The Minister of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska Željko Budimir said in Istočno Sarajevo that this year 24 projects related to cooperation between researchers from the Republic of Srpska and Vojvodina were approved, for which the Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina provided 400,000 BAM.
Minister Budimir emphasized that the contracts were signed according to the public tender for the financing of joint projects of scientific research organizations, founded by the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in cooperation with the scientific research organizations of Srpska.
He said that significant progress has been achieved, because from the former six projects, today 24 contracts have been signed for approved projects, to the creation of a real joint Serbian academic network, to the establishment of teams and friendships between researchers from the Republic of Srpska and Vojvodina, that is, Serbia.
- These are the projects that strengthen the Serbian national corpus, make our science, our research more competitive, because our two public universities in Srpska and the public universities in Serbia, especially in Novi Sad, better understand the things that are elaborated through these projects - said Minister Budimir.
He emphasized that these are projects that both Serbia and the Republic of Srpska need, which locate problems in technical, natural, and social sciences, which strengthen Serbian identity and raise the possibility of better understanding the problems on both sides of the Drina, and they are viewed as a unique issue.
The Provincial Secretary for Higher Education, Science and Research Zoran Milošević pointed out that these projects, approved on the basis of the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement between the governments of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the Republic of Srpska, represent an important issue of connecting the scientific communities of the universities in Novi Sad and in Banja Luka and Istočno Sarajevo.
He added that 24 projects worth around 400,000 BAM are the best indicators of unity in science, culture, and education.
- In order to be accepted in a wider area, it is important that we within our national corps show responsibility as we see the future of higher education - he pointed out.
He added that all the capacities of Novi Sad will always be ready to help Banja Luka and Istočno Sarajevo, but that Banja Luka and Istočno Sarajevo are also important landmarks for Novi Sad.
The Rector of the University of Istočno Sarajevo, Milan Kulić, pointed out that this is a special day because this university is participating in 15 projects from bio-medical, technical, social-humanistic sciences, physical education and sports.