180 minute read
FACES & PLACES
18th Francophone Song Contest
5-26 March
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Every year in Serbia, hundreds of amateur singers between the ages of thirteen and twenty-eight try their luck at the Francophone Song Competition organized by the French Institute and the Student Cultural Center Nis. Since the very beginning of this event in 2004, more than 1,000 young people who are learning French have participated. They perform with one song in French, in front of a jury made up of professionals from the world of music and French. Regional selections will be held in 4 cities: Belgrade, Kladovo, Nis and Novi Sad (Saturday, 5 March 2022). The finals will be organized in Nis, on Saturday, March 26, 2022 Enrollment lasts from December 22, 2021 to January 31, 2022, and the number of participants is limited. First Prize for Seniors: Tablet iPad 8. First Prize for Juniors: Airpods Contact: concourschansonfranco.bg@gmail.com
Orthodox Celts
17 March - Belgrade Youth Center
The tradition continues: the Orthodox Celts will reunite their loyal audience to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Favorite “Serbian Irish” return to their favorite concert hall to hold a big Belgrade concert on 17 March, at the American Youth Center in the Belgrade Youth Center. The band will present well-known hits from their long and successful careers, but also start with the celebration of the band’s 30th birthday.
Brain Awareness Week
14-21 March - SANU Gallery
Where does our ability to reason logically, solve problems, learn from experience and adapt to our environment come from? Which regions of the nervous system participate in cognitive functions? What is meant by intelligence disorders? Is there a connection between creativity and intelligence? These are just some of the questions you can get answered at this year’s Brain Awareness Week, which will focus on the evolution of intelligence.
A History of What Comes Next
Sylvain Neuvel 1700rsd
Germany, 1945. Mia, a nineteen-year-old girl, is sent by the OSS to find Wernher von Braun. Her mission: stop the Russians getting hold of Germany - and the world’s - foremost rocket scientist. Von Braun is suspicious. And so he should be. For Mia is no ordinary girl. She only looks human. And helping the Allies win the Second World War is but one part of her plan. Because there’s an even darker conflict on Earth. A secret struggle thousands of years old. It has engulfed and taken generations of Mia’s people. But can the firing of rockets finally bring about its end?
No Logo
Naomi Klein 1295rsd
Introducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience - classics which will endure for generations to come. When No Logo was first published, it became an instant bestseller and international phenomenon. Its riveting expose of the branded and corporate world in which we live became a rallying cry for rebellion and self-determination. Engaging, humanising and inspiring, No Logo is a book that defined both a generation and its language of protest. Its analysis is as timely and powerful as ever.
Tate: Colour: A Visual History
Alexandra Loske 3887rsd
Discover the story of color through significant scientific discoveries and key artist’s works over 400 years. From Isaac Newton’s investigations through to Olafur Eliasson’s experiential creations, this stunning book documents the fascinating story of color with an extraordinary collection of original color material that includes charts, wheels, artists’ palettes, swatches, and schemes. “In 1704, the scientist Isaac Newton published Opticks, the result of many years of researching light and color. By splitting white light, Newton identified the visible range of colours or the rainbow spectrum. In Opticks, he built a color system around his findings, and he visualised this system in a circular shape, making it one of the first printed color wheels.
The Cult of We
Eliot Brown 2024rsd
The inside story of WeWork, its audacious founder, and what its epic unraveling says about a financial system drunk on the elixir of Silicon Valley innovation—from the Wall Street Journal correspondents (recently featured in the WeWork Hulu documentary) whose scoop-filled reporting hastened the company’s downfall. Longlisted for the Financial Times and Mckinsey Business Book of the year award WeWork would be worth $10 trillion, more than any other company in the world. It wasn’t just an office space provider. It was a tech company—an AI startup, even. Its WeGrow schools and WeLive residences would revolutionize education and housing.
The Korean Mind
Boye Lafayette De Mente 1700rsd
Understanding a people and their culture through code words and language. Today, South Korea as an economic, technological, and entertainment superpower. How, as a country, did they rebound from war, poverty, and political unrest? And how can that success be replicated in other cultures? These answers can, in fact, be found in understanding the beliefs that Koreans hold close and the values they see significant. Author Boye Lafayette De Mente identifies the unique qualities that comprise the Korean identity and articulates their modern expressions of Korean culture and history in this book.
Tintin and the Picaros
Herge 1417rsd
Herge’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most iconic characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures. The world’s most famous traveling reporter gets caught up in a revolutionary adventure. Bianca Castafiore has been imprisoned by General Tapioca! Also accused of threatening Tapioca’s dictatorship, Tintin, Calculus, and Haddock jet off to the jungle HQ of the revolutionaries, and hatch a plot surrounding the upcoming carnival and Haddock’s sudden and mysterious disgust for whiskey...
FACES PLACES&
3/2/2022 International Women’s Club Of Belgrade Held Its First Event In 2022
The International Women’s Club of Belgrade held its first coffee morning event of the year 2022 on February 3rd hosted graciously by the Marriott hotel at the CREDO restaurant. It was attended by a large number of members and some guests. The attendees were treated to a surprise dance performance organized by the club board and a health and safety demonstration by the Minute Nurse institute. President Sonia Shehryar welcomed the members back from their winter holidays, announced the new members who joined the club recently, and shared information about future club plans for charity work with the members.
8/02/2022 French-Serbian Chamber Of Commerce’s Bonjour Kragujevac Event
The French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized the event Bonjour Kragujevac, which gathered the highest French diplomats in Serbia, as well as the French-Serbian business community. Attendees learned more about the economic potential of this city and met with leading local companies. After the presentation and B2B meetings, a visit to the State Data Center in Kragujevac was organized. The meeting in Kragujevac is the first in a series of events BONJOUR SRBIJA, which will be held during the year also in Kikinda, Nis, Novi Sad and Zrenjanin.
10/02/2022 SPK Members Meeting With The Ministry Of Mining And Energy
The meeting of the members of the Slovenian Business Club with the Ministry of Mining and Energy of Serbia was held on 10 February 2022 at the Mona Plaza Hotel in Belgrade. Attendees had the honor to be addressed by the Ambassador of Slovenia H.E. Damjan Bergant, who underlined that Slovenia relies heavily on green energy and congratulated the Ministry on the adoption of the law on RES. After the introductory speech of the ambassador, State Secretary of the Ministry of Mining and Energy Jovanka Atanackovic addressed the businessmen, emphasizing that green energy is the most important project for our country because it creates energy independence and that businessmen can count on stable business conditions.
10/2/2022 Day of Diplomatic Workers Marked By The Russian Diplomacy
Wreaths were laid at the New Cemetery in Belgrade on the occasion of the Day of Diplomatic Workers on the grave of Nikolai Henrikovich Hartwig, the Russian imperial ambassador to the Serbian court. Wreaths were laid by representatives of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Serbia, the Russian House, the Trade Representation of Russia in Serbia, and others. The Day of Diplomatic Workers was also marked in the north of Kosovo, in Kosovska Mitrovica. Professors and students of the Russian language department at the University of Pristina with temporary headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica laid wreaths at the monument to Grigory Shcherbin, the Russian consul in Kosovska Mitrovica.
FACES PLACES&
15/2/2022 Serbian Statehood Day Marked With A Series Of Events
The Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia - the Meeting was marked today with a series of manifestations with the highest state and military honors. The central celebration was held in Orašac at the place where the decision to raise an uprising against the Turks was made on 15 February 1804, and Karađorđe Petrović was elected leader. Statehood Day is also marked in memory of the Sretenje in 1835, when the Sretenje Constitution was adopted, which was considered one of the most liberal constitutions of that time.
21/2/2022 Exhibition “Connect, mark” With The Cooperation Of The Austrian Cultural Forum
The exhibition “Connect, Mark” was opened on 21 February 2022 in the gallery of the Association of Artists of Vojvodina (SULUV). This unusual exhibition connected artists from abroad with the local Novi Sad scene, who in previous months created and worked together with the cooperation of the Austrian Cultural Forum and the Foundation “Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture”. “Connect, mark” is part of the current program port “Migration”, one of the eight parts of the program that make the concept of the European Capital of Culture 2022.
FACES PLACES&
23/2/2022 NALED Presented 14th Gray Book
Abolishing the fee for land conversion, speeding up and simplifying the legalization process, and introducing eInstructions are three reform priorities for 2022, chosen by NALED members, out of 100 recommendations for reducing bureaucracy brought by the new, 14th edition, of the Gray Book. As many as 21 recommendations found their place in the Gray Book for the first time, and among the 10 priorities are the introduction of “green” public procurement and eAgrar, the establishment of an online register of non-tax duties, the introduction of non-cash payment of all taxes and fees. certificates and the use of e-delivery notes in the trade of goods.
22/2/2022 “Vasilopita Cutting” Of The Hellenic Business Association Of Serbia
The Hellenic Business Association of Serbia held the traditional reception of “Vasilopita Cutting”, following the custom that marks the beginning of a successful year in the Greek business community. The event gathered a large number of members and friends of the Association, while Greek businessmen were especially honored by the Minister of Economy, Mrs. Andjelka Atanaskovic, who attended the reception. The event was also attended by Ambassador of Cyprus H.E. Demetrios Theophylactou and representatives of the Office for Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Embassy of Greece, Mr. Vasilios Skronias and Marios Belibasakis. The event held at the hotel Hyatt Regency Belgrade was opened by the HBA President Mr. Stylianos Zakof.
25/2/2022 JBAS Presented With Award For Achievements
On the occasion of the national holiday of Japan, Emperor’s Birthday, JBAS has presented a special award for extraordinary achievements in strengthening the ties between Japan and Serbia. “Ever since its establishment, JBAS has been supporting Japanese companies operating in Serbia, as well as Serbian businesses cooperating with Japan, thus contributing to deepening our relations. Apart from its regular activities, JBAS plays a significant role as an advisor to new Japanese investors coming to Serbia”, stated H. E. Takahiko Katsumata.
Let Humans Concentrate On WHAT HUMANS DO BEST
I see technological development as an important part of the solution for everything from demographical shifts to environmental sustainability. That also includes HR, where AI will replace a lot of manual work processes and incorporate better quality into others. Yet the work cannot be done without the active presence of mature, ethical and knowledgeable HR and leadership professionals
As an economist and technology optimist, Even Bolstad, president of the EAPM, managing director of HR Norge and board member of the WFPMA, has a lot to say about current trends in skilling and reskilling, telework, the use of artificial intelligence and experiments with work time. Many of his thoughts are provocative and contrary to current flows, yet they are well supported. That’s why this interview represents an intriguing journey into the present and future of work.
How have rapid technological changes and the adoption of AI changed the supply and demand of skills & competencies? What skills & competencies do employers want the most and what can and can’t they receive? There are skills gaps all over the place. If we don’t invest in and prioritise basic education, higher education, reskilling and upskilling, we will all suffer from that - individuals, society and companies.
Certain kinds of engineering and ICT skills are the most obvious answers when it comes to the question of where demand is most urgent. The demand side is massive, and for some skills the
SKILLS
If we don’t invest in and prioritise basic education, higher education, reskilling and upskilling, individuals, society and companies will all suffer If the market has sufficient labour resources, the free movement of services creates a “race to the bottom”. As such, I personally strongly support the underlying idea of the EU minimum wage
Not making use of AI could easily be unethical. Not only because AI will make better judgements than humans in many cases, but also from the perspective of the humanisation of working life and value creation
salaries are just going through the roof. In this area, the skills gap is global, and companies are conducting global talent searches. Some stay and continue living in their home countries, while others might very well work for international employers and also migrate. Many of those who are mostly sought after are quite young and willing to move. This might create a brain drain, especially from countries where the salary level is generally low.
Searching for talent globally also creates the global convergence of salary levels. Cheap engineers from country X get a salary increase, but at the same time they put a cap on salaries for similar engineers in country Y. This again stimulates automation and digitalisation in country X, which again often means higher overall productivity. On the other hand, migration, the brain drain and limited access to competencies might be devastating for a home industry and services in the development of their countries.
What challenges does Europe’s shrinking and ageing population create for employers and HR managers? Demographic changes come in tandem with increased demand for personnel with STEM competencies (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). There is nothing new in this; we have known it was coming for decades. But companies have been short-sighted and governments, universities and others have not been able to build capacities in the education system. Many also consider STEM education more challenging than other studies, and students choose studies that are less challenging. Given that at least some STEM education is also more expensive to deliver, one might say that customers and producers have found each other in short-termism.
An ageing population, with the medical ability to prevent and cure more and more, and the increased life expectancy of inhabitants, also creates pressure on health services. Some of this pressure might be alleviated through the increased use of technology. But you also need a higher share of the total working population employed in professional and public healthcare services. As a society, it is pivotal to retain the participation rate – i.e., the percentage of the potential workforce that is actually working – at a high and increasing level. If this is not achieved, we are unable to finance healthcare, education and other elements in modern welfare systems.
WAGES
How have the massive shift to work from home and telework impacted the world of HR? Is it your view that employees will return to offices like before or not? The toothpaste is out of the tube, and you will never put it back. The home office period has been tough and many have struggled, but it has also been a blessing for many. We don’t like a
As a society, it is pivotal to retain the participation rate – i.e., the percentage of the potential workforce that is actually working – at a high and increasing level, otherwise we won’t be able to retain our welfare systems
home office if it is imposed upon us; we want to choose it for ourselves. And most of us want a combination, often not more than two or three days per week. Moreover, preferences vary with age, position, size of home, the distance travelled to work, family situation, job type, job seniority, personality and a lot of other factors. In general, increased flexibility is a blessing. But, again, a warning: it might also be a trap for equal opportunities. If flexibility means that mum is staying and working at home, while dad is forging a career, a lot of what has been achieved over the last decades will be lost. Bad for mum, bad for companies and bad for society. Equal rights and equal opportunities often start with inherited expectations on how to divide responsibilities at home. If we are not able to cope with that, it is difficult for work life to compensate.
Telework also created opportunities for companies to hire workers from abroad. How massive is this trend? Telework, at its core, has to do with the price differences between markets opening up to each other. Translated to HR, it’s about labour being cheaper and more available in one country than another.
As an economist, I would say that, if labour was in short supply, these price differences would be settled primarily through increases in wages where demand is concentrated, as we have seen happen when it comes to skilled ICT in the Baltics and elsewhere.
This, again, creates several new challenges.
Firstly, as employers cynically might state, salaries are conterminous. If wages within one group increase, that has a knock-on effect on other groups that might not be able to produce enough value to defend the pay-out through their individual productivity.
Secondly, international competition in wages might drain the whole community for the essential competencies that are necessary to raise the community in general. As an example, if municipalities are unable to hire engineers or teachers, free labour competition might be regarded as sub-optimalisation put into the system. As one Norwegian politician once put it: “It is like peeing your pants to keep warm”. Rather short sighted – not very sustainable. And, of course, if the market has sufficient labour resources, the free movement of services opens up a “race to the bottom”. As such, I personally strongly support the underlying idea of the EU minimum wage.
ETHICS
INTERVIEW
We have seen a surge in new apps for worker surveillance during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of these apps proved to be invasive and detrimental to the psychology of workers. What are your standards with respect to surveillance apps, either in the workplace or in telework?
Here I am obviously influenced by the fact that I am a Scandinavian, where workers rights go hand in hand with trust and mainly constructive dialogue with unions and workers’ representatives. Although we struggle from time to time, most of us feel a strong commitment to go from parties to partners. By that, and through transparency, we uphold, gain and strengthen trust.
Data protection laws and the GDPR are integrated parts of balancing the need of individuals with the effective distribution of labour. Let’s be honest, ethics is not always a beacon of behaviour. There will always be bandits out there. Although most leaders are trustworthy and understand the concept of psychological safety and trust-based leadership, we have to impose barriers on those who aren’t.
HR companies intensively test AI in their search for the right candidates. What are your concerns and principles regarding the ethical use of AI? At my core, I am a technology optimist. That means that I see technological development as an important part of the solution for everything from demographical shifts to environmental sustainability. That also includes HR. AI will replace a lot of manual work processes and build quality into others.
At the same time, we know that no technology is better than the people that develop the systems and the data you enter into that system. AI might, as an example, accelerate discrimination, let’s call it cumulative, negative stereotyping on steroids. Although AI
and its use have been here for decades, it is still immature. But let us embrace it and stay positive, without letting the use develop into a “technological home-alone party”, without mature, ethical and knowledgeable HR and leadership professionals present and active.
