As most FSB students, Diana Milčić has always been fond of maths, and studying at one of the technical faculties was her first choice. Although she was thinking about the Faculty of Civil Engineering, the Faculty of Forestry and the Faculty of Science - Department of Mathematics, she came to Zagreb as a mechanical engineering student after graduating from MIOC in Bjelovar.

„I moved from mathematics to mechanical engineering at the last moment, and I think that was a good choice.”

At that time, out of 600 FSB students, there were only 60 female students. “Ten of us would stick together. My specialisation was the Design. Since there were more male students at the Faculty, we usually talked about football and other 'male' topics in free time.” She points out that she didn't notice any difference between male and female students during the study.” I lived in a dorm, and it seemed that students who came to Zagreb from other cities were better connected; we helped each other more, worked together on projects. I don’t think that environment was so competitive at the time, and teamwork was more prevalent.”

Bologna process was introduced at FSB in 2004/2005. FSB was the first to introduce it among all higher education institutions in the Republic of Croatia. Diana Milčić points out that “the spirit of Bologna” regarding exams and the study itself was manifested much earlier. “The study was difficult. We learned a lot. However, if you learn regularly, it's not that difficult.”

After completing the study, she worked as a design engineer in Končar – Generatori d.d. for seven years, and in a private company as a procurement coordinator, and then in TKT Toplota, Zagreb d.o.o. as a design engineer and a production manager. “I have to admit that there were many challenging moments during my professional work, especially when I was a production manager. Being a woman and a production manager, working in a facility surrounded mostly by men, was not always easy. However, I learned a lot from that experience.”

She returned to FSB as a teaching assistant of Professor Osman Muftić, who was her mentor. “Professor Muftić was an exceptional man. He helped everyone and unselfishly shared his broad and rich knowledge.” Diana Milčić gladly remembers the period spent at FSB and her work with students at the Department of Applied Mechanics. “I would always advise young people to choose mechanical engineering since that field provides broad knowledge, and teaches you to think.”

There was a new job opening for an assistant professor at the Department of Applied Mechanics, Faculty of Graphic Arts, University of Zagreb in 2002, and she decided to move forward. Today, she works as a full professor at the Department of bookbinding and packaging at the Faculty of Graphic Arts, where she held the post of Vice Dean for Education and Science and was elected Dean twice. Although FSB and the Faculty of Graphic Arts belong to the field of technical sciences, the technical branches are entirely different, and so is their organisation and working methods. “In mechanical engineering, every problem is approached through projects, an analysis is conducted, and optimal solutions are sought.”

For the last three years, she has been learning Spanish in her free time. She loves to travel, mainly in South America. “One of my unfulfilled wishes is going to Cambodia. When I was 13, I watched a documentary and said to myself: I’ll visit that country once.” She is also into sports, and six years ago she actively started training rowing. “I like physical activity. We train at Lake Jarun at least three times a week. Peace and quiet suit me. We are an excellent team, and despite the fact I started training incidentally, I won the gold medal at world veteran regatta in eights”, she says laughingly and points out that she is looking forward to every new challenge.