FVO gave me a starting point for the career I have today. The breadth of what I learned, the many opportunities and the chance to do practical training abroad were among the biggest advantages of my studies. What I learned at FVO still helps me tackle a range of research challenges.
Faculty of Environmental Protection
Environmental challenges need people who understand them.
About the Faculty
Faculty of Environmental Protection
The Faculty of Environmental Protection was founded on the belief that tackling the greatest environmental challenges takes knowledge, research and practical work.
In Velenje, a city undergoing major changes in energy and the environment, we bring together students, researchers, businesses and local communities to tackle questions that are already shaping how we live.
Degree programmes
Undergraduate and master’s programmes in Environmental Protection and Ecotechnology.
Check the entry requirements, current application deadlines, available places and how to apply.
Explore the fields and career paths where FVO graduates put their knowledge to work.
Practical training, fieldwork, laboratory work and Erasmus+.
Knowledge for change
Environmental challenges are already part of our daily lives. They affect our cities, air, water, soil and businesses. FVO equips people to understand and measure these challenges and develop practical solutions.
Study at FVO in Velenje
Degree programmes
You start by learning how the environment works. As you progress, you learn to respond to environmental challenges through research and practical solutions.
Both programmes share a common idea: understanding the environment helps us act responsibly and sustainably. Studying at FVO takes you from curiosity to knowledge and from knowledge to real impact.
Environmental Protection and Ecotechnology
Undergraduate studies
Explore the environment from scientific, technological and social perspectives, and learn to apply what you know to real environmental challenges.
Programme duration
3 years
Practical training in year 3
400 hours
Updated programme
Environmental Protection and Ecotechnology
Master’s studies
Deepen your knowledge and develop professional and research-based solutions to complex environmental and sustainability challenges.
Programme duration
2 years
Updated programme starts
2026/27
Hands-on learning
What is it like to study at FVO?
At FVO, learning extends beyond the classroom. You work in the lab, out in the field, with data and on projects that apply theory to real environmental challenges. You see how environmental professionals work while you are still studying.
Measure, analyse and investigate
Work with samples of water, soil and other environmental media, learn laboratory methods and relate your results to real-world conditions.
Explore the environment where it is changing
In the field, monitor water, soil and air quality and see how the environment responds to human activity and changes in land use.
Use measurements to inform decisions
Process, analyse and visualise measurements. Work with mentors and project partners to use your findings to propose practical solutions.
Put your knowledge to work
In your third year, complete 400 hours of practical training with a company, public institution or research organisation in Slovenia or abroad.
Why Velenje?
Velenje, a living laboratory
Over a few decades, the Šalek Valley went from a severely polluted area to an example of successful environmental restoration. Here you can study environmental challenges first-hand, where they arise and where people are working to solve them.
The environment as a classroom
Lakes, rivers, forests and industrial sites are just minutes from the classroom, so fieldwork is a regular part of your studies.
A region in transition
The energy transition and environmental restoration are underway here, with businesses, municipalities and researchers working together.
A student-friendly city
Velenje is compact, green and easy to get around. Reach the faculty, the lake or the city centre on foot, by bike or on Lokalc, the free city bus.
FVO in numbers
4,000+
Citations of our researchers’ work over the past decade.
370+
FVO graduates have put their undergraduate or master’s training to work.
50+
Research projects completed in Slovenia and abroad.
What’s happening?
News at FVO
Find out what’s happening at FVO and where we’re working. Keep up with our research and connect with a community that cares about the environment.
News and events
What people say about FVO
Rok Novak, PhD
Researcher at the Jožef Stefan Institute and lecturer at FVO
My Erasmus+ exchange in Evenstad introduced me to a different academic environment, new ways of learning and life in an international community. Studying on a campus surrounded by well-preserved nature brought theory together with practical work and first-hand research into forest ecosystems. I also met new people and gained experience that helped me grow personally and professionally.
Matej Zabret
FVO student, Erasmus+ exchange in Evenstad, Norway
We met the Faculty of Environmental Protection through the Erasmus+ project “Microplastics: Tomorrow’s Macro Problem”, which raised awareness among secondary school students about the harm caused by microplastics. We were impressed by the faculty’s responsiveness, expertise and approach to working together. Anja Bubik, PhD, was the driving force behind the project’s content, bringing a wealth of knowledge, fresh ideas and practical solutions. We look forward to continuing the partnership through new projects and have already started writing joint Erasmus+ applications. We’re glad our paths crossed.
Alenka Dermol, MSc
Dermol Digital Business Solutions
As a company committed to sustainability, we see reducing our environmental impact as part of our social responsibility. We engaged Gašper Gantar, PhD, Assistant Professor, as an expert adviser. On behalf of VŠPI, he analysed how we could improve our business processes and, once we introduced the measures, assessed the reduction in environmental impact. The work was of a high standard and helped our company develop.
Mojca Golež
Head of IT, ETRA d.o.o.
We develop innovative products. During development, we needed to assess environmental impacts, compare competing technologies and carry out other aspects of life cycle analysis. FVO’s experts provided the support we needed. We were very satisfied with the study and the proactive collaboration. The results helped us choose design solutions that minimise our product’s environmental impact.
Primož Kunaver, MSc
Director of Primum d.o.o.
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Study at FVO
Study that sparks change
If you’re interested in the environment, nature, technology and the challenges ahead, FVO is your next step.
Explore study options, practical training and career paths in environmental protection.