When it comes to ethics, my perspective is that not making use of AI could easily be unethical. Not only because AI will make better judgements than humans in many cases, but also from the perspective of the humanisation of working life and value creation. Let humans concentrate on what humans do best. In general, that will create more interesting work and better workplaces for each and every one of us, increased value creation with more to share at the company level - and with that also better communities and societies securing welfare and prosperity. It’s a win-win-win. Remember the Luddites from the first industrial revolution. Let’s not follow in their footprints.
We have seen many people in the U.S. resigning from their jobs citing dissatisfaction with the way they were treated by employers. Meanwhile, some employers in Europe are testing a four-day workweek and the EU is pushing for the right to disconnect to protect workers from overly pushy employers. Are we on the cusp of changing the work environment in favour of workers’ wellbeing? As far as I see it, there are two main reasons to impose a four-day week. One has to do with the work-life balance, health, wellbeing and workers protection; the other is based on the idea that work is a limited resource and has to be shared among employees. From there on, and secondly, there are two alternatives: a four-day week with full wage compensation, or – as in Belgium – a four-day week without reducing the total number of weekly hours and thereby more a matter of flexibility.
The four-day week might be seen as an alternative to the “six-hour day” and other discussions on societal reforms. There have been experiments ongoing for decades, but I don’t see proof that one can balance increased productivity with a better work-life balance. That leads to the unpleasant question: are you willing to have reduced wages and welfare in order to get shorter working hours? Most people will answer “no” to that question.
With demographic shifts – an increasing elderly population with more need for care – I also struggle to see how the idea of “less need for work, we need to share” is valid in the decades to come.
Sorry… Some of us are privileged and could – if we wanted – reduce the number of hours we work and thereby also live a comfortable life with lower salaries. Countries with high GDP per capita seem to lead the way, while those with lower value creation are stuck with longer days. Another paradox, at the individual level, is, of course, that those of us who have the opportunity to have more free time often feel strongly fulfilled by working – and often a lot. As an example, I seldom work less than 50 hours per week – often more. Not because I have to, but because I enjoy it. With kids having flown the nest and good health, meaningful work with a high level of flexibility is a totally different situation than the alternatives. Those who are really in need of more time are those who struggle to handle expenses that exceed their income. If society wants to do something about this imbalance, the tax system would be an appropriate tool, in combination with the opportunity to work fewer hours, but to do so with a salary that’s proportionately lower.
IVANA TODOROVIĆ, HEAD OF HRO AT BANCA INTESA
Diversity & Inclusion As A Vehicle TOWARDS EXCELLENCE
It has been commonly acknowledged that the echoes of different voices and opinions in diverse ecosystems that appreciate multiple approaches to problem solving contribute to us constantly advancing ourselves and the environment in which we work and, consequently, pushes our market towards sustainable growth and prosperity
Being a proud member of Intesa Sanpaolo, one of the soundest and most profitable banks in Europe, serving approximately 20 million customers in 12 countries, we have experienced and proved that this kind of forward thinking can truly be ignited if people are heard and empowered to express their opinions that would lead to impactful solutions. Furthermore, generally speaking, this type of culture brings an increased level of resilience to organisations, sparks innovation and builds the kind of transformational capacity that is essential in the context of the ever-changing environment we all face today. Why do we find the Diversity & Inclusion approach so important? Our industry has been playing an important role in supporting the economy by enabling the financial inclusion of a growing number of clients and diversifying products and services along the way. In order to keep pace as an organisation, we need to be able to bring people together and respond to different views and perspectives, while always challenging our decisions effectively in the process.
That exact approach has been stimulating the constant evolution of the diversity agenda of Banca Intesa. When we think of our company, which numbers over 3,000 employees working in branches and offices across the country, we take into account their different backgrounds, ages, genders, heritages, individual peculiarities, orientations, strong personalities, but that they are tightly connected by the same values and common goals: to provide our customers with the best solutions. The unique expertise of our people, derived from their rich individualities, is what makes our brand so solid, with unprecedented success on the local market. As an illustration, the average age of employees at Banca Intesa is 41, while the work experience of our employees ranges from those with 30 years in business to university graduates. When it comes to gender equality, for example, 75% of our employees are female, with 50% of women holding managerial positions.
Starting from the aforementioned demographics, we have been maintaining and fortifying our D&I based competitiveness broadly throughout our organisation by constantly improving our policies, internal processes, initiatives and the programmes we promote, to agile concepts of working. Our recently adopted D&I Policy explicitly highlights respect, meritocracy and equal opportunities as its basic values. It defines our commitment to gender equality, aimed at ensuring fair opportunities in the processes of hiring, elevating talents and promoting personnel. Furthermore, the dissemination of the culture of inclusion is translated into training courses, communication and numerous initiatives, such as international talent programmes for our employees, workplace flexibility supported with initiatives like quiet hour, wellbeing programmes and support programmes for parenting.
All of these efforts have yielded astonishingly fair results, as reflected in the employee satisfaction score, which is why we will persist in building relationships based on appreciation for human rights and diversity, cultural and other differences, and constantly improving them. In a nutshell, for Banca Intesa, diversity is about a never-ending quest for excellence.
TATJANA JOVANOVIĆ, HR DIRECTOR AT HEMOFARM
HR Revolution Or REIMAGINING REQUIRED
In order to more easily comprehend the consideration of how the HR world will look in the future, one should start from the aspect of context. The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the new technologies it has brought favour digital companies. They are appearing out of nowhere at an accelerated rate, and as a form of competition that didn’t exist until yesterday; they penetrate the market incredibly quickly and bring revolutionary changes. Let’s just take the example of how Airbnb and Booking. com completely transformed the travel and tourism industry. The same goes for iPhone, LinkedIn, Twitter or Kindle. The list is huge and is growing with every new day, with each industry affected.
The Covid-19 pandemic, and the new reality that has appeared with it, has additionally accelerated the need for new technologies and demonstrated the direction in which the world of tomorrow will move. It demanded an overnight shift to models of working from home (very often in segments where we’d thought that would be absolutely impossible), while also requiring the use of digital skills and platforms that most people didn’t even know existed. It also demanded the removal of boundaries between private life and business, and between home and working environments, thus prompting angst over how to fit everything in and reconcile the irreconcilable.
We have seen from this ‘in vivo’ demonstration that the world of tomorrow will be so different and that today’s concepts will not be appropriate in the future. They were designed for some other time and that’s where they should remain. It is clear now that if we continue to build the HR profession through enhancement and ‘evolution’, it will not remain relevant. The world that’s preparing for tomorrow will need a revolution or reimagining of the HR profession.
In the context of the future of work, HR will need to focus on creating an agile workforce. In the new world of labour, we will have to develop a methodology for planning the skills or abilities needed for both today and tomorrow. Moreover, we will probably have to discover new models of work and organisation, including horizontal management, project organisations, flexible workforce (e.g., through the outsourcing of work via platforms like Upwork or Gigwalk). This will require us to simultaneously juggle the combination of a workforce that’s on and off the payroll, and to design a string of interventions focused on their experience (we today call it employees’ experience). This actually requires HR to understand what should be done at the individual level, in order to quickly integrate each individual into the company and have an accelerated learning curve, with the aim of instant productivity. Here, it will be necessary to understand the style, preferences, capabilities and limitations of each individual, and to design individualised, consumerised and personalised involvement. By so doing, HR will create a competitive advantage, generate value and use technologies to facilitate the return of the ‘human’ factor to ‘human resources’.
HR can thus remain relevant in the years to come. The experience of other industries and professions teaches us that everyone will inevitably be affected, while the speed and scope of this impact will be dictated to a great extent by our ‘appetite for change’. That appetite will determine where we end up on the S-curve of transformation: at the front, as someone who wishes to be a change leader; in the middle, going with the flow, or… The choice is ours.
MARIJA KOSANOVIĆ, HR MANAGER, GEBRÜDER WEISS D.O.O We Owe Our Success
TO OUR STAFF
Despite the challenges, Gebrüder Weiss Serbia has completed the past two business years successfully. They have managed to expand their business and increase the number of employees, giving a big accent on staff development and education
Gebrüder Weiss Serbia is included in the dual education program. Every year, five best pupils from the Traffic and Technical School in Zemun, have practical classes in the company and after graduation a job opportunity waits for them.
The pandemic has given special importance to the logistics and transport industry, but it has also put you in front of a lot of temptations and challenges. In that sense, how do you assess the last two years? In the last two years the whole world has found itself in unusual circumstances and there is not an industry that has not faced smaller or bigger challenges. Finding solutions, adjustment of the processes and in the end the survival of the business mainly depended on previous experiences, work methods, availability, and advancement of existing technologies. I can certify that it is possible to quickly adjust to different circumstances, to find functional solutions, grow and develop no matter of the challenges in front of us. In our case, the numbers speak for themselves, and despite of the challenges, we have successfully finished both business years, we expanded our business, and on the other hand we increase the number of employees, emphasized the importance of development and education, improved the working environment, took care of our employees and their health, satisfaction, and overall engagement. Satisfied staff, a positive working environment, good working conditions, the opportunity for growth and development, these are the basics in the fight for talent on the market
Staff demand in your industry is constantly growing worldwide, giving candidates the opportunity to choose an employer. How do you reconcile the expectations of both sides? What do you offer and what do you expect? The labor market is changing constantly. Not only due and during the pandemic but it has been the last ten years. Generation change is happening, new opportunities and markets are arising as well as new jobs. Transport and logistics in that sense follows the trends and changes, but despite all the technological improvements and digitalization in business processes, there are still some positions that are in some way still traditional and the man is still the center of events. Having that in mind, we are very people orientated and we strive to respond and fulfill their needs, how we could achieve company goals. Happy employees, positive work environment, good working conditions and the possibility to grow and develop represent the basis for our fight for talents if the market. We recognize that and act with that.
You are constantly introducing new services. Does that mean that your staffing structure is changing, that there is more need for experts who will be focused on finding solutions that can fully meet client’s expectations? One of the company values is service excellence and for us that means that the client is in the center of all our business processes. We owe our success to our educated and professional colleagues, who have a vision, are innovative and focused on finding solutions. We will continue to go in that way, and in our company their opportunity can find young, innovative, educated, unexperienced but with great ideas people, as well as experienced people, from the same or similar industries. I would like to emphasize that our company is included in the dual education program in which we cooperate with the Traffic and Technical School in Zemun. Every year 5 pupils have practical classes in our company, and after graduation a job opportunity at Gebrüder Weiss awaits them.
IVA TERZIĆ, TEAM LEADER FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, HR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP DEPARTMENT, OTP BANKA SRBIJA
The Importance Of Lifelong Learning And Development In TODAY’S BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
Learning is a process that continues from the very moment of a person’s birth. It is for this reason that many view this process as a given. Children are naturally curious beings that learn through the process of exploring the world around them. From the instant of their birth, people are directed towards new things. When our curiosity regarding some new phenomenon is satisfied, we seek to investigate it, and that process leads to us reaching new revelations and making new discoveries. Does that feeling also stay with us later, when we grow up; do we continue to learn, with that same zeal, through the process of exploring the world around us?
The only constant in life is change - said Heraclitus. Change that can occur anywhere, in our careers, change in our personal life, change in our community and organisations. Lifelong learning is one of the most effective ways of facing changes. Learning is essential to our existence. Just as food nurtures our bodies, so information and constant learning nurture our minds.
Continuous learning is our self-motivating persistence in acquiring knowhow and competencies in order to expand our skillset and develop future possibilities. It is part of our personal and professional development in endeavouring to avoid stagnation and realise our full potential, enabling us to practise the skill of constant adjustment.
Continuous learning, better known as lifelong learning, is a concept that encourages the endless expanding of knowledge and skills. The more knowledge of various fields that we acquire, the better we will understand the changes that happen. Lifelong learning is an irreplaceable resource for every career and company.
Lifelong learning and constant development are today essential parts of acquiring the skill of critical thinking and uncovering new ways of relating to people from different cultures. Living life without learning constantly is simply unthinkable. And if we find ourselves in the role of an employee, learning becomes our power to advance.
Lifelong learning also provides the possibility for us to develop new ideas and innovative solutions to modern problems and the conflicts that we face in the workplace. In a society led by technology, continuous learning is no longer optional. Companies and workers who fail to grasp the importance of continuous workplace learning will inevitably struggle to keep their operations afloat.
On the other side, the main reason that every company should support the concept of lifelong learning and constant development is that, without such an agile and adaptable culture, they will stagnate or fail to progress in the business environment. The speed at which things are changing, such as industrial trends and technological progress, means that we must always be one step ahead. Constant technological progress continues to change the very nature of jobs, and it is thus necessary for companies to move extremely quickly towards reliance on their own ability to learn and adjust swiftly.
Lifelong learning in a business environment implies the observing of experiences to date as opportunities for new learning and the re-examining of assumptions, values, methods, policies and practices. Employees are expected to be their own researchers, who will come up with ways to access relevant information, resolve specific situations and handle challenges.
Today’s employees can choose the tools they want to learn something new every day. Thus, for example, they can build a habit of reading, hold discussions with experts they know and ask them questions, join certain organisations, learn while teaching others, i.e., learn for themselves while transferring knowledge to others, conducting their own research, observing the world around us, applying what they’ve learned, utilising MOOC platforms like Udemy and Coursera, listening to TED videos and podcasts etc.
Similarly, company leaders should set an example through their own behaviour by encouraging lifelong learning and enabling employees to access learning opportunities through motivation and acknowledging efforts to learn and adopt new skills.
Companies can also go a step further by allocating time to learn during working hours, such as setting aside an hour to read business books, listen to webinars or practice new skills.
With consideration for all of the aforementioned, in order for lifelong learning to function, companies must have teams, programmes and systems that enable the creation of such an environment, which includes expert content and instruction, coupled with the utilising of internal experience and knowhow. Every employee should receive access to constant flows of information and understanding. Employees can not only learn from one another and collaborate mutually, but rather they also need to be able to do so while performing their everyday roles and responsibilities. This results in learning becoming an essential part of the job, and not a special activity on a special platform. When lifelong learning exists, that helps employees adapt with new skillsets. Companies want their employees to remain engaged in their work and to be skilled in what they do. When a culture of lifelong learning exists in a company, it results in engagement and productivity.
A question that will also arise is whether supporting an environment of lifelong learning to develop employees will lead them to leaving the organisation. However, the reality is actually the opposite, with employees who lack opportunities to develop themselves or participate in joint activities more likely to seek work elsewhere.
Even when companies establish tools that facilitate lifelong learning, they still require individual members to bring new ideas, considerations and resources that can benefit everyone else. As such, supporting lifelong learning is just as important as a company deciding that it really wants this form of learning.
Lifelong learning is essential for us to prepare for the future in the best possible way. However, it isn’t possible for lifelong learning to become part of a company’s corporate culture in just one day, rather time is required for everyone in the company to grow accustomed to it. Building a culture of lifelong learning helps organisations to more effectively engage their employees and empower them with skills that benefit both parties. The learning process also gradually becomes a habit that helps employees to research and acquire knowledge about all the things that are changing constantly. Lifelong learning helps an individual to utilise everyday business situations in the best possible way and take control of their career. That’s why I think it’s crucial – when we recognise that feeling of curiosity to learn something – that we research, solve problems and continue, as adults, to learn through the process of exploring the world around us with the same zeal and as naturally as children. Lifelong learning is becoming the lifestyle of each of us.
OTP banka Srbija is the largest creditor both to the corporate and retail sectors, as well as the market leader in factoring, leasing and e-commerce services. OTP banka is focused on innovation and the digitalisation of its operations, which enables customers to gain new benefits with a focus on advancing digital banking and improving the customer experience. One of the key strategic directions is the green transition, i.e., a commitment to sustainable operations and ecological projects. Thanks to OTP banka’s presence, with 184 branches in 91 towns and cities, clients across Serbia have at their disposal a wide range of products and services, as well as an efficient service and offers that are tailored to their specific needs, while its network of almost 300 ATMs is the largest in our country.
MARIJA TEŠIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COTRUGLI BUSINESS SCHOOL
Education Is A MATTER OF PRESTIGE
COTRUGLI is one of the most highly rated business education programmes in Southeast Europe, which, among other things, is recognised around the world and accredited by the Association of MBAs
With unconcealed pride over the successes achieved by the members of its alumni, COTRUGLI Business School Executive Director Marija Tešić highlights that they view education as a matter of prestige, which makes a difference not only in the life and career of the individual, but rather also in entire systems and, ultimately, on the market.
The demands of the modern market impose the need to learn and advance continuously. Is that what actually brings so many businesspeople to your school and MBA programme?
