At this year’s ERK 2025 Conference, held on 25. – 26. September in Portorož, Slovenia, a scientific paper titled “Combining Combinatorial Methods and Block-Based Crossover to Improve Unit Commitment Solutions” was presented. The paper was authored by Samed Bajrić and Davud Topalović from E5, and Izudin Softić, Amir Tokić, and Nedžmija Demirović from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The article was developed within the framework of the bilateral research project “Development of a new algorithm for minimising production costs in the electric power system using mathematical combinatorics”, conducted jointly by the Jožef Stefan Institute and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Tuzla.

The research addresses one of the key challenges of modern power systems: efficient unit commitment scheduling, which critically affects the reliability, stability, and cost-effectiveness of the power grid. The proposed method combines combinatorial techniques with an innovative block crossover approach, significantly reducing the number of combinations to be considered while improving the quality of the final solutions. Test results show that this approach can reduce total operating costs of the power system while maintaining its reliability and feasibility.

The presentation attracted considerable interest from the professional audience, as the research introduces a novel approach to optimising complex power systems and opens the door to further research and practical applications in real-world energy networks.

At the end of March each year, we commemorate the birthday of the remarkable Slovenian physicist Jožef Stefan as traditional Days of Jožef Stefan, known also as Stefan’s Days, spanning the entire week from 24.3. to 29.3.2025.

The all-week program concludes with the traditional Open Day Event, on Saturday, 29 March, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is organized with cooperation of research departments and research centers. The members of Laboratory for open systems and networks will also present our research work as the part of the program “Building the modern world”. The event is open for general public interested in research activities on multidisciplinary fields of science. You are kindly invited. See the full programme here.

Watch the video here.

The Laboratory for Open Systems and Networks at Jozef Stefan Institute is offering Ph.D. student positions. We invite candidates who are interested in research work in any of the following areas:

Cybersecurity,

Human-centered design of autonomous and AI-driven solutions for cybersecurity,

Quantum-safe secure communications.

The laboratory offers a stimulating, friendly and flexible work environment, access to the latest equipment, directed mentoring, and associates with extensive experience. At the same time, it enables freedom to choose a specific research topic and offers cooperation with various established foreign institutions.

Deadline: May 6, 2025

Procedure: For more detailed information on the application process send your mail to info@e5.ijs.si

or visit the following link for application forms: https://mr.ijs.si/en/tender/

General information: The Jozef Stefan Institute (https://www.ijs.si) is the largest research institute in Slovenia. The Laboratory for Open Systems and Networks (https://www.e5.ijs.si) has a long tradition in research and development in the field of information security, computer networks, telecommunications, and services and applications of information society. Activities are carried out within the program “Future internet technologies: concepts, architectures, services, and socio-economic issues” and with various research institutions across the World.

Within the on-going Erasmus+ project “DiGiBLEND | Improving adult digital literacy through innovative gamified blended learning”, we have developed a new and innovative approach to teaching and training basic digital skills for the target group of older adults. As the result we have developed a new board game “INFINITY” for the game-based assessment of the digital literacy among the elderly adults. The testing was successful and the results will be used in the dissemination of the DiGiBLEND project

The elderly adults often find it difficult to adapt to the digital environment, because they lack the basic digital literacy that is required to carry out everyday activities in this digitally transformed world. Their lives, either professional or private, were not based on a need to understand new, digital services. However, for more than a decade, the EU’s strategy and related policy initiatives have pursued the objective of enhancing the digital skills and competencies of all citizens for successful digital transformation. In this context, seniors are considered to be learners who have to be treated patiently and gently.

At the end of March each year, we commemorate the birthday of the remarkable Slovenian physicist Jožef Stefan as traditional Days of Jožef Stefan, known also as Stefan’s Days, spanning the entire week. This year Stefan’s Days’ activities conclude with the Open Day 2024 on Saturday 23 March 2024. This event is organized with cooperation of research departments and research centers. The event is open for general public interested in research activities on multidisciplinary fields of science.

The all-week program concludes with the traditional Open Day event, on March 23, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The members of Laboratory for open systems and networks, will also present our research work, as the part of the program “Building the modern world”. You are kindly invited. See the full programme here.