Academician Ivo Šlaus, passed away on Saturday, 8 August 2026, in Zagreb, at the age of 94.
Academician Šlaus was an Honorary member and a dear friend to the Inter‑University Centre Dubrovnik. He served as and IUC Deputy Director General from 1996 to 2011, and as an IUC Vice‑Chair of the Council from 2011 to 2017. Throughout these decades, he not only fulfilled his institutional duties but also initiated and organised numerous IUC courses and conferences with colleagues from around the world. Many of these programmes remain part of the IUC’s academic life today.
Born on 26 September 1931 in Split, Ivo Šlaus graduated in physics from the University of Zagreb in 1954 and earned his doctorate in 1958. He became a professor of physics in 1967 and served at the University of Zagreb until 2005, while also conducting research at the Ruđer Bošković Institute, where he held numerous leadership roles, including President of the Board of Trustees and President of the Scientific Council. His scientific work spanned nuclear and particle physics, medical physics, radiopharmaceuticals, and neutron radiotherapy, fields in which he published numerous scientific papers, authored eleven monographs, and delivered invited lectures at more than 60 international conferences.
Ivo Šlaus was a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) since 1977.
Prof. Šlaus’s academic career extended far beyond Croatia. He was a visiting professor at numerous US, European and Asian universities. He was a founding member of the European Physical Society (1969) and the Academia Europaea (1988), serving as chair of its Physics and Engineering Section during a period when many Nobel laureates joined the Academy.
Although physics was his primary academic field, Academician Šlaus’s intellectual curiosity and humanitarian commitment extended deeply into the social sciences, peace studies, human security, sustainable development, and universal human values. He was President of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) from 2011 to 2013 and later its Honorary President; Honorary Member of the Club of Rome; member of the Pugwash Council; Croatian delegate to EASAC; member of the European Leadership Network; and a member of numerous other international bodies dedicated to global responsibility, ethical leadership, and the advancement of peace.
Prof. Šlaus also played an active role in public life. He served as a Member of the Croatian Parliament (2000–2003), participating in committees for foreign affairs, science, education, and culture. He was co‑founder and secretary general of the Croatian Movement for Democracy and Social Justice. His achievements were recognised with numerous awards, including the Ruđer Bošković Prize, the Croatian State Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Science, and the Order of Prince Trpimir with Necklace and Morning Star (2023) for his exceptional contributions to science, international cooperation, and the reputation of the Republic of Croatia.
Across all his roles, Academician Ivo Šlaus embodied a profound belief in the responsibility of scientists and scholars to work for peace, human dignity, and the well‑being of future generations. His tireless energy, positivity and remarkable talent for creating new networks and collaborations will remain among the most cherished memories of all who worked with him.
His memory will remain with us as an enduring inspiration for future generations of scholars.