Today’s labour market is very dynamic and traditional education models are moving ever further away from concepts that ultimately lead to the building of a successful career in business. There are numerous reasons for that: digitalisation and the advancement of technology, the expansive growth of new professions, education that’s in a constant redefining process, the development of creative industries that demand the complex management of people and processes. There are many reasons, but only one conclusion: it is essential to continuously invest in specialist business learning. However, in that process itself, one should choose whom to give one’s time and money wisely, because this market segment is very competitive, with various seminars and ad hoc courses.
Selecting the right business advancement programme should nonetheless be viewed strategically and chosen on the basis of what a particular investment will bring one in the long run, and not only in terms of knowhow and expertise, but rather also in terms of
business networks and new contacts, as well as potential future career advancement opportunities.
Is that which is taught at your school applicable to real-world situations? Is that the greatest value of the MBA programme? Professors of the COTRUGLI MBA programmes are world-renowned lecturers from the world’s leading business schools, and simultaneously consultants of global companies, and they are actually the ones who bring and transfer their rich experiences and real-world situations and challenges from business environments to our alumni, which they also upgrade with their own important theoretical models and knowledge. This fusion that COTRUGLI nurtures – with modern theoretical foundations on the one hand, and applied experiences and expertise on tangible and relevant examples from the most successful companies on the other – is that which makes the programme itself so prestigious.
The title of MBA means that one’s knowhow, abilities and status are recognised worldwide. Does this title also equate to an advantage in terms of securing employment for the candidate who holds it?
We carried out an important survey among the members of our alumni during this year, through which we gleaned excellent data. As many as 74% of participants in the COTRUGLI Business School MBA programme have achieved advancement in their careers after completing their studies, while 64% of them have received raises and achieved long-term financial progress since enrolling in their studies. All this serves to confirm to us that we have a programme that has significant applications in practice, that takes our alumni “a step further”, but even that isn’t all that this programme provides for them.
It’s extremely important to consider that our students are part of the top management teams of the region’s largest companies in various industries, which is great networking that they receive through our programmes.
People Form The Foundation OF EVERY SUCCESS
HR SECTOR BECOMING EVER-MORE IMPORTANT
The value of any company, be it small or large, has long since been expressed not only in terms of annual profits, turnover, number of company cars, salary levels and other financial indicators, because the quality of employees testifies to that value a lot more. It’s for this reason that the high-quality and professional management of human resources is one of the most important jobs, which is why the HR sector is becoming ever-more important
FIVE HR TRENDS IN 2022
The coronavirus pandemic, which has hit the entire world, has led to many changes to business processes and the way employees work. The majority of companies have faced numerous challenges that have implied changing plans and priorities, adapting to new circumstances and adopting new models of communication, working from home and increasing care for employees and their needs. All this has been reflected in the labour market, but also the HR sector, which has entered a new period in which trends like work flexibility, intangible benefits, wellbeing, digitalisation, the development of a growth mindset among employee and the embracing of diversity and inclusion are becoming an integral part of new corporate cultures.
EVER MORE EMPLOYEES FEEL WORK BURNOUT According to the latest research, a work burnout trend is on the rise and affecting employees who work from home in particular, which is why it turns out that they need additional support. That’s the reason why this whole year will be dedicated to empowering employees through the creation of psychological resilience.
This need has arose because not all employees have optimal working conditions at home, which makes it difficult to establish a balance between private and professional life, or a strict boundary between working hours and free time. Due to a desire and need to protect employees from stress and other unwanted consequences of work burnout, many companies have introduced strict working hours and, for those who work from home, introduced the practise of openly discussing these problems with colleagues and immediate company superiors.
APPLE SHAREHOLDERS SABOTAGE COMPANY’S CEO
Despite the fact that Tim Cook has increased the yields of shareholder dividends by 1,000 per cent over course of the past decade, since taking over the helm at Apple in 2011, those same shareholders are today irrirated by the fact that the CEO’s salary package last year totalled 99 million dollars, according to the BBC. Institutional Shareholder Services called on shareholders to vote against approving his salary package, expressing resentment over the fact that Cook’s package consists of shares, money and coverage of expenses, while they were particularly irked that he spent $630,600 on his personal security and $712,500 for his personal use of a private plane.
COMPANIES SHIFT FOCUS TO PEOPLE
Due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, companies are introducing radical new ways of working and doing business, which places the focus on issues related to the field of human resources. Companies are no longer developing plans for known scenarios, but are rather preparing strategies focused on people that enable companies to better adapt to immediate circumstances.
Deloitte’s survey of global trends in the field of human resources, which included the participation of more than 3,600 managers in 96 countries, showed that human resources are at the centre of attention. Prior to the pandemic, 6% of managers said that their companies would focus in future on preparing plans for uncertain events with major consequences, while now, in the midst of a pandemic, 17% of managers gave this answer. Nearly half (47%) of managers say that their companies intend to focus on multiple scenarios, which is a significant increase from the 23% in pre-pandemic period.
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES HIT BY WAVE OF RESIGNATIONS
The last year has seen the term “The Great Resignation”, or “The Big Quit”, appear in Western media and spread fear among many employers. Though it remains difficult to assess how many workers voluntarily resigned in developed countries during the pandemic, the research that’s available shows alarming figures. Over the course of just one month in 2021, as many as four million employees resigned in the U.S., while a global survey conducted by Microsoft shows that more than 41% of workers are considering resigning or changing their careers. A similar situation has emerged in the UK and Ireland: more than 38% of workers are considering resigning and changing jobs over the next six months. Most of the resignations are in the retail and hospitality sectors, while those tendering their resignations are increasingly millennials and members of so-called Generation Z (born after 1997).
At a time when Serbia has more than 115,000 unemployed workers aged under 30, it is difficult to talk about voluntary resignations. Young people in Serbia often lack opportunities to even gain employment, and youth unemployment is up 10.34% compared to 2020, but these youngsters nonetheless have significantly higher expectations compared to previous generations when it comes to the earnings that they consider normal and acceptable.
Around 20% of respondents believe that a monthly salary of 50,000 to 80,000 dinars is sufficient for a decent life, while as many as 48% of respondents cite a range of 80,000 to 100,000. HR SECTOR SALARIES ABOVE AVERAGE According to portal InfoPlate.rs, salaries for employees in Serbia’s HR sector range from a minimum of 40,034 dinars to the “highest average” of 122,060 dinars, though in reality the maximum salary is higher. Depending on the job, position and company in question, salaries vary as in any other sector, but it is certain that the three highest paid positions are department heads, with salaries ranging from 61,913 to 178,583 dinars, HR Business Partner, with salaries between 67,941 and 170,658 dinars, and specialists in charge of the staff selection process, i.e. recruiters, with salaries ranging from 55,056 to 122,786 dinars
ENGINEERS EARN WELL EVERYWHERE Some professions have always been much better paid than others, primarily because they are in higher demand. Even if a certain field has many experts and strong competition, it seems that you won’t do badly in terms of earnings if you choose “wisely”. In the U.S., the top ten spots for salaries are occupied by accountants, aviation engineers, architects, lawyers, business analysts, chemical engineers, civil engineers, electrical engineers, financial analysts and graphic designersv . No relevant research has been conducted in our country that would provide us with comparative data, though it is known that IT experts and engineers don’t have problems either with finding work or with salary level.
Flourishing FRIENDSHIP
The strategic partnership between Serbia and Greece is the result of a long period of excellent bilateral relations and a true friendship nurtured over many years. A new step in the same direction therefore feels like a natural way of honouring this tradition
Dates like 18th January 1879, when diplomatic relations between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Greece were established, will always serve as important milestones in the official history of our relations, but the tradition of close relations between our two countries dates back much further.
In recent history, the Thessaloniki Summit of 2003 stands as a major turning point in the European Union’s relations with the Western Balkans, but also as a symbol of Greek support to Serbia’s path to EU accession, followed by intensive investments in Serbia. Greece was at one point the second largest foreign investor in Serbia, with 1.4 billion euros invested. While this trend came to an abrupt end following the global financial crisis, which hit Greece particularly hard, the Greek business community in Serbia has retained an important and welcome presence.
As in many other cases in which a high level of bilateral relations are not always accompanied by an equal level of economic cooperation, Greece and Serbia are realising their trade exchange potentials rather slowly. Greek businesses are active in Serbia in the areas of wholesale and retail trade, science, innovation and communications, the processing sector, construction, hotels, agriculture and the food industry, consulting and legal services, employing close to 10,000 workers in the country.
According to official Serbian statistics, trade between the two countries totalled 636 million euros in 2021, representing a year-onyear increase of 13.3%, with Serbian exports amounting to 234 million euros (an increase of 29.8% compared to the previous year) and imports totalling 402 million euros (up 34.2% on 2020). The Greek side has also highlighted new areas of cooperation that are yet to be exploited, such as IT and green energy.
Given that good political relations are always an imperative for advancing relations in the economy, culture and other fields, it is important to note the recent dynamics of political dialogue between our two countries. Over the last five to six years, we have witnessed a large number of visits from high-ranking Greek officials, until cooperation was established at the level of a strategic partnership in December 2019. Among them were the first session of the High Cooperation Council, held in Thessaloniki, and the official visit of then Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos to Belgrade in 2017, the second session of the High Council for Cooperation between Serbia and Greece in 2018 and the official visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to Athens and the third session of the High Cooperation Council in 2019. Other important visits included the visit of Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selaković to Athens in 2021 and the visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Belgrade in 2022. Finally, the President of Greece is expected to come to Belgrade at the beginning of March 2022, at the invitation of President Vučić.
The joint declaration represents a cornerstone in advancing cooperation between the two countries in terms of political cooperation and cooperation in international organisations, cooperation in the field of defence, security and civil protection, economic cooperation, cooperation in culture, education, civil society, youth and sports, scientific and technological cooperation and cooperation in the field of environmental protection. One can only expect such a development to yield enduring and even more fruitful cooperation between our countries.
According to official Serbian statistics, trade between the two countries totalled 636 million euros in 2021, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.3%, with Serbian exports amounting to 234 million euros (an increase of 29.8% compared to the previous year) and imports totalling 402 million euros (up 34.2% on 2020)
No Recognition; SUPPORT FOR DIALOGUE
During his recent visit to Belgrade, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis clearly stated that Greece's stance regarding Kosovo remains unchanged ~ Yorgos Diacofotakis
The official visits of Greece’s top officials, including the latest visit of its prime minister and the upcoming arrival of its president, only serve to confirm, as Ambassador Yorgos Diacofotakis notes in this CorD Magazine interview, “that Greece and Serbia are connected not only by history, culture and religion, but also by a common vision for the European future of the region”.
Your Excellency, Greece celebrates its Independence Day on 25th March. This holiday is a day of remembrance commemorating the 1821 outbreak of the War of Greek Independence. How will you mark this national holiday here in Serbia?
On 25th March we celebrate the outbreak of the Greek Revolution for Independence against the Ottoman Turks, which led to the creation of the modern Greek state.
I am well aware of the great honour that comes with serving my country in a city that’s inextricably linked to Rigas Feraios (1757-1798). His vision of freedom and solidarity among the Balkan peoples undoubtedly inspired the protagonists of the Greek Revolution. Together with his comrades, Rigas Feraios was tortured and killed in Nebojša Tower in Kalemegdan, Belgrade. The place of his martyrdom and his statue are eternal monuments of the Greek Revolution and a place of pilgrimage for all Greeks.
RELATIONS
It is well known that our bilateral relations are excellent, with frequent exchanges of visits by high-ranking government officials
Last year was a landmark year, as we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the outbreak of the Greek Revolution (18212021). Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were not in a position to organise events to celebrate it properly. However, with the permission of the Serbian Government and the assistance of the City of Belgrade, some of the most famous places in the capital were highlighted with the colours of the Greek flag, i.e., Nebojša Tower, the National Assembly, Albanija Palace and the Old Bridge. We are grateful for this.
This year, given the fact that the epidemiological situation is still uncertain, we have decided not to plan any open-to-the-public activities. However, traditionally, the members of the staff of the Embassy attend a thanksgiving Mass at the Chapelle of the Patriarchate, carried out by His Holiness the Patriarch. This is a very moving moment, which shows how close our peoples are to each other.
Your Excellency, what do you expect from the upcoming visit to Serbia of the first female President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, which has been scheduled for 2nd to 3rd March?
The upcoming visit of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, to Serbia, serves as an excellent opportunity to reaffirm, at the highest level, our strong historical ties of friendship and solidarity. Building upon the excellent momentum created by the recent meeting of President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis here in Belgrade, President Sakellaropoulou’s visit reflects the great importance Greece attaches to strengthening and deepening our bilateral relations, as well as our unwavering support to Serbia’s European bid.
What do you consider as the greatest challenges to the further development of bilateral relations between our two
COOPERATION
We believe that there is potential for further cooperation in key areas such as innovation, renewable sources of energy, petrochemicals, construction, education, health, transport and waste management
countries and where does the greatest potential exist?
It is well known that our bilateral relations are excellent, with frequent exchanges of visits by high-ranking government officials. The recent visit of Prime Minister Mitsotakis and the upcoming visit of President of the Hellenic Republic Sakellaropoulou confirm that Greece and Serbia are connected not only by history, culture and religion, but also by a common vision for the European future of our region.
The Joint Declaration establishing a Strategic Partnership between Greece and Serbia, which was signed in the context of the 3rd Session of the High-Level
Cooperation Council on 10th December 2019 in Athens, has set solid foundations for advancing and expanding the scope of our bilateral cooperation. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the pace of some common projects had to slow down, but it seems that both countries will very soon be able to continue this cooperation, especially in the fields of energy, trade, infrastructure, transport and tourism.
Following the opening of the Kosovo office in Athens, which Pristina presented as a fully functional diplomatic mission, there were speculations about Greece drifting away from its position on Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence. Has there really be any change?
EU
We are constantly working to ensure that the issue of the Western Balkans remains at the top of the EU agenda
During his recent visit to Belgrade, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis clearly stated that Greece’s stance regarding Kosovo’s status remains unchanged. At the same time, Greece firmly supports the continuation of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, with a view to reaching a comprehensive and legally binding agreement in accordance with the EU acquis, which will contribute to strengthening the stability and security of the whole region. Greece fully supports the mediating effort by Miroslav Lajčák, the EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština.
Severe winter storms hit Greece this January and prevented the planned arrival of PM Mitsotakis in Belgrade. He had been scheduled to attend a joint session of the two countries’ governments, together with a large group of ministers. Has a new date been agreed to hold this joint session?
Indeed, the 4th Session of the High-Level Cooperation Council, scheduled for 28th January 2022, had to be postponed due to the worst weather conditions ever seen in Athens. We are looking forward to organising it by June.
Do you see room to advance economic cooperation between Greece and Serbia to a level that would correspond with the exceptionally friendly relations and understanding between the two countries on the political front? Which areas do you consider interesting?
We believe that there is potential for further cooperation in key areas such as innovation, renewable sources of energy, petrochemicals, construction, education, health, transport and waste management. Today, we have the knowhow and the potential to develop synergies, support innovation and the digital economy, and promote partnerships between the two countries, involving both the private and public sectors.
In addition to the aforementioned, I’d like to point out that, over the past two years, Greece has embarked on a remarkable digital transformation process. There is a strong commitment from the government to invest in speeding up the digitalisation of the public and private sectors.
On the other hand, let me just mention the importance of the railway route of Corridor 10. It connects Belgrade with the port of Thessaloniki via North Macedonia.
It needs modernisation and digitalisation. This project could boost bilateral trade by itself and turn Serbia into a transit hub from the Mediterranean to the heart of Central Europe and beyond.
It was almost 20 years ago, at the Thessaloniki Summit, that the European integration prospects of the countries of the Western Balkans were first made tangible. Two decades on, multiple analyses mention “enlargement fatigue”, both in the EU and around the region. Will this process ever enter the stage of the formal enlargement of the EU to encompass the Balkans, or is the current maximum possibility merely in strengthening external ties between the region and the EU?
Greece has always been a staunch supporter of the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries. We are constantly working to ensure that the issue of the Western Balkans remains at the top of the EU agenda. Our belief is that the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU is important for the Union from a political and economic perspective, but also from a security perspective. It is therefore not just another enlargement, but a strategic geopolitical choice that strengthens the EU and the Western Balkan countries alike. However, the road to European integration is a long one that requires serious reforms and the adoption of European standards and common values of the Union, based on peace, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights, tolerance, solidarity and good neighbourly relations. These hard and long-term efforts, however, are worthwhile, because they will lead the region of the Western Balkans to stability and progress and will contribute to the prosperity of the peoples.
