The Minister of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, Prof. Draga Mastilović PhD, said during a visit to the Faculty of Philosophy and Faculty of Philology at the University of Banja Luka that he was pleased to see the number of students at these higher education institutions increasing year on year.

Minister Mastilović singled out the Faculty of Philosophy as a particularly good example, noting that all available places at the faculty had been filled.

"Student numbers are increasing at both public universities, and this is a result of the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Srpska, which has made significant investments in student welfare. These investments have produced results. We have tuition-free study, free accommodation in student halls, subsidised meals and scholarships. We will continue to invest," Minister Mastilović said.

He stressed that investment in science would be increased and that there was a need to establish a science fund and an innovation fund, as the development of science must go hand in hand with the development of higher education.

He expressed hope that the upward trend in student numbers would continue in the coming period.

The Acting Rector of the University of Banja Luka, Ranko Škrbić, said that his discussions with Mastilović had focused primarily on advancing scientific research at universities.

"The idea is to implement what the minister proposed earlier: establishing a number of scientific institutes and employing young people who would work exclusively in research, while also making a further contribution to teaching later on," Škrbić said.

The Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy in Banja Luka, Srđan Dušanić, said the faculty was pleased to have filled all available places in the second round of admissions.

"We have recorded continuous growth, and I believe this is not only the result of up-to-date teaching, but also of the numerous extracurricular activities for which our faculty is well known. We organise between 200 and 300 events every year," Dušanić said.