Vijrje City University (VCU) is a public research and vocational university located in Vijrje, the administrative capital of District V (Moskiprovac). Founded in 1955, it is a relatively modern institution compared to the historic academies of Karlovac and Sinj.
By enrollment, it is currently the largest university in the Divine Republic of Kresimiria, having recently surpassed the University of Sinj in student numbers. VCU is known as a “Metropolitan University”; it focuses on accessibility, mass education, and practical degrees in business, administration, and media.
While popular with the working and middle classes for its high acceptance rates and forgiving academic policies, it suffers from a reputation among the academic elite as a “diploma mill.” Despite this, its alumni network dominates the mid-level civil service and local government of the central districts.
History
Post-War Reconstruction (1955–1980)
The university was established in 1955 under the directive of the Council for Education. Following the devastation of the 1931 Terrorist Attack and the stagnation of the next few decades, District V was in dire need of economic revitalization.
The government sought to create an institution that would train a new class of accountants, clerks, and managers to staff the expanding state bureaucracy. Unlike the elitist University of Dubica-Viskogorje, VCU was designed to be egalitarian. Its original campus was built in the Brutalist style typical of the era, integrated directly into the city’s tram network.
The Expansion Era (1980–Present)
During the leadership of Ljubo Sanjakorin, the university received significant funding to expand its capacity. Sanjakorin viewed VCU as the ideal model for “Statist Education”—functional, accessible, and loyal to the Republic.
In the 2000s, the university embraced the KresiX digital initiative early, becoming the first institution to offer fully remote degrees via the Kresinet. This move exploded its enrollment numbers, drawing students from rural areas who could not afford to move to Sinj.
Academics and Policies
VCU is best known for its unique academic structure, often referred to as the “Second Chance Policy.”
- Indefinite Repeats: Unlike other Kresimirian universities, which expel students after two failed years, VCU permits students to retake modules or entire years indefinitely, provided they pay the tuition fees.
- Grade Inflation: The university boasts the highest average GPA in the Republic. Critics at the Kresimirian Herald frequently allege that this is due to grade inflation designed to keep students enrolled and paying fees.
- Focus Areas: The university excels in Accounting, Public Administration, Media Studies, and Logistics. It has a close partnership with GradnjaMC, which recruits heavily from its Project Management faculty.
Reputation
A degree from VCU is ubiquitous but polarized. In the private sector of Sinj, a VCU degree is often viewed as second-tier. However, in the public sector and in District V, it is highly respected as a badge of practical competence.
Campus and Student Life
The campus is not an enclosed enclave but a collection of high-rise buildings scattered throughout downtown Vijrje.
- The Tower of Commerce: The main building for the Business School, a 20-story concrete monolith.
- Commuter Culture: VCU has very few dormitories. Most students live at home or in private apartments, leading to a campus culture that is less politically radical than Pulma and less socially cohesive than Karlovac.
- The “Tram Bar” Scene: Social life revolves around the bars and cafes lining the Number 4 Tram Line, which connects the main lecture halls.
Notable Alumni
- Mlada Wrba: Disgraced former Blue Dawn Senator for District V. She graduated with a degree in Accounting, skills she later used to embezzle millions in the Vijrje Restoration Scandal.
- Ivana Bogdan: Current Senator for Moskiprovac, graduated in 2004 with a degree in Construction Law.
- Bozidarka Borsa: The Vjetrusa Senator who defeated Wrba in 1992. Borsa studied Public Administration at VCU in the 1970s.
- Dino Colic: Current Blue Dawn Senator for District V.
- Jakov Brnobic: The former Chief State Councillor of the CIA. His degree from VCU (Criminal Justice) is often cited as evidence of the agency’s shift from aristocratic officers to working-class enforcers.
- Lana B: The nation’s most famous singer and TV presenter graduated from VCU with a degree in Media Studies in 2000. She frequently returns to the campus to host charity events, maintaining the university’s image as a path to stardom for the common citizen.