Given the ongoing pandemic, this year will again see a large number of Serbian tourists ask your embassy about requirements to enter Greece. Will last year’s agreement – whereby citizens vaccinated with any vaccine could enter the country – remain valid, or will testing also be required?
Since its outbreak, the pandemic has caused a severe impact on the tourism industry worldwide, and that is an undeniable fact. However, Greek tourism managed to demonstrate remarkable resilience to the effects of this unprecedented crisis. The health protocols we adopted were implemented in an exemplary way. The number of tourists proves that Greece did well and managed to secure safe holidays for its guests.
Greece has eased travel restrictions as of early February this year. Fully vaccinated visitors with a valid European Digital COVID Certificate are not required to have negative tests in order to enter the country. This decision will definitely facilitate tourists in making their travel arrangements to Greece. Greece is taking the necessary preparatory steps this year to welcome our visitors for the summer season, earlier than ever before, as of 1st March. We hope that the number of tourists this year will be above the pre-Covid level. Our Serbian friends are most welcome, as always.
New Opportunities FOR COOPERATION
Serbia and Greece have huge potential to advance their economic relations, particularly in the fields of tourism, energy and trade exchanges. The two countries’ readiness to continuously strengthen their bilateral relations and advance cooperation at all levels creates the possibility for new Greek investments in Serbia, as well as additional engagements of Greek companies that are already active in the Serbian market
CHALLENGES
Among Greek companies that operate in Serbia, those in the hospitality and hotel sector have been confronted by the biggest challenges
Over the course of the past year, Serbia and Greece have held meetings at the highest political level, in which they reaffirmed their strategic partnership, at both the economic and political levels, best testifying to which is the recent visit of the Greek Prime Minister to Belgrade and his meeting with the Serbian President, assesses Stylianos Zakof, President of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Business Association of Serbia.
Greece supports Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, while at the same time providing continuous support to Serbia’s European integration process. It was noted at the meeting that Serbia and Greece have great potential to advance their economic relations in areas such as tourism, energy and trade exchange. Specifically, Prime Minister Mitsotakis spoke about Greece wanting to become an energy hub and to offer various possibilities for energy diversification, including gas interconnection between Serbia and Bulgaria, which will enable Serbia to access gas supplies from the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. The trade exchange between Serbia and Greece is also on the rise and totalled 636 million euros in 2021, while the two countries’ highest officials stated that this positive trend could reach a billion euros in the period ahead.
You had the opportunity to meet with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Konstantinos Fragogiannis, during his visit to Serbia in 2021. What were the main topics of this meeting?
The Hellenic Business Association of Serbia’s board of directors and members had opportunities to meet with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Konstantinos Fragogiannis in April and November, during his official visits to Belgrade. Greek business leaders spoke with the minister about Serbia’s business environment, current issues related to economic and trade relations between
EXPERTISE
Greek companies have expertise in transitioning to renewable energy sources and could play a significant role in implementing the Green Agenda for Serbia
Greece and Serbia, as well as possibilities for their development and further advancement. The stable environment for the country’s economic development was confirmed, as well as the fact that the arrival of an increasing number of international companies demonstrates that Serbia’s positive economic climate has also been recognised by investors from different countries. During these discussions, special emphasis was placed on the development
OPPORTUNITIES
Greece wants to become an energy hub and to offer various possibilities for energy diversification, including gas interconnection between Serbia and Bulgaria
of events in the Western Balkan region, but also on the participation of Greek companies in the implementation of the “Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans” in Serbia.
How are your members coping with Covid-19?
The pandemic has had a significant impact on the economic activities of all countries, following reduced operating revenues and reduced demand for goods and services, but also aggravated supply chains. When it comes to Greek companies that operate in Serbia, the service sector, and especially the hospitality and hotel sector, have been confronted by the biggest challenges. A gradual recovery was noticed in many sectors during the second half of
last year, particularly among companies with operations that aren’t overly dependent on global supply chains. At the same time, small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the service sector are still confronted by the consequences of an altered market and the challenges of creating new business models. Simultaneously, forecasts on the global economic recovery and exit from the pandemic suggest that the Serbian economy will record positive long-term prospects.
How do they perceive the overall macroeconomic situation on the Serbian market, in terms of business prospects?
The Serbian economy has already returned to its pre-pandemic growth level, primarily thanks to rising private consumption and an increase in total investment. At the same time, data on real GDP growth show that such an increase is the result of activities in industry and construction. The Government of Serbia has continued to promote and invest in the modernisation of infrastructure over the next decade, along with the planned construction and modernisation of roads, railways, bridges and ports. Also, it is focused on investing in healthcare, while there are also prospects in agribusiness. It is similarly important to note that Serbia embarked on the path of green transition during the previous year. Alongside this, we should also mention the IT sector, as the fastest growing sector in Serbia.
In which aspects has the HBA supported its members the most?
The Greek business community in Serbia is well networked and we strive to support each other selflessly. The Hellenic Business Association of Serbia aims to bring the Greek and Serbian markets closer and offer members an opportunity to do business in a secure investment environment. It is in this regard that our members primarily expect to receive full support for their operations in Serbia in terms of communication with Serbian and Greek institutions and the protection of their interests. We provide support to our members, but also potential investors, through the provision of information on entrepreneurship in the country and clarifications regarding bureaucracy. Moreover, the HBA promotes its members among key actors, such as government institutions and other bilateral associations and chambers, whilst also endeavouring to promote Greek business practices as being successful and socially responsible.
Where do you see the role of Greek companies in the implementation of the “Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans” in Serbia?
The Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, which encourages the long-term economic recovery of the region based on the pillars of green and 12 Greece 2022 There are many opportunities to expand cooperation in fast-growing sectors like IT, healthcare, agribusiness and green transition
digital transition, as well as supporting regional integration, is important to further the development of trade relations, while it also represents a geostrategic contribution to regional stability. Greece actively supports the European integration perspective of the Western Balkan countries and stands ready to contribute to its socio-economic development and accelerate the EU accession process. Alongside this, the presence of Greek investments has been recorded over recent decades in the Western Balkans, particularly in Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia and EU member states Bulgaria and Romania. Under the scope of the National Strategic Extroversion Plan, the Greek government has expressed a clear readiness to actively participate in the Plan for the Western Balkans, given that it envisages numerous Greek activities in the region, based on turning outwards and covering all areas that relate to sustainable development, energy and transport, with an emphasis on interconnection, infrastructure, the natural environment and knowledge sharing.
In which areas of that plan do Greek companies have the best expertise?
The Greek energy sector is undergoing a huge transformation. Greece brought the decision to close its lignite-fired thermal power plants under a very short deadline and shifted to facilities that utilise renewable energy sources. The rise of renewable energy projects, mostly based on solar power and wind energy, simultaneously testifies to the expertise of Greek companies operating in this sector, which could play a significant role in implementing the Green Agenda for Serbia. Additionally, they could also contribute to its application in the circular economy, wastewater treatment, waste management and the protection of nature and biodiversity. Greek companies that are already present in the construction sector could also participate in the implementation of this plan.
Always A STEP AHEAD
Alumil Yu Industry, which produces high quality aluminium systems, ranks second in its group in terms of size, behind only the parent company in Greece. Alumil Yu Industry currently employs 380 people and also expects to achieve growth in the coming years
Given the aforementioned, it is no coincidence that our products, which are certified by the most recognised institutes worldwide, can satisfy all specifications and expectations of our esteemed customers ~ says proud MD Stylianos Tsoktouridis.
What kinds of staff numbers and results do you have as you enter the 20th year of your operations in Serbia?
Alumil YU has been growing continuously, in terms of manpower and assets, since the day it was founded. Throughout this time, we’ve developed a fully integrated production, logistics and commercial corporation with an annual capacity of 15,000mt of state-of-theart, precision engineered, surface treated aluminium profiles, which are distributed to the Serbian and European markets. We currently employ 380 people and also expect to see growth in the coming years. Specifically, Alumil YU increased its revenues by 19% in 2021 compared to 2020, and manpower by 21%.
Demand for high-quality apartments in modern buildings has been on the rise for several years already. Does this mean that you’re constantly enriching your product portfolio?
Alumil produces high quality aluminium systems that are designed and developed by the Group’s innovative Research & Development Department, then tested and certified by internationally accredited certification institutes and laboratories, such as IFT Rosenheim, A.A.M.A. Istituto Jordano, CSTB, ATG, EXOVA and many more.
Research & Development is part of our DNA. Our experienced and specially trained engineers are designing new systems and continuously inventing technical solutions.
The company’s advanced laboratories undertake ongoing research on systems that Our experienced and specially trained engineers are designing new systems and continuously inventing technical solutions
incorporate excellent design, a top performance and outstanding energy efficiency. By using state-of-the-art equipment (e.g., 3D Printers, CNC Machines) and, thanks to our Advanced Testing Centre, we are always at the forefront of technological development; always a step ahead of the rest.
In addition, we maintain collaborations with leading European universities and research centres and are in direct contact with the R&D departments of renowned manufacturers of aluminium system accessories.
Apart from your products, you are also renowned for the Alumil Academy. For whom is this knowledge development centre intended?
Alumil Group created the specific institute called Alumil Academy in order to provide our partners with knowledge and training on Alumil’s products and to certify those who adhere to Alumil’s high standards.
It is a school that is directed to all our partners that are aiming to be better manufacturers, by providing high-quality products and services. However, most of all, the Academy is a platform that spreads the message that the company and its partners have the same target: excellence and success.
Alumil Academy is also intended to attract new partners into the Alumil family, who will understand the company’s culture and received education about our products.
The education process contains technical skills improvement, deep learning of the characteristics and features of the products, practical use of the equipment, high standards of training to achieve a general understanding of the company culture.
This is a personalised programme that covers every participant’s needs. We followed the internationally recognised academic procedure in forming the Academy’s programme.
Great Potential For DEVLOPING OUR COOPERATION
SERBIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Greece were established on 18th January 1879, and the first Serbian embassy in Greece was opened in 1882. That is when new diplomatic relations between the two countries began, but since they belong to the same cultural and civilisational arena, the Serbian and Greek peoples have a tradition of close relations that dates back much further
Relations today between our two countries are good and meaningful, with a constructive political dialogue. This was intensified at the end of 2016 with a large number of visits of high-ranking Greek officials, until the establishment of cooperation at the level of a strategic partnership in December 2019. For Serbia, Greece is an important international partner and the EU member with which it traditionally has the closest relations. Special impetus to the further development of relations and cooperation between Serbia and Greece was given by the First Session of the High Cooperation Council, held on 13th July 2017 in Thessaloniki, and by the official visit of Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos to Belgrade on 2nd and 3rd October 2017. The second session of the High Council for Cooperation between Serbia and Greece was held in Belgrade on 21st December 2018. During 2019, bilateral relations between Serbia and Greece were raised to the highest level by the official visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on 10th December 2019, at the invitation of President Pavlopoulos, and by the Third Session of the High Cooperation Council on 11th December 2019 in Athens, when the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Serbia and Greece was signed. In this way, Greece became the first country in the region of Southeast Europe with which Serbia has signed a document envisaging a strategic partnership. Our country also has this strategic level of bilateral relations with Russia, China, Italy, France, Azerbaijan and Hungary.
The joint declaration concretises the intention to advance the lasting friendship of the two peoples, based on close historical ties and excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, to the level of strategic partnership, clearly defining areas for cooperation in order to achieve the goals set out in the document
The document elaborates in detail cooperation areas of interest through six chapters: a) political cooperation and cooperation in international organisations, b) cooperation in the fields of defence, security and civil protection, c) economic cooperation, d) cooperation in culture, education, civil society, youth and sports, e) scientific and technological cooperation and f) cooperation in the field of environmental protection.
Despite the difficult circumstances after the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, the adoption of a comprehensive and substantial Joint Declaration has contributed to even more intensive cooperation between the two countries in virtually all areas of mutual interest, not only quantitatively but also qualitatively. After the stalemate caused by the pandemic, it was planned that the dynamics of the meetings would be newly intensified by holding the Fourth Session of the High Cooperation Council on 28th January 2022 in Belgrade, but the meeting, which had been fully prepared with eight bilateral agreements ready for signing, had to be postponed due to bad weather in Greece. Exceptional mutual interest in maintaining political dialogue at the highest level was confirmed by the visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Belgrade on 16th February 2022. In a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, the extremely high level of bilateral relations based on common history, culture, religion and a European future was emphasised, and the intensification of cooperation in the fields of tourism, trade, infrastructure, transport and energy was announced. Excellent bilateral relations and readiness for their further intensification were confirmed during the visit of Foreign Minister Nikola Selaković to Athens on 2nd November 2021, in meetings with Greek President Katerina Sakaleropoulou and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias. We are also expecting the visit of the President of Greece to Belgrade at the beginning of March 2022, at the invitation of President Vučić.
It is particularly important for Serbia that Greece, as one of the five EU states and four NATO members that have not recognised the unilaterally declared independence of “Kosovo”, remains in principle in that position. At the same time, Greece supports the dialogue between Belgrade
and Priština and the efforts of EU special envoy Miroslav Lajčak, and wants to normalise relations and reach a legally binding agreement in the interest of both parties.
In addition to further improving bilateral relations, Serbia and Greece are also committed to the stability and progress of the entire Balkan region, which is also being realised through a trilateral forum of cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus. The first trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Serbia, Greece and Cyprus was held on 5th April 2021 in Belgrade, and the next meeting should be held in Thessaloniki. The trilateral format aims to contribute to a stable and prosperous region, through political, economic, infrastructure and energy cooperation, as well as mutual support in matters of vital national and state interest. A trilateral meeting of Greece, Serbia and North Macedonia on Corfu is also expected.
Greece continuously supports the integration of Serbia into Europe, at the same time seeing this process as being in its own interest. It is one of the EU members who unreservedly supported the start of accession negotiations, and was engaged, together with other friends of Serbia in the EU, in formulating as favourable a text as possible of the Negotiating Framework for Serbia.
Extremely good political relations, geographical proximity, the fact that Greece is an EU member with which the Republic of Serbia realises two-thirds of its trade to drop to 22nd place due to the economic crisis in 2011. Most investment in the period until 2008 was realised through greenfield investment in the banking sector, but Greek banks sold their bank branches in the Balkans due to the package of financial assistance for the purpose of financial consolidation.
According to data from the Business Registers Agency, there are 347 active business entities in Serbia whose majority owners are natural or legal persons from Greece (mostly in wholesale and retail trade, science, innovation and communications, the processing sector, construction, hotels, agriculture and the food industry, consulting and legal services). According to the data of the Hellenic Business Association of Serbia, there are about 150 larger Greek companies operating on the Serbian market, employing close to 10,000 workers. Despite the trend of decreasing inflows of Greek investments due to the long-term crisis, interest in investing in Serbia is still present, and the structure of investors is changing in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises.
In 2021, trade amounted to 636 million euros, an increase of 13.3% compared to 2020, of which our exports amounted to 234 million euros (an increase of 29.8% compared to the previous year), and imports 402 million euros (a growth of 34.2% compared to 2020). We hope that, after the normalisation of the situation caused by the pandemic, the volume of exchange
Aggregate Greek investment in Serbia is estimated at around 2.2 billion euros. In the period from 2000 to 2010, Greece was the second largest foreign investor in Serbia, with 1.4 billion euros invested, only to drop to 22nd place due to the economic crisis in 2011
and a duty-free trade regime (the Stabilisation and Association Agreement) provide an excellent basis for economic cooperation which, although good, is still not proportionate to its potential. Aggregate Greek investment in Serbia is estimated at around 2.2 billion euros. In the period from 2000 to 2010, Greece was the second largest foreign investor in Serbia, with 1.4 billion euros invested, only will return to the previous level and grow in future, so that it will soon reach one billion euros.
The structure of imports and exports is very diverse. As in the case of other large investors, trade is firmly linked to investment and is therefore sensitive to changes in the status of investments, to the departure or arrival of individual investors on our market.
