The Role of Education in Strengthening Serbian National Identity is the title of the conference organized in Zlatibor by the Students’ Union of the Republic of Srpska and the Students Conference of Serbian Universities.

Among other things, the conference was an opportunity for students from Srpska and Serbia and other participants in the gathering to exchange opinions, views and ideas on the importance of the role of learning and education with the aim of strengthening Serbian national identity and all relevant nation-identifying elements.

The attendees at the conference included also the Minister of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, Željko Budimir.

The minister said that the national identity issue was inseparable from education, as he had told students from Srpska and Serbia at the conference in Zlatibor, and added that it was the education of a nationally responsible elite that took place in educational institutions.

– That is why this conference is the beginning of that alignment in national identity disciplines and education policy of Serbia and Republic of Srpska – said minister Budimir at the beginning of the three-day conference The Role of Education in Strengthening Serbian National Identity.

He added that students had done significant work in implementing the Declaration of the Pan-Serbian Assembly.

– The Declaration speaks about unified action of our universities. Student organizations have started this. All-Serbian unity is felt in the academic space – said minister Budimir.

Speaking about the implemented projects and plans related to higher education, the minister said that it had been agreed that the science funds of Srpska and Serbia allocate funding for joint projects.

– We will try to send as many students as possible to Serbia for the second and third cycles of studies. Next year, we will try to create joint study programs. It is important to enable access to funding in Serbia for scientific research work, especially concerning projects of national importance – Budimir said.

The minister commended students’ work for their expressed enthusiasm and desire to cooperate with the peers from Serbia.

– For them, it is all natural and normal. The issue of national identity is normality and no outsider should teach them about it. That is a special value in such gatherings – concluded minister Budimir.

The President of the Student Parliament of the University of Istočno Sarajevo, Nikola Lapčević, noted that student cooperation between the Republic of Srpska and Serbia was growing stronger year after year, all with the aim of preserving Serbian national identity and respecting history and tradition.

– We want to deepen the cooperation and to strengthen it further. Just as our ministries and universities work, so will we, the students, work on strengthening Serbian national identity – Lapčević said.

He expressed his gratitude to the line minister Željko Budimir for his support in organizing the conference, but also for supporting student projects, and also to the Rector of Istočno Sarajevo University, Milan Kulić.

Source: Republic of Srpska Government – RTRS

Photo: Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education