The Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Jelena Begović, and Director of the organization Returning Point, Uroš Živković, signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at advancing future joint initiatives in the field of circular migration, programs connecting science and business, and support to the Talent Ecosystem platform. The Memorandum was signed during the annual conference of the Talent Ecosystem platform, organized by Returning Point and Young Talent Fund. The conference brought together 100 graduate Young Talent Fund scholarship holders, many public and private sector representatives, human resources and talent management specialists, scientists and returnees, and representatives of international organizations.

On this occasion, Begović explained that the goal of the cooperation between the Ministry and the Returning Point organization was to better connect all those who had decided at some point to leave the country for education or work. We want to create a system to which young people will be able and willing to return and bring the knowledge they have acquired. The state has already done a lot in this regard, but it is also important that those who left the country to develop their careers do not lose contact with their homeland, she said. According to her, their experience and knowledge are valuable to us, and that is why it is important to have joint projects that develop communication, such as this one.

The Director of Returning Point, Uroš Živković, presented the most important results of the work of that organization and of Talent Ecosystem platform in the past year. He noted the importance of cooperation with the Young Talent Fund, launch of the Fund’s Alumni Network, stating that the Talent.Ecosystem application was developed in the first year of this initiative, enabling Fund scholarship holders to connect directly with employers. Živković expressed his belief that this would motivate them further to view their return from abroad as an opportunity for further career advancement in Serbia. The Talent Ecosystem platform was designed to connect and strengthen cooperation between public and private sector employers, on the one hand, and Young Talent Fund scholarship holders, on the other.

The conference included a panel discussion entitled The Future of Work: Learning and Acquiring Skills as the Key to Success, which was attended, in addition to the Minister, by the Director of the National Employment Service Milan Bosnić, the CEO of NCR Voyix and President of the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia Stefan Lazarević.

Source: Government of the Republic of Serbia

Photo: Zoran Petrović/NITRA