The field of tourism is also very important for Serbia, because more than 50% of tourists from Serbia spend their summer holidays in Greece, which in the years before the pandemic amounted to about a million tourists per year. For its part, Serbia is interested in increasing the number of Greek tourists, because the period of the Covid-19 pandemic had a particularly negative impact on the number of Greek tourists in Serbia. In 2019, with 74,794 visitors, Greece ranked 10th in the number of tourists who visited Serbia. During 2020, 13,395 Greek tourists visited Serbia, which is 82.1% fewer than in 2019. In 2021, 15,131 Greek tourists visited Serbia, an increase of 13% compared to 2020, realising 30,916 overnight stays.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the development of railway infrastructure of common interest, signed by the two ministries at the first session of the High Council for Cooperation between Serbia and Greece, enables significant improvement of cooperation in this type of transport. The process of modernising the railway connections between the two countries is underway. The two sides see a particular potential in the possible growth of the Belgrade-Budapest highspeed railway project into a modernised Budapest-Belgrade-Thessaloniki-Athens railway project, with a reduction in the total travel time from Central Europe to Piraeus from 96 to 72 hours.
The Declaration of Strategic Partnership envisages strengthening and establishing cooperation in activities in the energy and mining sectors, such as diversification of natural gas supply routes and the connection of gas pipeline systems in Southeast Europe, the use of renewable energy sources and the connection of electricity transmission systems.
Both states are also committed to cooperation in the field of culture. We soon expect to see the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of culture, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture and Information of Serbia and the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Greece on cooperation in the field of film and a Memorandum on combating illicit trade in cultural goods. Greece 2022 17
THOMAS VARVITSIOTIS,PRESIDENT OF THE V+O GROUP, AND TONIA GOGOU, GENERAL MANAGER OF V+O COMMUNICATION, DIRECTOR FOR THE SE REGION Right People IN PLACE
V+O is a leading, independent and integrated communications agency in the EMEA region, encompassing a Group of 13 companies with a solid business presence and dynamic activity in Southeast Europe: Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania, Serbia and N. Macedonia
This agency is always seeking new ways to enhance its services and deliver strategies that have impact and understanding, towards clients’ needs and the concerns of the society and citizens. The plan is to continue working with the same dedication and passion, with a firm belief in the power of communications.
Twenty years of V+O’s success in the region, congratulations! How would you describe your journey from the small business perspective to one of the regional leaders in strategic Corporate Comms and Public Affairs, through the continuous changing of markets, and also through V+O’s unique family approach towards your employees?
Thomas Varvitsiotis: V+O embarked on its business journey 20 years ago, with people sharing the same vision and passion. We began as an entrepreneurial project of a small team of PR executives, which grew over the years to become a leading communication consultancy group that re-shaped the local and regional communications sector. We currently represent a diversified client portfolio of 215 Greek and multinational companies that play a pivotal role in the regional economy.
We pride ourselves on being trusted strategic advisors to our clients, able to take on any kind of complex and challenging reputational, transformational and operational issues. We deliver Corporate Comms & Public Affairs strategies of impact, addressing our clients’ needs with consistency and the best possible strategic solutions to safeguard and promote their corporate reputation, focusing on tangible results.
During this twenty-year journey, we have achieved a lot. We took risks, believed in and enhanced the strengths of our team, and invested in our development, even when the challenges intensified.
Despite our growth, we continue to operate as we did in the beginning. We have become a hub of creativity and a catalyst for growth, for both our clients and our people, which does not stop evolving and looking ahead of its time. A company of truly passionate people, restless of mind. Our 165+ PR experts are the soul of V+O; they are the PR professionals that make us proud, every day, of what V+O is and does. And we thank them for that. We are a business family, more than a company. We also thank all our customers and partners, who have trusted us all these years and helped us grow with them.
As director for the region, you take care of six markets and 165+ employees. Could you please tell us about the biggest professional challenges you face and the success that gives you the greatest sense of pride?
Tonia Gogou: When heading for V+O’s international expansion, we had to confront and overcome the business challenges of the local markets and the diverse demands of our clients, across sectors and industries. None of that would have been tackled if we didn’t have, from the outset, the most essential component: the right people in place and the most experienced minds in action.
We focused on creating a strong network of people, local PR experts who could share V+O’s vision and passion for PR excellence. Local partners of high PR expertise, who could adapt and further develop V+O’s strategic mindset and agile comms strategies, on every market where we are involved.
Creating successful collaborations that endure and evolve over time is not a simple thing. Our people know their markets and understand the needs of their clients and partners. The V+O network’s teams have gained the trust of their clients; they act as trusted partners and provide creative comms strategies and impactful consultancy, based on thorough market assessments and global insights.
Investing in people is the most important thing for us. Our people are our most valuable asset.
V+O’s business value revolves around its people, our teams in Greece and abroad. Passionate people, always looking ahead.
We are a company that has created its own network in the region of Southeast Europe, providing holistic and top-notch PR services, at all levels. We always work as ONE team, aligned with the same vision, values and business ethics. We have PR experts on-board who are committed and share the same strategic comms orientation and creative thinking that saw V+O grow into a leading regional PR consultant. This is why high profile, international and local business champions, across the region, have placed their trust in us over the years, in every country in which we operate.
Growing With TARGETED INVESTMENTS
Coral SRB D.O.O. has been operating under the Shell brand in Serbia since 2017. During the four years that is has been present in Serbia, this company has succeeded in imposing itself as the first choice of many drivers
We are currently operating nine retail filling stations in Serbia under the Shell brand, while we have more than 120 employees, confirms Coral SRB Director Vassilis Karanasios, noting that the company’s development is based on a dynamic strategy that ensures the evolution of the filling station of the future.
Over the four years that you’ve been present in Serbia, you’ve succeeded in imposing your company as the first choice of many drivers. How did you succeed?
Coral SRB D.O.O. has been operating under the Shell brand in Serbia since 2017. Holding company Coral SA constitutes the continuation of Shell Hellas, a company that has been operating in Greece since 1926. We secured the use of the Shell brand in Serbia through a longterm license agreement. In practice, all research and development on fuels being undertaken at the global level is being transferred to Serbian drivers through our retail stations. All this experience, innovation by Shell and the high quality of our products and services, helped us to gain the trust of customers.
You currently have nine retail filling stations in Serbia. Do you plan to further expand and enrich your offer?
Coral SRB is currently operating nine gas stations in Serbia under the Shell brand. It has invested more than 14 million euros over recent years and employees more than 120 employees. Having the support of one of the largest energy groups in Greece, we grow with targeted investments throughout the country. We are very happy to introduce the Shell brand and fuels to the Serbian market. The Shell brand brings strong expertise and, most importantly, aims to strengthen the local economy.
Over the course of the next five years, the strategic plan is to operate 50 gas stations carrying out equivalent investments. Our intention is to employee more than 500 employees in the coming years.
You face stiff competition on every market where you operate. How do you cope with that? Through quality, loyalty cards, gifts, promotional campaigns etc.?
We believe in healthy and dynamic competition, which pushes up the quality and standards. The leading differentiated V-Power fuels, designed to maximise engine performance, are available at our petrol stations. 100-octane Shell V-Power gasoline, our most advanced fuel, with boosted DYNAFLEX technology and higher octane for improved engine performance and efficiency. It is the only fuel to be co-engineered and recommended by Ferrari.
Shell V-Power Diesel, with DYNAFLEX technology, helps to restore 100% of an engine’s performance. It is our most effective fuel at helping to improve engine cleanliness by removing deposits that may have already formed. In addition, Shell V-Power Diesel has GTL, which is a special synthetic component developed exclusively be Shell’s laboratories, produced from natural gas. 95-octane Shell Gasoline and Shell Diesel, both with DYNOFLEX technology, incorporate new friction-reducing molecules. They enable an improved performance under rough conditions, both on highways and in cities.
Customers can visit our “Shell Select” convenience stores at our stations and choose from a wide range of products and enjoy their coffee. Special loyalty programmes will soon be launched on this market. Our development is based on a dynamic strategy that enables the evolution of the station of the future.
IOSIF VANGELATOS,GENERAL MANAGER, AND MIRJANA RADIĆ, FINANCE MANAGER, INOS BALKAN
Circular Economy IS OUR FUTURE
It seems that the recycling industry will be among the top beneficiaries over the coming years. Demand for secondary raw materials will be high and stable, while adequate financing will secure the necessary capital expenditure for capacity expansion projects.
Given that your company has been present in Serbia since 200s, do you get the impression that a lot has improved, that awareness is shifting; that we now grasp the fact that waste is a commodity and a valuable resource? During all these years, we’ve been witnessing the transformation of Serbia in political, economic and social terms. Environmental awareness is also part of those reforms. The appropriate legal framework is in place and citizens’ awareness is increasing. People do now understand that natural resources are not infinite and that our quality of life depends strongly on how efficiently we utilise those resources. Serbian society is realising that we need to reengineer many areas of human activities. We need to rethink how we cultivate the land and how we breed animals; how we produce food and energy and how we utilise our waste. The economic model is no longer linear. The principles of the circular economy are a vital component in the effort to decrease the environmental impact of human activities and, of course, waste is a valuable resource and commodity.
Despite Serbia not being an EU member state, lots of work is being done in an effort to harmonise laws regulating environmental protection and the circular economy. Would you say that we are on the right track?
Though Serbia is not yet an EU member state, it has signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU – which has been in force since September 2013 – and Serbia was granted EU candidate status in March 2012. The SAA represents the necessary legal framework or tool for the improvement of cooperation with EU institutions. The SAA creates the required ecosystem for the country to adopt all essential reforms, including environmental protection policies, and thus achieve integration with the EU acquis. Some might argue that the process is slow, but I believe strongly that we are on the right track. As recyclers, we are witnessing the continuing
The VIOHALCO Goup has been present in Serbia since 2003 and is this year celebrating the 15th anniversary of its acquisition of Inos Balkan, a 70-year-old company sourcing secondary raw materials to service the national and regional metal industry
efforts of the Serbian government to create an appropriate legal framework, while at the same time securing the financing necessary to support the reforms. Executives with high technical and administrative capacities are now forming the management team of the Ministry of Environment and the old bureaucratic administrative model is giving way to a modern, flexible and transparent regulatory framework.
You belong to one of the fastest growing industries. Is this also demonstrated by the fact that ever more attention is being paid to promoting and developing the circular economy model?
As the world economy is rapidly recovering from the recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, huge and growing demand for industrial commodities will form the landscape for the years to come. States all over the world have adopted enormous financial packages to support their economies and boost financial recovery. Projects that will lead to an economy of zero CO2 emissions are dominating those governmental stimulus packages and it seems that our industry will be among the ones to benefit the most over the coming years. Demand for secondary raw materials will be high and stable, while adequate financing will secure the necessary capital expenditure for capacity expansion projects.
Your work requires good roads and a stable economic situation, but also good, dedicated workers. Are you lacking any of those factors?
The performance of a business organisation is correlated to some basic aspects. Human resources and innovation, access to financial markets and low transaction costs, public infrastructures and rule of law, political and macroeconomic stability are among the most vital. Serbia is clearly orientated towards providing an attractive business environment for foreign investments, but we need to address the lack of skilled employees urgently.
Your company is among the five largest operators in the Serbian recycling industry, and thus contributes significantly to enhancing the country’s export potential. Do you plan to continue increasing your capacities?
The Western Balkans in general, and Serbia in particular, are of vital importance to our group. We are a long-term investor in the country and are planning our steps in Serbia in alignment with the business expansion strategy of our group. Over the course of the last six years, we have managed to triple the quantities of secondary raw materials that we are processing and we aim to achieve even higher quantities. We are exploiting all potential supply channels, aiming for bigger quantities and lower transportation costs. Furthermore, we are investing in new facilities and equipment that will enable us to achieve our targets.
Inos Balkan is also known for its strict environmental protection policies and a policy of zero tolerance. Do you succeed in adhering to all the postulates that you set for yourself?
Our company, Inos Balkan, is a 70-year-old company sourcing secondary raw materials to service the national and regional metal industry. Inos Balkan is owned by Viohalco - a Euronext listed, Greek owned, metal processing conglomerate that is extremely keen to invest continuously throughout the region, co-investing with the EBRD and the IFC. Viohalco owns and operates aluminium, copper, brass, zinc and steelworks, and manufactures all kinds of cables, as well as pipes for oil and gas plants.
Inos Balkan, as a Viohalco company, conducts its business activities under a strict set of corporate principles, inducing full compliance with all legislative frameworks, i.e., environmental, financial and labour laws and regulations. In this context, Viohalco carries out extensive and frequent internal audits of its subsidiaries to check for full adherence to the prescribed procedures. For Inos, the environmental compliance policy is a principle, part of our corporate values portfolio, and not an obligation, which certainly distinguishes us from our competitors.
PROFESSOR DR IOANNA BATSIALOU, MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND OWNER OF IOANNA REGEN CLINIC
Health Is The MARATHON OF LIFE
IOANNA REGEN Clinic is the first and only institution in the region that provides a unique holistic, multidisciplinary, personalized approach to the patient. For 20 years, professor Ioanna Batsialou PhD and her team have maintained a quality of service at the highest level regardless of trends and external influences
Preventive medicine delays or prevents the occurrence of diseases and affects the quality of health as a whole, and regenerative medicine develops therapies and treatment methods for regrowth and renewal ~ explains professor Batsialou, who brings love and care for others to all fields.
You are Greek, but you have also been a citizen of Belgrade for more than 30 years. What brought you to our capital?
I am from Greece and after 30 years of living and working in Serbia, I feel as Serbian as I am Greek. I studied at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, where I also received my Ph.D., and I stayed because of the people and the mentality that is close to the Greek. I also stayed because of love - my husband, whom I met here and with whom I have a daughter. What’s more, I stayed because of the work I successfully started here as a pioneer of mesotherapy and anti-aging medicine more than 20 years ago, and because of the clients with whom I have built precious, friendly relationships.
We tried to gather all your specialisations, subspecialisations, titles, functions and jobs, but we did not succeed. What do you do for a living? You are a brand of your own ...
In such a responsible profession as medicine, daily training is necessary, so learning and specialisations never stop. Medical achievements and new technologies have opened the way to mod22 Greece 2022
ern methods of treatment, and in short I would say that I deal with the medicine of beautiful and healthy aging. I brought regenerative and anti-aging medicine to Serbia in order to prevent diseases and
insist on elegant aging without serious disease, and aesthetic medicine – my area of subspecialisation – is there to support the face and body to give beauty and dignity to inevitable aging.
Despite the obligations of business, it is very important to transfer love and care for others to all areas of life and to give to those who need it the most. Several times a year, we organise humanitarian actions with the Association of Parents of Children with Cancer (NURDOR), distributing packages for more than 40 children for the holidays. I am a donor of the Women’s Safe House for victims of domestic violence, N.K.V. Katarina Karađorđević, the Zvečanska Centre for the Protection of Infants, Children and Youth, the Novak Đoković Foundation, the Tiršova Children’s University Clinic and the Church Folk Kitchen in Belgrade. I also initiated the action “One brick - a new temple” for the construction of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Vračar, which was built in 2018.
The importance and beauty of charity should be cared for despite the chaos and lack of time. I am of the opinion that whenever we give, we grow. This applies to all areas of my life and I try to give my love, dedication and knowledge to my family, colleagues and associates, patients ... Giving does not only mean material things, and this is something we may have forgotten today.
There is no corporation behind you, no big investors. Does this allow you to build a unique approach to the patient?
It is much harder to build a successful business anywhere in the world as an independent entrepreneur, but that is exactly what allows me to transfer my beliefs and values to work. My colleagues from the faculty, with whom I have been building business and friendly relations for more than 20 years, work with me at the clinic, which gives us the opportunity to maintain a quality of service at the highest level, regardless of trends and external influences. Although there are beautiful but also difficult moments, patients never feel the difference and we manage to provide them with an individual approach and completely personalized therapies that are the only ones that give maximum results.
Your IOANNA REGEN Clinic provides a holistic approach in the field of regenerative, aesthetic and anti-aging non-operative medicine for health and perfect appearance. Are you unique in this in the region?
The ongoing pandemic has once again reminded us that health is a marathon in life, not a 100m sprint. Regenerative and preventive medicine are the basis of good health, and aesthetic and anti-aging medicine are a support for beautiful and healthy aging. Preventive medicine, in the form of genetic analysis done once in a lifetime, give us an insight into the initial
status of the organism, its preferences and predispositions – tells us which drugs are most effective for therapy, which diseases we are susceptible to, what foods to avoid and how our skin ages. Preventive medicine is the basis of beautiful, “good and healthy” aging. In order to avoid serious diseases, expensive therapies and medicines, the goal is in preventive and systematic examinations, in introducing gradual changes in lifestyle and educating patients and the general public about what it means to live healthily and age beautifully.
In addition to unique and comprehensive procedures and the best apparatus and equipment, you also have top experts from Serbia and abroad. Who makes up your team?
