On April 4, 2025, Associate Professor Dr. Kanita Karađuzović-Hadžiabdić, the Project Coordinator and Vice Rector for International Cooperation and Research at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS), visited Maarif International Schools Sarajevo as part of the project titled “Impact of Robotics on Cognitive Abilities of High School Students.” The project is funded by the Ministry of Science, Higher Education, and Youth of Canton Sarajevo.
During her visit, Prof. Karađuzović-Hadžiabdić met with Mrs. Şükran Özcan, the Campus Director; Mr. Seid Alibegović, the High School Director, and robotics instructors Mr. Armin Akšamović from Maarif International Schools Sarajevo and Mr. Anes Hadžiomerović from the Second Gymnasium Mostar, to discuss the implementation of robotics in the classroom and explore further opportunities for collaboration.
The project team includes Assoc. Prof. Dr. Karađuzović-Hadžiabdić, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tarik Namas, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pinar Unal Aydin, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Orkun Aydin, along with two Master's students, Berina Baraković Roberson and Iman Echnech Seran. Together, they bring valuable expertise to this transformative educational initiative.
The project aims to assess and test the cognitive abilities of high school students by integrating innovative technologies such as robotics into the educational process. A specially designed cognitive test, coordinated by psychology professors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Orkun Aydin and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pinar Unal-Aydin, reflects various aspects of cognitive thinking. The test was developed with a focus on measuring key components of cognitive reasoning, such as logical inference, problem-solving, and creativity. Cognitive abilities will be tested at both the beginning and the end of the program to evaluate how exposure to robotics and other modern technologies influences cognitive development.
The results of the project will be shared through academic publications, conference presentations, and workshops targeted at both the scientific community and the general public. The project's goal is to advocate for the inclusion of science and robotics in educational curricula and to raise awareness of how technological innovations can positively influence cognitive development in young learners. Additionally, the schools received extra equipment for their robotics labs.
