Programme Manager
Aljosa has a master’s degree in Child Development from the University of Haifa and a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Care from the University of Maribor. He began his career as an early childhood education assistant in a public kindergarten in Murska Sobota, later becoming a lead teacher, educator-counselor, and manager of a preschool unit. In these roles, he combined direct practice with children and families with designing and delivering continuous professional development opportunities for early childhood professionals. Over the years, Aljosa transitioned into international programme management, joining ISSA – the International Step by Step Association in 2019, where he advanced through various roles to become Programme Manager.
Working across the Early Childhood Development ecosystem in the Europe and Central Asia region, Aljosa has developed expertise in strategic programme leadership, programme design and management, curriculum development, training and facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy. He has worked closely with a wide range of partners, from grassroots organisations to international agencies, building capacity, fostering high-quality inclusive education, and promoting the rights and well-being of all children. He has led large international portfolios, navigating diverse cultural contexts and complex governance systems, always with a focus on equity, inclusion, and child-centred approaches, as well as community strengthening.
For Aljosa, the biggest added value of working at ICDI is that he can develop meaningful, effective solutions so that children worldwide can grow up in safe, loving, and nurturing environments and lead happy lives.
He is passionate about inclusion, community building, and the transformative role of education in strengthening and nurturing democratic and equitable societies.
Aljosa moved to the Netherlands from his native Slovenia in 2019 to start a new professional journey, and has lived in Leiden ever since. In September 2025, Aljosa joined ICDI as Programme Manager, continuing his commitment to advancing children’s well-being and rights worldwide.
As a child
As a child, Aljosa was curious and adventurous, spending countless hours playing outdoors with friends in the Roma village where he grew up in Slovenia. During summer breaks, he would stay for long periods at his grandmother’s home in the bilingual north-east region of Slovenia, near the Hungarian and Croatian borders. There, he spent the summer playing with local children and helping his grandmother in the garden and vineyards.
Aljoša and play
From an early age, Aljosa dreamed of becoming a teacher. He loved pretend play, often taking the role of a teacher, gathering friends and local children around a “blackboard” and giving them assignments and tasks. For this “blackboard,” he used doors, not only at home but also at neighbours’ houses, drawing on them with crayons. While parents and neighbours weren’t always thrilled about this, these moments marked the beginnings of his professional journey as an educator.