The goal of the IOANNA REGEN Clinic is to engage the most eminent experts from Serbia, the region, but also world-renowned doctors in order to offer comprehensive facial and body therapies, because only a healthy person is a beautiful one. If there are endocrinological or cardiac problems, it will affect the skin of the face and body, the way of aging, and therefore we must always consider the overall health of the patient. We are very proud of our team of specialist doctors, they are extraordinary experts but also people who have dedicated their entire lives to caring for patients. The core of our professional team consists of professor Dr Dragan Dinčić, General and Deputy Chief of the Military Medical Academy in Cardiology, Dr Goran Cvijović, endocrinology specialist, professor Dr Dušan Škiljević, specialist in dermatovenerology, Dr Vladimir Arsenijević, specialist in general surgery and soft surgery, professor Dr Jagoda Jorga, diet therapist and nutritionist, professor Dr Branislav Trifunović, pediatric and plastic surgeon, and Ivana Buzadzić, geneticist.
Our team is what sets us apart and allows us to approach each patient in a multidisciplinary manner.
Our region is known for the fact that people want to be beautiful and cared for, to keep themselves well. Are Serbs and Greeks similar in that?
I believe that every region, every nation wants to be beautiful and well cared for - the issue of aesthetics is a broader one whose overall context must be considered. It is also a question of modern trends, the entire culture and tradition, and what Serbs and Greeks are similar in is exactly that. Our mentality is close, a disposition and love of the beauty of living. Greece 2022 23
FANINA KOVAČEVIĆ-POPAZ, EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE HELLENIC BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF SERBIA
More Stimulating Investment ENVIRONMENT CREATED
The Government of Serbia has taken significant steps towards the creating of a stimulating investment environment over recent years, with the aim of incentivising economic growth. These moves, as well as measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises, prompt optimism among the members of the Hellenic Business Association
Although the business environment is still under the influence of the pandemic to a great extent, Serbia’s stable macroeconomic position, coupled with the Government’s orientation towards innovation and energy transition are influencing an improvement of the business environment, which benefits Greek companies. For its part, the Hellenic Business Association of Serbia also contributes strongly to its members being well informed, and to better networking within the association and with other companies that operate in Serbia.
What were the most valuable pieces of information that your members were able to receive from the HBA in order to maintain smooth operations during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic?
We’ve been providing to our members, since the outbreak of the pandemic, all relevant information related to its impact on companies’ regular operations in Serbia. We simultaneously inform them about the rules for crossing borders between Serbia and Greece, given that we receive a lot of inquiries regarding this issue. Together with our colleagues from other bilateral cham-
bers, we organised a working meeting with the Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia on the topic of macroeconomic movements in the economy of the Republic of Serbia under the context of COVID-19. We also launched a special Member to Member edition that provides business support to member companies of five bilateral chambers during the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst also promoting their products and services to the wider business community in the country. We intensified exchanges of contacts and the marketing promotion of members within the association itself, and we additionally had an opportunity – after a long period – to organise informal gatherings and some of our traditional activities that received a great response from members.
How satisfied were your members with the support provided to the business sector by the Government of Serbia?
The risks and uncertainties associated with the years of the pandemic have had a major impact on business activities. At the same time, the Government’s timely reaction and implementation of support programmes has contributed significantly to countering those negative consequences. Tax policy measures and direct assistance to the private sector, as well as measures aimed at preserving liquidity, have had a positive impact on maintaining the stability of the private sector and preserving jobs over the past two years. It is extremely important that these programmes included small and medium-sized enterprises, which were most in need of state support to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic. A large percentage of our membership comprises SMEs that have utilised this type of assistance and consider it very useful.
What were the main topics discussed in the exchange of views with the Government of Serbia and what were your initiatives regarding the improvement of the overall business climate?
The Government of Serbia has taken important steps to create an stimulating investment environment over recent years, with the aim of incentivising economic growth and creating new jobs. With the introduction of electronic invoicing, the progresshas been made in the area of e-business in Serbia, while at the same time significant strides have been made in the further reform of public administration, which ultimate goal is to provide services that meet the needs of the economy in an efficient way. A very important topic during previous years has been the Government’s engagement in the field of energy transition, via the amending of the legislative framework that represents the basis for the Green Agenda, and which will simultaneously - through concrete steps - impact positively on investments in the field of green transformation. There is certainly still room for the further improvement of the business environment in the areas of the judiciary, labour relations, simplifying import procedures, reducing administrative procedures in business etc., all of which would allow Greek and other companies to more effectively develop business activities.
How did you maintain cooperation with other bilateral business associations?
Our Association cooperates actively with other bilateral chambers and business associations in the country, both through joint initiatives and joint events. During September
last year, 11 bilateral chambers organised the International Networking Cocktail Reception, as an event that aimed at strengthening the Serbian economy by connecting domestic and foreign companies. Likewise, together with our colleagues from the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Croatian Business Club and the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, we organised a Speed Business Meeting last December, an event that promotes networking and exchanging business contacts. Inter-chamber cooperation has proved its worth as a successful model for connecting and promoting member companies over recent years, and we will continue to apply this type of synergy in our activities.
The HBA FINDS A WAY
The Hellenic Business Association of Serbia aims is to bring the Greek and Serbian markets closer, and also to encourage the continuous improvement of the country’s business environment. This association provides its members with full support in communicating with Serbian and Greek institutions, promotes the interests of the Greek business community in Serbia and encourages Greek investment initiatives in the country. With the invaluable support of HBA member companies, the association supports promotions of the Greek language and culture, while at the same time implementing humanitarian and corporate social responsibility initiatives which stress the importance of solidarity and care for the community
DONATION TO THE SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGE IN SREMSKA KAMENICA
HBA Board of Directors President Zakof, Vice President Sliousaregko and BoD Member Dapčević visited the SOS Children’s Village “Dr Milorad Pavlović” during January 2022. This shelter currently houses around 100 children and young people without parental care. On this occasion the HBA donated more than 800 products for the daily life of residents, to a value of 200,000 RSD. The HBA board members handed over the donation to the institution’s director, Mirko Jankelić, who in return submitted a note of thanks to the Association in appreciation for the humanitarian aid provided. The funds required for this donation were partly collected at the traditional Christmas dinner for the HBA members, with the remainder allocated from the HBA budget. HUMANITARIAN CHRISTMAS DINNER
The HBA held its traditional Christmas dinner event at Belgrade’s Taverna Piatakia in December 2021. The evening included the organising of a charity lottery to raise funds for the purchase of products intended to ease the daily life of children resident at Sremska Kamenica’s SOS Children’s Village Dr Milorad Pavlović. The HBA was particularly grateful to members Alfa foods, Diplomacy&Commerce, Chipita, Extra Coffee, Farmalogist, Hrana Mediterana, Hotel IN, Hyatt Regency Belgrade, Junior, Metropol Palace, Mercure Belgrade Excelsior, Mezestoran Dvoriste, Ioanna Regen, Kessidis Group, Leto shop, Mitsides Point, Taverna Piatakia, Sterile and Super Vero, which donated more than 60 products and services for the needs of the humanitarian lottery, as well as to all representatives of members, who enabled the implementation of this initiative by purchasing lottery tickets.
SPEED BUSINESS MEETING A Speed business meeting was jointly organised by the HBA in November 2021, in cooperation with the Croatian Business Club, the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, held at Belgrade’s Metropol Palace Hotel. The meeting was attended by 30 companies from different sectors, with representatives utilising the opportunity to exchange business contacts and mutually connect.
MEETINGS WITH GREEK DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AND SECRETARY GENERAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
The HBA BoD and members had opportunities to meet twice with Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Konstantinos Frangogiannis during 2021. The meetings were held at the Greek Embassy in Belgrade during April and November, with the second meeting also attended by this ministry’s Secretary General for International Economic Affairs and Openness, Ioannis Smirlis. These meetings included discussions of current issues related
to economic and trade relations between Greece and Serbia, as well as possibilities to further develop and improve these relations.
MEETING OF THE UNION OF GREEK BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE
Under the scope of the 6th Summit in Thessaloniki in November 2021, a meeting of the Union of Greek Business Associations in Southeast Europe was held and attended by Secretary General at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Smirlis.
MEETING WITH SERBIAN PATRIARCH PORFIRIJE
Members of the HBA Board of Directors met with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije in the building of the Patriarchate in Belgrade in October 2021. The topic of discussions was the launch of reconstruction works on Zemun’s Church of the Holy Archangel Gabriel, where regular services are held to cater to the needs of Greek Orthodox believers and Greek citizens permanently resident in Belgrade.
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING COCKTAIL RECEPTION The fourth International Networking Cocktail Reception was organised during September 2021 at hotel Metropol Palace. Representatives of 11 bilateral business associations welcomed more than 200 guests, who received the opportunity to exchange business experiences and continue their communication through business cooperation. SUMMER GATHERING OF MEMBERS The HBA organised its traditional dinner during July 2021, which was held in the pleasant ambience of restaurant Mezestoran Dvorište. The event provided an opportunity for members to meet in an informal atmosphere prior to the summer holiday period.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The annual HBA General Assembly was held at the Hyatt Regency Belgrade in June 2021, representing the first “in-person” event to be organised since the outbreak of the pandemic. Members adopted the HBA’s financial report and the report of the Board of Directors during the assembly, after which the evening continued with a cocktail reception that provided an opportunity, after a long period of stagnation, for members to strengthen their mutual business and social ties.
ONLINE WORKING MEETING OF BILATERAL CHAMBERS WITH THE SERBIAN MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY OF SERBIA The Hellenic Business Association, together with the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Croatian Business Club, the Slovenian Business Club and the Belgian-Serbian Business Association, held a working meeting with the Serbian Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia in May 2021. During the working meeting, “Macroeconomic trends of the economy of the Republic of Serbia in the context of Covid-19”, participants were addressed by Ognjen Popović, acting assistant minister of finance and Mihailo Vesović, director of the CCIS Division for Strategic Analysis, Services and Internationalisation, and presented with current and expected trends of the Serbian economy.
ONLINE “CUTTING OF THE VASILOPITA”
The HBA held its traditional event of ‘Vasilopita Cutting’ in an online format for the first time, during March 2021. The event represented a continuation of online activities, but also the Association’s initiative to adapt the tradition of cutting Vasilopita to suit current working conditions. Speaking in his address, HBA BoD President Zakof emphasised that the HBA is always ready to provide its members with support, particularly during this time when it is of great importance for representatives of the Greek business community to provide one another with selfless support. The event continued with the presenting of awards to companies commemorating the 10th anniversary of their HBA membership, with companies Chipita and Kleeman awarded this year. Member company Move One Relocations was nominated as this year’s “lucky member” and received the Gold Vasilopita coin, in an alternative way – via a raffle.
The Magic Of ITHACA
Famous the world over as the home island of Homer’s mythical hero Odysseus, Greece’s Ithaca is an iconic island. But Ithaca is so much more! With a lush carpet of greenery, dotted with quaint villages and offering exotic beaches, Ithaca oozes an abundance of charm!
The epic island home of the wandering Odysseus may be famous in world literature, but this hidden gem is mostly unknown to tourists. A forested, hilly island with a jagged coastline, sailors love its sheltered harbours and swimmers adore its emerald waters, and you can discover places with wonderful names, such as the Cave of Nymphs and the Fountain of Arethusa.
The only way to immerse yourself this magical place is to explore it fully. Ithaca’s most picturesque villages are Vathy, Kioni and Frikes. It is interesting to note that these villages managed to retain their traditional identity despite the development of tourism. Vathy, in particular, is the island’s centre of ac-
Kioni Frikes
Vathy Frikes
tivities and the location of most Ithaca hotels.
As for Ithaca’s beaches, they share the same exotic setting as their Ionian neighbours! Filiatro, Sarakiniko and Agios Ioannis are three of the island’s best beaches. However, if you’re searching for a more secluded alternative, head to Gidaki beach!
Apart from relaxing and recuperating, the best things to do in Ithaca are swimming, hiking and sightseeing. The medieval village of Anogi, the Cave of Loizos and Katharon Monastery are among this island’s ‘must-see’ places.
ITHACA CULTURE AND FESTIVALS
Unlike the Greek mainland and the islands of the Aegean, which have been influenced or impacted by Turkey over the centuries, Ithaca has been more strongly influenced by Italian. This is evident in their language, cuisine and the island’s architecture. However, like the greater part of Greece, Ithacans’ religious
The Archaeological Museum of Ithaca
Bust of Homer roots are Orthodox Greek; they enjoy the ritual of attending church and priests on the island enjoy the respect and reverence given to them.
The obvious difficulties facing a community living on a small island have made Ithacans resourceful in their daily lives and welcoming to visitors, who bring a slice of the outside world to their villages. Ithaca is still worlds away from take-away food and shopping complexes, existing instead on bread baked in wood-fired ovens and then taken on the road, house to house; gypsies selling their wares from the back of their trucks, fruit brought in by ‘Manaves’ from the Peloponnese and larger neighbouring islands by men who drive from village to village enabling the locals to access that which the rest of the world takes for granted. The simplicity of life is astounding and difficult for many, particularly the elderly, though even they will clamber through the groves to collect olives from the trees. Here being self-sufficient is a necessity and not an ideal, and that is demonstrated through their determination to remain resident on the island despite the rest of the country offering greater comfort and opportunity.
Strong family values represent the core of the entire community. The extended family
Filiatro Beach Panagia Spileotissa
The Church of Anogi
Independence Day Stavros archaeological collection
is still as deep rooted in Ithacan culture as it ever was, even with the modern world tempting to influence it into adopting 21st century yuppiedom.
Few people on Ithaca celebrate birthdays, but almost everyone celebrates their ‘Name Day’. This custom stems from the Greek Orthodox religion, in which all children are baptised with a name that’s acceptable to the church. These include the names of Saints or names with a holy quality to them. If you have wondered why everyone is called Dimitri or Yiorgos, this is the reason. Over the past 15 years, western celebrations of birthdays have slowly crept into Ithacan culture, but ‘Name Days’ still take precedence.
The Ithacan Summer is filled with celebration. It’s a perfect opportunity to party with the locals and everyone is welcome. Join in the dancing, eat pork straight from the spit and watch dawn break over Ithaca as you enjoy the festivities of the ‘Panighiria’ festivals.
Other events that are celebrated on Ithaca include the Wine Feast in August at Perahori, a small village nestled in the mountains above Vathy, and Ithaca’s Festival of Theatre, including a contest for plays being performed for the first time, which is held in Vathy each May.
How Can We REINVENT OURSELVES?
With rapid digitalisation, the need to address the skills gaps is more urgent than ever. For policymakers, this is not only an issue of addressing what the economy needs in order to grow, but also how to close the gap between those whose skills are in great demand and those whose jobs will vanish with automation and digitalisation
Askills mismatch is probably one of the most quoted syntagms among policymakers, educators, HR companies and experts worldwide. Serbia is one of those countries where “labour shortages, combined with skills mismatches, could significantly impair the competitiveness of the economy”, as stated on the website of the World Bank in Serbia.
The gap between education and market demand was evident long before Covid-19, but the pandemic accelerated the need for new workforce skills dramatically. Policymakers, educators, parents and children suddenly found themselves in a world of work that was even stranger and harder to understand than before. As we read in this edition, the Serbian Ministry of Education Science and Technological Development, as well as the head of the most prestigious university, believe that they have good understanding of what is needed and what has been done.
On the other side, companies are themselves developing their own training and retraining programmes to fill the knowledge gaps present among their employees. In this area, remote work has placed new demands on employees who, in many instances, discovered that they lack a number of the skills needed to help them perform their tasks and live up to the business priorities set by their companies. In a nutshell, from nursery school kids to senior employees, everybody is in a position to reinvent themselves.
It always was difficult to comprehend which skills would be future-ready. It is challenge to write strategies for a time that’s ten or twenty years ahead. Along with classical knowledge or IT skills, today’s demands are for social and emotional skills like empathy, leadership qualities and adaptability.
Lifelong learning is now increasingly seen as skills building. According to McKinsey, skill building is more prevalent than it was prior to the pandemic, with 69 per cent of organisations engaging in more skill building now than they did before the Covid-19 crisis.
With rapid digitalisation, the need to address skills gaps is more urgent than ever, and is today considered a multi-time investment. For policymakers, it is not only a matter of addressing what the economy needs in order to grow, but also how the society can close the gap between those who possess skills that will be easily replaced by automation or artificial intelligence and prepare them for tasks in which humans make a difference.
