JELIĆ: EDUCATION IN RUSSIA, BRINGING KNOWLEDGE TO REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

PALE, JULY 18 /SRNA/ – Maja Jelić from Pale, who has been studying at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University for the past four years, says that moving to Russia was one of the best decisions of her life, providing her not only with a quality education but also with valuable experience and knowledge that she hopes to put to use in Republika Srpska.

Jelić told SRNA that after graduating from the Pale Secondary School Centre's Grammar School, she decided to continue her education in Russia thanks to Professor Snježana Malbašić, who informed students about scholarships offered each year by the Russian Federation to students from BiH. "I immediately knew I wanted to study in St. Petersburg. It is a city that has met, and even exceeded, all my expectations. It is rightly called Russia's cultural capital. Its museums, architecture and atmosphere continue to amaze me," Jelić stressed. STUDYING IN RUSSIA A MAJOR CHALLENGE AND A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE She is studying Software Engineering at the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity and expects to complete her undergraduate studies next year, after which she plans to enroll in a master's program in Russia. Speaking about the education system, Jelić said the Russian model differs significantly from the one students are accustomed to in Republika Srpska. She explained that continuous coursework carries much greater weight, while final exams often serve only as a concluding assessment. What surprised her most was that students are given only three opportunities to pass an exam. "If you fail on the third attempt, you lose the right to continue your studies," she said. FRIENDSHIPS WITH STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Jelić said she was warmly welcomed by both professors and fellow students and has made friends from all over the world. Of the university's 33,000 students, around 6,000 come from abroad. She added that the traditional friendship between the Serbian and Russian peoples is still evident today, although Russians may initially appear reserved. Once you get to know them better, you realize how warm and sincere they are, she says, adding that they simply need a little time to open up. DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY IN RUSSIA FOR FREE She pointed out that cooperation between Republika Srpska and Russia also continues through scholarship programs, which allow students from BiH, particularly Republika Srpska, to study at Russian universities free of charge each year. She encouraged all young people considering studying in Russia to apply, saying that every effort invested is rewarded many times over. After completing her master's degree, Jelić plans to return to Republika Srpska, where she hopes to use the knowledge and experience she has gained in her future professional career.