Q:
A:
Programmes for return of Serbian scientists from abroad
Belgrade,
7 June 2010
Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic said today that Serbia has launched programmes that will encourage at least a number of the Serbian scientists living abroad to return to their mother country.
Author:
Tanjug
Speaking at the conference “Scientific diaspora and education abroad: a resource or an investment lost”, Djelic pointed out that the competition for scientific projects that has been announced just recently is opening the door to Serbian scientific diaspora because every scientific team from the country will score additional points for their projects if they employ an associate from the diaspora.
He added that out of €200 million obtained from the European Investment Bank, €20 million has been set aside for the return of Serbian experts. Also, the establishment of a technological fund is underway and the state is working on bringing companies from the field of high technology to Serbia.
It is planned that the technological fund is to have a budget of €100 million next year and it will finance the work of technological firms that will be directed by Serbs from the diaspora, he outlined and gave as an example the case of professor Miodrag Stojkovic who decided to return to Serbia and who will receive support for the construction of a stem cells research centre in Kragujevac.
He confirmed that Ljiljana Kundakovic who has returned from Boston will receive support for opening a fund for innovative activities in Serbia and help will be provided to Professor Dejan Ilic, who has worked for many years in Germany, for building a facility for the production for lithium batteries.
Estimates that 500,000 highly qualified people left Serbia in 1991 are unrealistic, since the total number of experts in Serbia that year was much less, noted Djelic.
According to statistics published by the United States, Canada and Australia, 70,000 citizens of Serbia and Montenegro were granted permanent residence in these countries, from 2000 to 2010, of which 10% were highly qualified, specified the Deputy Prime Minister.
Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society Jasna Matic emphasised the importance of communication with Serb communities abroad, stating that her Ministry is making efforts to encourage scientists to take part in EU financed projects.
The conference, organised by the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, Grupa 484 and Erste Bank, was held to initiate an examination of Serbia’s potential regarding highly qualified Serbs living abroad and to highlight the difference between mobility, which should be encouraged, and the loss of skilled intellectual and technical labour, which must be prevented.
He added that out of €200 million obtained from the European Investment Bank, €20 million has been set aside for the return of Serbian experts. Also, the establishment of a technological fund is underway and the state is working on bringing companies from the field of high technology to Serbia.
It is planned that the technological fund is to have a budget of €100 million next year and it will finance the work of technological firms that will be directed by Serbs from the diaspora, he outlined and gave as an example the case of professor Miodrag Stojkovic who decided to return to Serbia and who will receive support for the construction of a stem cells research centre in Kragujevac.
He confirmed that Ljiljana Kundakovic who has returned from Boston will receive support for opening a fund for innovative activities in Serbia and help will be provided to Professor Dejan Ilic, who has worked for many years in Germany, for building a facility for the production for lithium batteries.
Estimates that 500,000 highly qualified people left Serbia in 1991 are unrealistic, since the total number of experts in Serbia that year was much less, noted Djelic.
According to statistics published by the United States, Canada and Australia, 70,000 citizens of Serbia and Montenegro were granted permanent residence in these countries, from 2000 to 2010, of which 10% were highly qualified, specified the Deputy Prime Minister.
Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society Jasna Matic emphasised the importance of communication with Serb communities abroad, stating that her Ministry is making efforts to encourage scientists to take part in EU financed projects.
The conference, organised by the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, Grupa 484 and Erste Bank, was held to initiate an examination of Serbia’s potential regarding highly qualified Serbs living abroad and to highlight the difference between mobility, which should be encouraged, and the loss of skilled intellectual and technical labour, which must be prevented.
-
Belgrade, 24 July 2026Serbia, Hungary partners in addressing regional security challenges
-
Belgrade, 24 July 2026Dačić congratulates UK Home Secretary on reappointment
-
Belgrade, 22 July 2026Serbia follows modern technological achievements, attracts investments
-
Belgrade, 22 July 2026Continued cooperation with Russia in field of security, emergency situations
-
Belgrade, 22 July 2026New opportunities for expanding economic cooperation between Serbia, China
-
Belgrade, 20 July 2026Cooperation in field of interior affairs important segment of relations with Germany
-
Belgrade, 16 July 2026Expo 2027 opportunity to further strengthen international partnerships
-
Belgrade/Bratislava, 16 July 2026Serbia, Slovakia continue to strengthen political, economic cooperation
-
Belgrade, 14 July 2026Serbia bilaterally resolves problems arising from EES implementation
-
Gradina/Kalotina, 9 July 2026Improving border cooperation between Serbia, Bulgaria