In summary, there are many dilemmas before us. What is the right balance between modernising existing education structures and inventing something completely different? How can we reconcile new demands of the economy with existing patterns of knowledge gaining? How can we foster innovation while retaining fundamentals? How can we give companies a say while preserving the autonomy of universities? How can we ensure that no one is left behind? For better or worse, our decisions will affect individuals, businesses and societies.
It is difficult to comprehend which skills would be future-ready. It is challenging to write strategies for a time that’s ten or twenty years ahead. As we have already witnessed, today it is not only classical knowledge or IT skills that are in high demand, but also some skills that were unheard of 20 years ago, such as empathy and adaptability
BRANKO RUŽIĆ,FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF SERBIA AND MINISTER OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Implementing Reforms At ALL LEVELS OF EDUCATION
By adhering to the framework established under the Education Strategy 2030, the Ministry is working – in cooperation with numerous partners – to create conditions to ensure the greater inclusion of children in preschool institutions, the development of dual education in secondary schools and higher education, and teacher training that forms the basis of every successful education system
The Strategy for the Development of Education and Upbringing until 2030, which the Government of Serbia adopted in June 2021, represents the foundation for the systemic improvement of education and upbringing. This strategic document keeps pace with the continuity of the reform process conducted at all levels of education over recent years. According Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development, Branko Ružić, the new strategy will “enable the inclusion of even more children in education, the monitoring of the demands and needs of the labour market and, in accordance with that, the development of the knowledge, skills and competencies of pupils/students”.
Considering the importance of developing competencies among both pupils and teachers, the Strategy has envisaged their improvement and the modernisation of teaching and learning processes, as well as the conditions under which teaching is conducted.
When it comes to the inclusivity of education, we can see that the new strategy places great emphasis on increasing the inclusion of children in preschool education and introducing compulsory secondary edu-
SUPPORT
Our goal is to secure good conditions for children and the work of educators in nursery schools, to impact on reducing waiting lists to enrol in preschool institutions, but also to provide parents with support
cation. What are the necessary prerequisites for these two goals to be met?
The Ministry, in cooperation with numerous partners, is working to create conditions for the greater inclusion of children in preschool institutions. The total percentage of the inclusion of preschool-age children is experiencing a growth tendency, alongside the traditionally high inclusion of children in the years prior to starting school.
Our goal is to secure good, modern conditions for children and the work of educators in nursery schools, to impact on reducing waiting lists to enrol in preschool institutions, but also to provide parents with support.
One of the activities that should enable the capacities of nurseries to increase is the Inclusive Preschool Education Project, which we have been implementing on the basis of a World Bank loan since 2018. Upon realisation, this project will secure 11,000 new places in nurseries across Serbia. Likewise, in cooperation with the Novak Đoković Foundation, we are working to adapt and convert the existing spaces of nursery schools in multiple cities.
Apart from this, the new Basic programme of preschool education has been applied successively in preschool institutions since 1st September 2019. The experiences of institutions implementing the Godine uzleta [Years of Rising] programme are positive, and changes are evident in the spaces where children learn, in the ways their learning is supported and in their participation among the community of their peers.
When it comes to the introduction of compulsory secondary education, which is also envisaged in the Strategy for the Development of Education and Upbringing until 2030, an important prerequisite is the amending of legal regulations and the Constitution.
One of the changes that’s prompted the most comments in the past is certainly the introduction of dual education. Where is its place in this strategy and how much will the schools that provide this type of education be represented now that secondary school
IMPROVEMENT
We plan to allocate around 18,500 computers to teachers. This will certainly help teachers to further advance, provide pupils with support and encourage the digitalisation of teaching processes
MATRICULATION
The State Matura exam will be introduced for three-year secondary schools in the 2022/2023 academic year, and for general, art and vocational school graduation in the 2023/2024 academic year
education is becoming compulsory?
Dual education occupies an important place in the Strategy for the Development of Education and Upbringing. The strategy envisages a system for monitoring and evaluating the National Model of Dual Education, in order to be able to reach a conclusion on the sustainability of dual education, the extent to which employability increases for students and what the positive effects are in terms of increasing the competitiveness of the economy. The number of companies interested in cooperating with schools is growing every year, while the number of schools involved
in the dual education system is also growing continuously. Approximately 150 secondary vocational schools are currently included in this system, implementing 54 dual educational profiles. The economy has expressed its need for specific profiles of personnel, which led to an initiative to develop 14 new dual educational profiles, including for example tourist technician, industrial robotics technician, railway safety technician, haberdasher etc. be implemented without the inclusion of employers, with whom work-based learning would be implemented. The creation of dual study programmes should be based on the objective needs of employers for qualified staff with specific developed competencies. The ratio in the number of hours of active teaching that should be conducted at the higher education institution and work-based learning with the employer is determined by the study programme, with active teaching – encompassing lectures, exercises and other forms of active teaching – must be represented by an average of at least 450 hours of the entire
study programme per year, while work-based learning should also encompass an average of at least 450 hours per year at the level of the entire study programme.
Due to the relevant practical experience gained, students who complete their studies under the dual model have significantly increased labour market competitiveness and will have better chances of gaining employment with the employers with whom they carried out their work-based learning, but also with other employers engaged in the same field.
Since the start of the 2021/2022 academic year, dual study programmes are being implemented at higher education institutions in Serbia for the first time. There are currently 32 study programmes accredited under the dual model of study, at nine higher education institutions
Interest is simultaneously focused on the introduction of dual education to tertiary education. What will this fundamentally change compared to the approach of existing programmes for educating personnel in this way? The dual model of studies in higher education represents a form of cooperation between employers and higher education institutions, which – given employers’ active participation in both creating and implementing study programmes – should contribute to improving the relevance of higher education from the aspect of labour market needs. The dual model, in contrast to the standard one, is unable to
The Strategy’s priorities include the development of competencies and human resources, and the modernisation of teaching and learning processes, including the conditions under which they take place. This requires the significant modernisation of education staff. How much resources - both material and human – are realistically needed to implement this?
We are working continuously, through various projects and in cooperation with partners, to digitalise and improve the system to the greatest
possible extent, but also to improve processes and conditions for learning in our schools. That’s why the plan includes the equipping of another 21,500 digital classrooms. Likewise, at the end of last year, with the aim of improving teaching practises, the Ministry allocated 7,000 computers and 480 printers to primary and secondary schools throughout Serbia. We are also continuing with these activities this year, and the plan is to allocate almost 20,000 computers for IT cabinets. About 18,500 computers are also planned to be allocated to teachers. This will certainly help with the further specialisation of teachers, while providing support to students and encouraging the digitalisation of teaching processes.
The strategic goals also include increasing the achievements of pupils in final exams and reducing the number of those who drop out of school. According to some information, 25 per cent of pupils who complete primary school today don’t enrol in secondary school. How can this be fixed? Data show that around 99% of eighth grade pupils take the final exam. With the aim of improving the achievements of pupils and ensuring greater fairness in the education system, the Ministry is taking steps to improve conditions for working and learning. Pupils and teachers are this year preparing for the final exam at the end of primary education that is harmonised with the new primary school teaching and learning programmes.
The establishing of online state primary and secondary schools can be used to support education in rural areas, in education for children with disabilities, for athletes, as well as for pupils that are resident abroad
Accordingly, schools have also already started organising preparations for sitting the final exam, as well as additional teaching.
Interestingly, of the total number of pupils who complete primary school, 97% enrol in secondary school. When it comes to the remaining three per cent of pupils, they certainly include children who won’t continue with secondary education, but it should be considered that this number also includes pupils who are enrolled in private, international schools, the military academy and religious schools, as well as students who will leave to study abroad.
The draft of the education strategy until 2030 foresees the establishing of online state online primary and secondary schools. Will this be a complementary modality for situations like pandemics or a comprehensive transition to hybrid education?
It certainly isn’t about a comprehensive transition to online education, but rather about different instruments for the support of teaching and learning. For example, this model can be used to support education in rural areas, education for children with disabilities, for athletes, as well as for pupils that are resident abroad. The goal is for the education system to have digital materials ready and active learning activities designed, which will be easily distributed to all schools in the system and ensure an appropriate level of quality for remote education if it is needed in the future, but also under regular circumstances as a form of support to other schools in the transition to hybrid teaching, which is encompassed by the development plans of practically all schools.
Last, but certainly not least, we’ve been reading for years about the introduction of the ‘State Matura’ exam, but it seems that this government’s term will expire without it having been introduced. Will the next government be able to follow in your footsteps and finally introduce it?
The State Matura [school-leavers’ matriculation exam] will be introduced for three-year secondary schools in the 2022/2023 academic year, and for general, art and vocational school graduation in the 2023/2024 academic year. The decision was taken to shift the date of introducing the State Matura because it is a project that requires comprehensive preparations for each segment of the process. We’ve also adopted amendments to the Law on the Fundamentals of the Education System, in order to create conditions in a timely manner for efficiently and professionally preparing for the implementation of the State Matura.
In order for us to once again verify the quality of tasks and procedures at the level of the system, we will organise a second state matriculation pilot exam from 4th to 8th April 2022. This second pilot should be conducted in 519 public schools and all private schools that have applied for inclusion in the pilot project.
All teachers will thereby receive an opportunity to see what the state matriculation exam will look like. I must remind your readers that our intention is for the State Matura, in the final epilogue, to have a certification character, i.e., for it to confirm the level of knowledge acquired by pupils in secondary vocational schools, art schools and high schools, but also for it to have a qualification character, in terms of passing and enrolling in certain higher education institutions.
Developing Successfully
DESPITE CHALLENGES
The vision of the University of Belgrade is to continuously fortify its reputation as a leading educational and scientific research institution of the region, to attract an ever-greater number of students, improve study programmes and reform the system of work. During the previous period, we’ve launched many initiatives aimed at achieving these goals
If we observe a brief overview of the World Bank’s suggestions for Serbia’s further post-covid economic development, one of the fundamental challenges mentioned is the inappropriate supply and demand of skills, i.e., education that isn’t adapted to the needs of the economy. That’s why the first question we posed to Vladan Đokić Ph.D., Rector of the University of Belgrade, was: what, in this regard, can the Education Strategy 2030 change?
“Continuous monitoring of the qualifications framework, alongside analysis and an understanding of what skills and knowledge are essential to cover the needs of the labour market at the national level, certainly represents one of the priority tasks for higher education institutions in Serbia, equally in reaccrediting existing study programmes and developing new ones,” says our interlocutor. “The demand for highly qualified, socially engaged professionals is increasing and changing in line with numerous global challenges. We also see this in the indicators of the European Agenda for Higher Education, which predicts that half of existing occupations and jobs will require high qualifications by 2025, and which recognises the existence of numerous shortcomings in the education process and the skills that are acquired in higher education. In our context, this issue has only become more pronounced and evident under the circumstances of covid, though there are clear pre-existing indicators
MISSION
The University of Belgrade represents the most important academic institution in our country and the region, and our goal is to maintain our leadership position
that additional efforts are required, both in strategic and operational terms, to tailor higher education to the needs of the economy and labour market.”
Our interlocutor notes that this was one of the starting points in the drafting of the Education and Upbringing Strategy until 2030. “However, it is my view that the determinants of the Strategy represent a broader conceptual framework for systemic advancement, and that individual tasks and goals must be established and implemented through specific initiatives and activities. One such initiative is the cooperation in providing support of the Public Administration to higher education institutions in the educational process, formalised by agreement in October last year. This marks an important step in public administration reform, both from the aspect of ensuring students acquire practical skills and from the aspect of achieving a high level of competencies for work in the real world.”
One possibility for improving the existing quality of studies is the introduction of vocational programmes and dual education models. How much interest in following this path exists at colleges?
When it comes to the University of Belgrade, of our more than 320 study programmes at various levels of study, there are currently two existing study programmes of basic vocational studies on offer, as well as three study programmes of specialist vocational studies, which indicates the need for colleges to at least encourage consideration of this type of study programme. The university should nurture academic studies in the classical form, but also deliberate on all possibilities for developing vocational programmes, as well as the dual education model to the extent that it has the capacity for that, to the benefit of the entire society.
How reliant would the Strategy for the Development of Universities be on the need for change in the field of education?
PARTNERSHIP
The key is in partnerships of knowledge, the transfer of knowledge and ensuring an environment for future professionals to acquire practical skills during the period of their studies
AGILITY
Thanks to great experience in the digitalisation process, the University of Belgrade positioned and handled itself very well under the conditions of the pandemic and is successfully implementing its study programmes
Before I mention several key perspectives that can play an important role in changing education, I would like to note that ensuring continuous work on the realisation of longterm strategic goals makes it essential for the University to define – in the form of the Strategy that has not yet been formally established – the directions of its development over a period of at least one decade, while monitoring the fundamental projections of the strategies of the Republic of Serbia and relevant international documents. Considering the very uncertain circumstances, particularly the current situation and the ramifications of the pandemic, the strategic
decisions that will be brought are very important to the long-term development of the University. First and foremost, it is essential when defining the Strategy to respect the University’s established traditional values and identity, through an appreciation for new circumstances in national, regional and international circles. Strategic perspectives in this framework should relate equally to the development of the processes and outcomes of education, the development of digital education and distance/online learning, the establishment and implementation of all-encompassing processes and procedures linked to the improving of human resources, the improving of student standards, the promoting and strengthening of scientific research activities, the encouraging and strengthening of international cooperation, and the advancing and optimising of the organisation of work, in which the primary goal in establishing the Development Strategy is actually finally strengthening the financial security and independence of the University.
You are seeking the return of nationalised property to the University, based on the example of how the assets of religious communities were returned. Are there any individuals who donate to the university today; and who would you expect to be a patron of higher education in Serbia?
During the Interwar period, our University was one of the three richest universities in Europe, with revenues from more than 80 endowments and funds. Our University is now focused on an initiative to resolve the status of assets that were confiscated from the administrations of national institutions and endowments, with the aim of returning
property in an institutionalised way. Numerous notable and wealthy Serbs have bequeathed their property to the University of Belgrade, with funding from revenues used to reward students’ professional and scientific works, to help impoverished students and student institutions, award scholarships and cover the university’s general needs, so this issue is significant because it would open new avenues of funding for the academic community. There are also positive examples today, both of individuals and socially responsible companies, but they are not as voluminous as they were during the golden age of Serbian endowment.
Money from endowments and funds used to be used to reward students’ professional and scientific works, to help impoverished students and student institutions. Are those needs today sufficiently addressed through other support instruments? What would it be wise to spend the money of donors on now?
It’s important that we launched the initiative to establish postdoctoral research positions at the University. Our laws don’t currently recognise postdoctoral research and this restricts further training for many researchers. This sub-specialisation could help when it comes to retaining young people in the country and encouraging our scientists who’ve earned their doctorates abroad to return home, while it would also attract foreign researchers. Finally, in this way, the University of Belgrade would be even more strongly affirmed as an institution of integrity. Space perhaps exists in this area for modern forms of endowments – of everything from equipment to facilities and funds.
During the period of the Covid-19 crisis we saw a significant difference between private and public faculties when it came to the possibility of switching to online teaching. What lessons have you learned when it comes to the digital transition of our higher education?
Thanks to great experience in the digitalisation process, the University of Belgrade positioned and handled itself very well under the conditions of the pandemic, and is now in the third academic year of successfully implementing study programmes that have been adapted to the situation. The last school year’s exam results and passing grades, which were conducted in accordance with the combined model of teaching, didn’t differ significantly
from previous years, and we can conclude on the basis of this that the quality of education and acquired knowledge will not be imperilled. I am more concerned about the social aspect, i.e., the alienation of students deprived of a lively, interactive academic atmosphere.
Issues of urbanisation and environmental protection draw citizens onto the streets and disturb them, regardless of their party affiliations. Why are so few experts from universities today included in discussions about Serbia’s needs in any area of development?
The challenges of our environment today include social transformation, globalisation, the endangering of the environment and ever-mounting pressure on public services, the healthcare system, infrastructure and housing, as well as the increasingly strong positioning of information technology. The University of Belgrade’s strength lies in the variety and specificity of its members, with 31 faculties and 11 institutes, which contribute to enhancing its repute and significance in different ways. Some of them do so through academic excellence, some through social engagement, some through improvements to the healthcare system, as we see with the pandemic, and some do so through their participation in important state construction and infrastructure projects. It is very important that the Committee for Environmental Protection was established, for the first time since the formation of the University, as an expert and advisory body of the University Senate. The members of this committee are relevant experts from various scientific fields, who are tasked with presenting stances - argued from an expert perspective - that highlight the importance of environmental protection, as well as the activities, processes and procedures that would contribute to that.
