JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS AND PROTECTION OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

BELGRADE, JULY 14 /SRNA/ – The Minister for Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of Republika Srpska Željko Budimir stated that the line ministries of Serbia and Republika Srpska will continue intensive cooperation in the field of science, primarily regarding scientific infrastructure, as it was agreed that joint grants will be created for research projects in both Serbia and Srpska.

“I guarantee that certain funds from Republika Srpska will be available to scientists in Serbia. Likewise, we expect Serbia to treat us the same way in the coming period,” said Budimir, who met today in Belgrade with Serbia’s Minister of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation Bela Balint. After their meeting at the Government of Serbia, they toured the Palace of Science. Budimir emphasized that he sees the science, technology, and innovations of Serbia and Republika Srpska as a shared space. “Within that space, we must develop all projects jointly, with combined efforts to protect matters of national identity such as language and Cyrillic script, but also in high-level science and technology transfer, which must be mutual and immediate,” Budimir said. He stressed his great satisfaction with today’s meeting with Minister Balint, since all previously agreed projects will continue, and the two ministries will maintain their intense cooperation. Budimir assessed that the relationship between the two ministries is very intensive and growing daily. He added that as part of his visit to Serbia, he toured the Palace of Science, which he described as probably one of the best institutions promoting science that he has ever seen. “The people working here have done an impressive job. It is very important that they managed to present everything – from the humanities to space science. They have practically shown what science was and what science is today,” said Budimir. He added that upon entering the Palace of Science, he thought it was just another science museum, but in reality, it is also a research center that gathers people. “Here, you don’t see dead science or a simulation of science. You see the promotion of science through the research itself. Republika Srpska is proud that Belgrade and Serbia have such an institution, and it is even more interesting that this institution was established as an endowment,” Budimir emphasized. He believes this is very important, as there is no science without endowments, especially in small countries. “I hope this can be an example for further development of something similar in Republika Srpska,” Budimir noted. Balint said that it was agreed today to maintain, continue, and plan cooperation between Serbia and Republika Srpska at all levels regarding basic and applied research. “When I say applied research, I mean, on one hand, research in clinical practice, and on the other hand, applied research in a general technological sense,” Balint explained. He added that he is impressed with what the Palace of Science can showcase, and for that reason, this institution truly lives up to its name. “The Palace of Science is indeed a palace of science, as it becomes clear here, because with virtual and other displays it really covers everything that science is supposed to mean,” Balint said. Nemanja Đorđević, Director of the Palace of Science, said it was a great pleasure to host the ministers of science from Serbia and Republika Srpska and to give them a detailed tour to show what the endowment of Miodrag Kostić, opened just over half a year ago, has to offer visitors. “What we are particularly proud of, and why we speak with such important decision-makers, is that the Palace of Science is not just a place with interesting exhibits where you encounter scientific phenomena, but also a place where you can meet real scientists in our 20 research centers,” Đorđević emphasized. The Palace of Science is the first center for research and popularization of science and is the largest in the region. It is an endowment of businessman Miodrag Kostić, opened at the end of last year.