. It grows on the excellence of study, development and research work, while also enabling students and industry to acquire knowledge in one of the most interesting technical fields in the world.

Why study at FTPO

Let our students tell you why to study at FTPO.

Because the study programmes are intersting and practically oriented
Because the employment after graduation is secured
Because you will be working on state-of-the-art research equipment
Because the student is not only a number.

Faculty of Polymer Technology is a private non-profit higher education and research institution based in Slovenj Gradec

Faculty of Polymer Technology is a private non-profit higher education and research institution based in Slovenj Gradec. It was founded in 2006 as Polymer Technology College and was promoted to Faculty by the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in February 2017.

Its founders are companies from Slovene plastics industry (Adient Slovenj Gradec d.o.o., Grammer Automotive Slovenija d.o.o., Plastika Skaza d.o.o., Kopur d.o.o., BSH Hišni aparati d.o.o. Nazarje), Regional institutions (Municipality of Slovenj Gradec, RRA Koroška d.o.o) and Industry associations/Research organisations (GIZ Grozd Plasttehnika, TECOS - Razvojni center orodjarstva Slovenije).

Others about us

Boris Maroh, inž. tehnol. pol.
Researcher - Polymer competence center Leoben GmbH

I will always remember countless debates from all the lectures that our group of eight students attended. We were the first generation of MA students of Polymer Technology. My Master’s degree enabled me to continue my career path in polymer materials abroad, as well as to continue my studies at University of Leoben.

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Igor Skaza,, Owner and Managing Director of
Plastika Skaza d.o.o.

The services that the Faculty of Polymer Technology offers help solve the problems that we encounter in our production and development of products. They help us reach our company goals. We have been successfully cooperating for many years; they offer quality solutions and are a responsive and a reliable partner that helps us grow and fulfil our mission – to create high quality products from Eco-friendly Plastics.

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Tadeja Rožanc,
Graduate

The faculty organises meetings with foreign experts and professionals, company visits, use of laboratory, and a whole list of practically oriented skills which definitely play a much more decisive role when talking to employers than the actual evaluation grades in the grade book.

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Žan Skodlar,
BA Student of Polymer Technology

The studies at FTPO are practically oriented and offer lectures from a range of professionals connected to the business sector as well, which quarantines high quality education for the students and enables them to have excellent employment opportunities.

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Education, Research and Industry cooperation

As the only academic institution focusing on polymer technology in Slovenia, Faculty of Polymer Technology bases its activities on three pillars: Education, Research and Industry cooperation. We provide our students with the necessary knowledge and skills to become innovative and competent engineers that are fit for responsible tasks in their future assignments. We support society and industry in Slovenia and beyond to cope with the increasingly competitive economic and rapidly changing technological environment by knowledge creation through innovative application oriented research on polymer materials and technologies, Know-How transfer and opportunities for life long learning. We live by our values – Responsiveness, Continuous improvement, Practical Attitude and Personal Approach – to achieve these goals.