At the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva, we are immensely proud of the extraordinary achievements of our faculty, whose leadership and expertise extend far beyond the classroom. One such individual is Professor Dr. sc. Dario Silić, the Chief Executive Officer of Bina-Istra, who has spearheaded one of Croatia’s most significant infrastructure projects.
Under Professor Silić’s leadership, Bina-Istra, part of the French Bouygues Construction group, successfully completed the opening of the second tube of the Učka Tunnel – a landmark achievement that stands as Croatia’s second-largest infrastructure project after the Pelješac Bridge. The Učka Tunnel is now the third-longest in the country and is a critical connection point between Istria and the rest of Croatia.
Reflecting on this incredible milestone, Professor Silić shared:
“We have opened the second tube of the Učka Tunnel, 5.6 km long, marking a historic day for Bina-Istra, for the users of our highway, and for Croatia. The new Učka Tunnel, built by the French Bouygues TP group, has 24 cross tunnels—every 250 meters—12 pedestrian and 12 for vehicles, making a total of 6.5 km of tunnels. With the connecting tunnels, it is the longest underground excavation in Croatia. This tunnel represents not only a technical achievement but also a symbol of safety.”
In addition to its impressive scale, the project is notable for the cutting-edge techniques and innovations employed. Professor Silić highlighted the innovative approaches taken during construction:
“We have used a thousand tons of liquid explosives and modern techniques that were applied for the first time in Croatia, such as conveyor belts for material transport and liquid explosives. A total of 1.3 million tons of material was excavated, which is ¼ of the Great Pyramid of Egypt, and more than 6,000 tons of steel were installed—roughly the amount used in the Eiffel Tower.”
With an investment of approximately 200 million euros, the tunnel’s completion was made possible through club deal project financing, a collaborative effort that enabled the realization of such a massive endeavor.
The project wasn’t without its challenges, as Professor Silić explained:
“We faced significant obstacles, from difficult geology and karst formations to global crises like inflation, the pandemic, and a labor shortage. One of the biggest challenges was completing the works on time while keeping the existing tube in operation—ensuring that traffic was never interrupted.”
Despite these challenges, the project was a resounding success, with over 500 workers contributing to the tunnel’s construction. Professor Silić concluded with an inspiring message:
“This tunnel represents a victory over obstacles and is proof that when we work together, we can achieve incredible things.”
At SSBM Geneva, we are deeply proud to have Professor Dario Silić as part of our faculty. His leadership and vision in such a monumental project serve as an inspiration to our students, embodying the kind of real-world impact that we encourage at our institution.
Stay tuned for more exciting news from SSBM Geneva, where academic excellence meets global impact!
