Country/Region/City
Each FISU World University Championship is more than just a sporting event — it’s a unique opportunity to discover a new culture, explore a region, and connect with a vibrant academic community.
This page introduces you to the host country and city for this edition, highlighting their history, key features, and commitment to sport and youth.
Croatia
Croatia is widely recognised for its spectacular Adriatic coastline and strong sporting tradition. With a population of around 3.8 million, the country has won 52 Olympic medals since 1991 and achieved international success in sports such as handball, water polo, rowing, athletics, sailing, alpine skiing, and taekwondo. Croatian football is particularly celebrated, with one silver and two bronze medals at FIFA World Cups (1998, 2018, 2022).
The Croatian Adriatic includes 1,246 islands and attracts millions of visitors each year. Coastal cities such as Split, Dubrovnik, Trogir, Šibenik, and Zadar showcase UNESCO World Heritage sites, reflecting Croatia’s rich history and cultural diversity.
Split
Split is a Mediterranean city with over 2,000 years of living history and around 270 sunny days per year. Often called “the Mediterranean Flower”, Split is Croatia’s second-largest city and the main hub of southern Croatia. It is a key transport crossroads, home to Croatia’s busiest airport and the country’s largest passenger seaport, and is easily accessible by highway (approx. 4 hours from Zagreb).
Split is famous for its sporting identity, with 98 Olympic medallists linked to the city. The city celebrates this heritage through its Sports Museum and Sports Hall of Fame, and locals proudly describe Split as one of the most sport-oriented cities in the world.
Coordinates: 43°30′36″N 16°26′24″E
Postal code: HR-21000 | Area code: +385 21
Area: 79.4 km² | Population: 160,577 (2021) | Density: 2,000/km²
University of Split
The University of Split was officially established on 15 June 1974 when the units having already had an effect in their professional, scientific and teaching areas entered its structure.
As a predominant scientific and teaching public institution in the region the University of Split has expanded during the course of the past 50 years to include eleven Faculties, one Academy of Arts and four University Departments.
There are about 20,000 students enrolled in the University’s undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate programs.
The focus of the research work carried out by the University is on scientific areas with reference to disciplines characterized by natural, biomedical, cultural, historical, social, economic and other features of the region as a part of the Croatian Adriatic and the Mediterranean region as a whole.
The University of Split is located at Ruđera Boškovića 31, 21000 Split.