Marta Šveb Dragija, PhD, is a psychologist and Research Assistant at the Department for Culture and Communication of the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO), Zagreb, where she is affiliated with the Centre for Sustainable Development through Culture (CORK). She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), where she developed an interdisciplinary research approach bridging psychology, culture, and public health. She also obtained her Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Groningen. During her studies, she further specialised in talent development, coaching, and sport psychology, earning several internationally recognised professional certificates.
Her research focuses on culture and health, with particular emphasis on the psychological effects of cultural participation on mental health, well-being, and quality of life. She investigates how museums, cultural heritage, the arts, and cultural tourism can contribute to individual and societal well-being while fostering more sustainable and resilient communities. Her research interests include the psychology of museum experiences, the measurement of cultural well-being, the design of cultural experiences, and the development of policies linking culture, health, and sustainable development.
At IRMO, she contributes to national and international research projects and the development of cultural and regional development strategies. She is the author of scientific and professional publications in the fields of culture and health, museum psychology, cultural participation, cultural tourism, and the experience economy. She regularly presents her research at international scientific conferences and actively develops international collaborations at the intersection of psychology, culture, and public health.
She is a member of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP) and actively contributes to the international research community exploring the psychological, social, and cultural determinants of human well-being.