On 8 and 9 October, Banja Luka will host an event bringing together scientists originally from Serbia and Republic of Srpska who currently work abroad, announced the relevant ministers from Srpska and Serbia, Drago Mastilović and Béla Bálint, after a meeting.

The Minister of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, Prof. Drago Mastilović, PhD, said that Srpska wanted to create a better environment for domestic science development by stronger supporting science and connecting with relevant institutions in Serbia and around the world, in addition to better integrating the knowledge and experience of scientists of Srpska origin working abroad into future scientific research projects.

He noted that the Academy of Sciences and Arts (ANURS) was the most significant scientific institution in the Republic of Srpska and thus a focus for the relevant ministry.

‘This year, Srpska’s Government launched the activities aimed at increasing investment in science to strengthen scientific research capacities and create better working conditions for researchers,’ said Minister Mastilović after the meeting with Bálint and ANURS President Dragoljub Mirjanić.

He stated that the intention was to further develop scientific research activities between ANURS and the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) through systemic support, to back high-quality projects, and to enable researchers to play a more prominent role in international scientific circles.

Mirjanić noted that the meeting had focused specifically on scientific research projects, organizing scientific gatherings, publishing conference proceedings, exchanging researchers, and establishing stronger ties with scientists from Srpska living and working abroad.

‘This year, nine scientific projects involving SANU are planned across various fields, including natural sciences, mathematics, technical sciences, biomedicine, chemistry, and geology,’ Mirjanić stated.

He said the goal was to create new opportunities for scientific research development and to increase the participation of researchers from the Republic of Srpska in international projects and conferences through collaborative efforts.

Mirjanić stated that the purpose of the upcoming Banja Luka gathering was to share experiences and knowledge with the scientific community and to establish lasting cooperation, as connecting with scientists from the diaspora could be of great importance for involving researchers from the Republic of Srpska into valuable international projects, major scientific conferences, and other forms of international collaboration.

Bálint said that the cooperation between the Ministry, ANURS, and SANU should be long-term and concrete, based on joint projects, knowledge and researcher exchange, and connecting scientific institutions.

‘Cooperation between the two academies exists already, and I hope it will be flexible and yield results,’ Balint said.

Source and photo: Republic of Srpska Government