Organized by the Pedagogical Institute Zenica and the International Association “Interactive Open Schools” (MIOS) Tuzla, a professional conference entitled “Trauma, School Learning, and Environment – Mutual Influence and Potentials for Supporting Children and Teaching Staff” was held in Maglaj on March 31, 2026. The event brought together representatives of primary and secondary schools from the Zenica-Doboj Canton.
The goals of the conference were:
• To understand the connection between trauma, school learning, and the school environment;
• To present potentials for improving the social and emotional development of children in the school environment;
• To understand systemic assumptions for supporting teaching staff and students;
• To present possibilities for mutual support and other forms of pedagogical work to improve the school climate.
The conference was opened by Aida Salkić, Director of the Pedagogical Institute Zenica, and Edina Malkić, Director of MIOS. Following the opening remarks, lectures were delivered: The Presence of Trauma in Bosnian-Herzegovinian Society, addressing the specifics of the school environment (Nino Hasanica, Institute for Health and Food Safety Zenica); Psychosomatic Symptoms of Stress – presenting the effects of prolonged stress and trauma on adult functioning, with emphasis on the importance of preserving the mental health of educators (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maida Mulić, Institute of Public Health TK); and School Learning – The Impact of Trauma and Traumatic Experiences on the Functioning of the Didactic Triangle (Edina Malkić, MIOS Tuzla).
The Pedagogical Institute Zenica continuously organizes such events with the aim of creating conditions for joint work and exchange of ideas, in order to develop support models applicable in schools. Through professional conferences and training, the Institute contributes to the development of educational practice, providing support to teachers and students.
