Minister Damjanović visits the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia

On 13 June 2017, the Minister of Science of Montenegro Dr. Sanja Damjanović paid an official visit to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia, on the occasion of which she met with her Serbian counterpart Mladen Šarčević to discuss the initiative to establish an international scientific institute for development of sustainable technologies in South-eastern Europe.

Minister Damjanović explained that the project implementation required the support of countries in the region and informed her counterpart about the future steps relating to the formation of a commission for the development of specific design solutions and education programmes for young researchers in order to build expertise, for which funding from EU structural funds could be provided. According to her, the EU has sought an attractive project for the region of South-eastern Europe for years, which is why the initiative presents a great opportunity for the scientific community of the region to exploit the potential, develop science and get closer to the rest of Europe.

The scientific meeting at which a decision will be made on which of the two options proposed by the initiative is the most acceptable for the region, “Synchrotron Light Source” or “Hadron Cancer Therapy”, is to be held in November. This project, unique in the region, would influence economic development, improve the living standard, reduce unemployment and would represent a certain type of ‘industrialization’ of our region.

The main initiator of the idea to establish the institute was Prof. Herwig Schopper, former Director-General of CERN, and the initiative has also received support of the UN, UNESCO and CERN, as well as of Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, who recently met with Minister Damjanović and expressed his full support to this project.

The Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia Mladen Šarčević expressed his interest in the initiative, which, as he pointed out in the meeting, could have great benefits for scientific regional community. Minister Šarčević said he would seriously consider all aspects of the initiative, with a view to including the scientific teams from Serbia.

The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of Montenegro to Republic of Serbia Prof. Branislav Mićunović.

Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of Serbia on scientific and technological cooperation was signed on 21 March 2011. The Ministry of Science of Montenegro has published the first competition for co-financing scientific and technological cooperation between Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia, valid for the period of 15 October 2016 to 15 October 2018.

In accordance with the established conditions and priorities of the competition and the budget available, the mixed Montenegrin-Serbian Committee held its first session on 13 October 2016 in Nikšić. On this occasion, a protocol was signed on scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries through which a total of 30 joint projects were accepted in various scientific fields, which would be financed during the 2016/2018 period.

This is the first competition that opens the possibility for our scientists and scientific research teams to work with their Serbian colleagues on joint projects, as well as to develop mobility, exchange knowledge and experience, coming up with new knowledge as a result of the joint work.