What forms the basis of the University’s reputation today and what can make or break it? Have you recently had any opportunity to receive feedback on how the public views you and, if so, what does that indicate to you?
The vision of the University of Belgrade is to continuously fortify its reputation as a leading educational and scientific research institution of the region, to attract an ever-greater number of students, improve and innovate study programmes and reform the system of work in order to further affirm its place among the ranks of universities in the region and around the world. We’ve launched many initiatives aimed at improving the work of the University. We’re planning to introduce a greater role for students in managing the University’s bodies and organs, due to the recently-adopted Law on Student Organisation, which we waited almost a decade for. One of the most delicate issues is the selection of teaching staff. The intention is to use the period ahead to improve the process of selecting teachers at the University, which should be carried out as transparently and fairly as possible, in order to avoid situations in which the results of elections can be interpreted in different ways.
PROFESSOR NATAŠA JOVANOVIĆ LJEŠKOVIĆ, PH.D, DEAN OF THE FACUTY OF PHARMACY, NOVI SAD Ten Years Of Education For A HEALTHY SOCIETY
Novi Sad Faculty of Pharmacy successfully educates future pharmacists, medical biochemists, nurses, physiotherapists, doctors of science, specialists. Its goal is to be recognised as a leading educational institution for health professionals in the 21st century
After the first 10 years, we can proudly say that we are educating really high-quality health staff. We are flexible, we have attractive and current content in the curriculum and we manage to respond to rapid changes in society. Our knowledge has no expiry date ~ says professor Jovanović Lješković.
How do you position yourself as an educational institution for the 21st century. What is the formula for your success?
The pandemic has reminded us how important it is to have high quality health personnel. We feel a great responsibility for our students who need to be ready for the 21st century healthcare system. Good quality education is crucial for good staff, so educational institutions must be flexible, respond to rapid changes in society and offer attractive and current content in their curriculum. It is extremely important today that faculties have good leadership with a clear vision and mission. In that sense, our faculty continuously invests in teaching staff, equipment, digitalisation and, most importantly, in the selection of current curricula and practice.
What are the key benefits of the curriculum you offer? Can you explain that with the example of the pharmacy study programme?
In addition to basic professional subjects, students also have the subjects Rare Diseases, Biological Drugs and Immunotherapy, Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine, Oncology Pharmacy, Drug Addiction and Abuse, Pharmacoeconomics, Marketing, Serbia is intensively positioning itself on the map of countries that include biomedicine, biotechnology and digitalisation of health on their agenda
Professional Development, the Digital Pharmacy, and so on. I think that we are not only the first in the region but also among the first in Europe to introduce the subject of the Digital Pharmacy because it is important for our students to know what is happening in the field of digitalisation, telepharmacy and the application of artificial intelligence in medicine and pharmacy.
We bring students closer to all the different worlds of pharmacy already in the early years of our courses, through early exposure to various career opportunities and the introduction of courses aimed at professional development. The curriculum itself is designed so that students choose and create their own path through it. Compulsory subjects are followed by narrow professional and elective courses that open the door to specific areas of pharmacy.
Each of our subjects is like a building element, like a brick, say. And the final product of our five-year curriculum will be a typical house, known as the 21st century pharmacist. Inside the house, the obligatory subjects will form the foundations and load-bearing walls, while with their personal choice of professional and elective subjects, each student will create and decorate their own pharmaceutical interior.
Enrolment time approaching? How to choose an occupation for the 21st century?
You need to think of your own interests and motivation and keep in mind that science is making incredible advances. Just look at what is being done in the fields of pharmacy, medicine, molecular biology, genetics, today we are all talking about mRNA, gene therapy, immunotherapy, biological drugs, personalized medicine, the use of artificial intelligence in diagnosis, prediction, disease prevention or choice of therapy. The possibilities in the area we call “Life Sciences” are amazing.
We are pleased that Serbia has lately been intensively positioning itself on the map of countries that include biomedicine, biotechnology and the digitalisation of health on their agenda, and this is the chance for young people.
BUSINESS VLADIMIR POPOVIĆ PH.D., FULL PROFESSOR, DEAN, FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE
We Live In The AGE OF ENGINEERING
Interest in mechanical engineering studies among young people is growing year-on-year, as is the quality of newly enrolled students, because it is increasingly easier and faster to gain employment if you have a degree from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Thanks to this fact, young engineers are also increasingly opting to stay in their country, to remain in Serbia to work
Although every administration of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering has done as much as could be done under the given circumstances, we must advance decisively. This is the right moment to decisively continue with the gradual reform of the faculty, because if we don’t change, then we will stagnate and slowly disappear ~ says Vladimir Popović Ph.D.
You rated last year as being excellent for the faculty. What were all the things that marked the year? First of all, I would like to thank you for expressing an interest in the activities and development of the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. We had university elections over the course of spring, through which a new administration of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was elected, which took over its duties on 1st October. The members of the Dean’s Collegium are now three ladies, for the first time in this faculty’s history. The previous year was marked by exceptional interest among students in enrolling in all of our faculty’s study programmes, the continued excellent results of our student teams (Formula student, Beoavia – aviation, Confluence Belgrade – shipbuilding, Robotoid, ZeptoHyperTech – biomedical engineering), as well as the presenting of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the World Expo in Dubai.
There has been increased interest in mechanical engineering studies among youngsters for years, but what’s new is that ever more of them want to stay in Serbia after graduating. How has that changed? We’ve been working on this for years, but the circumstances, including a good policy of the state, have also helped us. That increased interest contributed to raising the quality of newly enrolled students, such that this year the average grade of our freshmen coming from secondary schools stands at 4.40, and approximately 60 per cent of new students come to us from high schools. I agree with your observation that ever more of our graduates are choosing to remain in their country. Contributing to this the most was an increase in offers of high-quality jobs for engineers, as well as continuous increases in salaries, particularly over the last five years. A large number of high-tech companies have opened their development centres in our country, which is crucial to future development.
You have excellent cooperation with many companies, including renowned firms like ZF, Bosch, Siemens, Brose and Endava, but
also public enterprises and companies like EPS, NIS, Petrohemija etc. What are students brought by this collaboration? There is practically no significant company operating in our country with which we don’t cooperate. Apart from the aforementioned companies, there are a number of domestic private companies with which we’ve developed cooperation. All this enables students to have high-quality work placement student internship, and after that also the possibility of choosing the right employer.
I wish to highlight our excellent cooperation with the Association of Students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering regarding all issues that impact on education activities, but also our students’ further career development. A number of them are starting work well before the completion of their studies, which used to be a rarity.
When it comes to the popularity of our study modules, the largest number of students traditionally enrol in thermotechnics, mechanical production engineering, which also encompasses artificial intelligence, robotics, intelligent technological systems, automated control, aviation etc.
You’re also recording increased interest among students from the region, but also from the UAE. This isn’t only important in financial terms, but also in terms of expanding your influence, right? The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering has always attracted the best school pupils, both from the surrounding countries and from the regions of North Africa and the Middle East. That interest waned significantly as a result of the wars and crises of the end of the previous century and the beginning of this one, but it is now being reactivated. There’s a lot of room in this area to improve the work of our faculty, because we have an exceptional tradition of educating foreign students. We had several meetings, both in Dubai and Belgrade, with universities and companies from the UAE, and we expect a larger group of students to come from this country in the next school year.
The influence of our country is thus expanded in the best way, because our graduates and doctors of technical sciences find themselves, or will find themselves, in important positions in their own countries. All of the aforementioned determines the position of our faculty as the best school of mechanical engineering in the wider region.
Despite a lot having already been done, your faculty is still working to harmonise its study programmes with the needs of the market. Is the dual education model, which is being developed according to the needs and specifics of the higher education system, part of this process? The key reason for my candidacy to become dean is the fact that I believe deeply that the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – despite its Conditions for studying are increasingly improving, but what working and research conditions do your young scientists have, given that they should bring accelerated economic development to our country? Both conditions for studying and conditions for scientific work are increasingly better, but there’s always room for improvement. Our faculty has the constant support of
great achievements in the past and a tradition to be proud of; despite many great generations and renowned professors who’ve carried its name around the world – still can and must advance. I believe that, even today, at this faculty there exists new energy, knowledge and enthusiasm to improve many segments of work, in order for our faculty to remain a cornerstone of education and science in the future.
That’s why we’re constantly innovating our programmes and subjects, and introducing new accredited study programmes. I would like to point out the new Industry 4.0 master’s studies programme, as well as the undergraduate study programme in Information Technology in Mechanical Engineering.
The dual education model opens new doors to even more intensive cooperation with companies on the basis of mutual interest. We are currently working with ZF to develop a study programme based on the dual model of study.
the state in its development, without which merely maintaining the monumental building of the faculty would be difficult. As I spent four years performing my duties as the Secretary of State responsible for Science and Technological Development, this topic is one that’s extremely close to me. The time in which we live is the time of engineering, and that’s a fact that supports our efforts. Our generation of professors and this administration are tasked with utilising all of these opportunities in the right way. And we should always be mindful of the fact that, in a house with tradition, nothing begins or ends with us, and we are all just a stage in the development and building of the reputation of our house: the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Belgrade.
ALEKSANDAR KAVCIC,FOUNDER OF THE ALEK KAVCIC FOUNDATION
Exercise For The GREATER GOOD
No one can be inventive without thinking originally and distinctly. At the Foundation we aren’t afraid of inventing new methods that raise the level and quality of education. And demonstrating inventiveness, and leading by example, is also an educational tool – one that teaches and emboldens others to think differently themselves.
Afirst grader who starts school in the next 2022/23 school year will never have to buy textbooks - because – in a nutshell – it is at this point that the Alek Kavcic Foundation’s idea of providing free books to children aged seven will be realised. While the Foundation doesn’t fill its book collection by grade, children in each grade receive the possibility of coming closer to receiving free schooling. However, this battle still isn’t over for many reasons.
Who is the winner of your ongoing struggle to secure free school textbooks? The students are undoubtedly the winners. They are the ones who benefit from a free public education. As a reminder, free
education, without hidden costs (such as textbook costs), is a basic human right guaranteed by both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Serbian Constitution. Upholding rights guaranteed under the constitution is certainly a victory for all citizens of Serbia, especially those of school age.
How many schools and parents have voted for your offer, as you say, with their wallets?
More than 300 (of a total of about 1,300) schools in Serbia use some of the books that are free on our website besplatnabibioteka.com. However, interestingly, a good percentage of those schools are actually unaware that the books they use are free, and they still require pupils and/or parents to buy textbooks. We are working to change this. We expect more schools, parents and pupils to benefit from free textbooks in the next school year, as the number of textbooks offered in our programme grows.
Your disputes with Klett are well known, but what about the state? Is your cooperation with the state publisher of school textbooks a sign that your ideas are at least being partially embraced, or not?
Our free textbook programme is growing, and is well received by both the state publisher and the readers, i.e., schoolchildren. Sadly, Klett, which is a German multinational publishing house that owns three publishing companies in Serbia (Klett, Logos and Freska), has a problem with our growing programme. Klett’s main motivation is fear for their shrinking profits. It is unfortunate that profit is a motivator for a multinational company that tries to market itself as an “educator” that is, supposedly, primarily interested in dispersing knowledge. Klett has launched lawsuits against me and against the Alek Kavčić Foundation, but out legal team is handling these lawsuits very well and I expect us to prove victorious. There is no law that prevents the Foundation, or me personally, as a citizen of Serbia, from supplying free textbooks to my fellow citizens, for the benefit of Serbia as a nation. A German company should not have a say in this matter.
If the schedule is correct, then the list of textbooks required for the fourth grade is already known, while the list for the eighth grade will be published soon. How many books on this list will be yours?
We don’t fill our book collection by grade. Rather, we work on providing textbooks for all grades in parallel, concurrently. Naturally, eighth grade has more subjects than first grade, so it is going to be easier to provide all textbooks for first grade than eighth grade. In fact, at this point in time, we have completed all textbooks for first grade, so a first grader who
starts school in the next 2022/23 school year will never have to buy textbooks. We expect to successively fill the rosters of other grades within the next two years, and the Foundation will provide all those elementary school textbooks, for all school subjects, free of charge.
Until recently, your offer only included books in pdf format or printed versions. Is your digital version of books going to be free and how can this equate to the financial sustainability of your endeavour?
A digital textbook doesn’t differ much from a pdf textbook. In fact, a digital textbook is a pdf, but it has more than just text and pictures, in the form of interactive material, videos, exercises etc. But it must be understood that the pdf is the background of any book, whether it is interactive or not. The creation of any digital, electronic or cyber textbook requires some funding, but it is a one-off expense. Once the pdf and/or the digital textbook is created, it is done; it doesn’t need extra monthly maintenance. All that is required is to put it on a website for everyone to download and use. Putting something on a website requires no additional cost (except for the negligible costs of a few dollars per month to maintain the website), so our programme is in fact financially SUSTAINABLE. That is actually the beauty of it.
At the end of the day, what is more important for the improvement of the quality of education in Serbia: free access to textbooks or the freedom to think differently?
Both. They are complementary. Free education is a basic human right, so textbooks must be free. A free education is a prerequisite for a nation’s prosperity. Being inventive in the way we utilise resources is an exercise in thinking freely and differently. No one can be inventive without thinking originally and distinctly. We, at the Foundation, aren’t afraid to invent new methods that raise the level and quality of education. Demonstrating inventiveness, and leading by example, is also an educational tool – one that teaches and emboldens others to think differently themselves.
If you could add one thing from the U.S. method of teaching, what that would be?
Inventiveness in the classroom. Moulding all teachers to conform to the same boring standards is not the best way to educate.
RYAN BOLLHORN,TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION SPECIALIST, THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BELGRADE Building Deeper Understanding
WITH INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGIES
At the International School of Belgrade (ISB), we believe that students should have experience of solving real-life problems. Research shows this kind of authentic learning experience makes the learning process more relevant and builds deeper understanding. It also helps students develop entrepreneurial skills and understand the importance of failure.
Students learn to solve real-life problems by researching ideas, designing solutions, pivoting from failure, building models, putting solutions into action and then reflecting on their process. Research clearly shows that this type of real-life, project-based learning has a positive impact on motivation and creates deeper understanding for students. While working on real-life problems, we have learned that technology applications can help students develop solutions in a
virtual space as well as a physical space. For example, 3D CAD software is having a significant impact; allowing students to generate ideas and build them completely within a 3D world. These final designs can be printed using 3D printers and used to construct a final product.
Virtual learning spaces have also had a significant impact on student learning. Recently, ISB’s Grade 5 students explored a virtual Chemistry lab using Minecraft Education to experiment with the construction of elements and compounds. This virtual learning experience led to students developing a more profound understanding of chemistry concepts.
This real-life approach, along with the use of modern interactive applications, helps create a more relevant learning experience for our students. The opportunity to experiment and play with different concepts using innovative tools should not be a replacement for hands-on learning, it should enhance and transform the entire learning experience, allowing students to do and learn things that would otherwise be impossible.
School That’s Tailored TO THE CHILD
Chartwell International School, which is located in a beautiful and tranquil Belgrade residential area, has been providing education to children from the ages of two to 18 for more than 20 years
Awide range of subjects is offered throughout the school – from foundation to secondary level, designed to stretch and challenge each individual, providing everyone with the opportunity to discover and consider their own particular interests and talents
With over 40 different nationalities of pupils, Chartwell is a world of its own. In a tightknit establishment that celebrates cultural diversity, the unifying factor is the school’s accreditation from Cambridge University, which recognises Chartwell as an international school, as well as its registration with the Serbian Ministry of Education.
Academic standards are keenly monitored at Chartwell International School, while class sizes are small enough – with a teacher-pupil ratio of as little as 1 to 3 – and are tailored to suit the academic needs, interests and potential of each child, including additional personalised tuition if needed. Contemporary teaching methods are applied, with an interdisciplinary approach to subjects.
Although the Chartwell management team leads the way, it is the Chartwell teachers that represent the success and beating heart of the school. They come from a variety of backgrounds and have varied experiences, but they all share a love of teaching, empathy for their pupils and a commitment to their education. All are well qualified for the role they play. Encouragement and motivation are keywords in the lexicon of Chartwell’s teaching philosophy.
Lessons at Chartwell International School are taught in English, but a variety of other world languages are also offered in tandem. Cultural diversity is very important at Chartwell. The school traditionally celebrates UN Day, promoting tolerance and respect. Poetry and music evenings are organised, at which children recite poems and sing in their native languages and those that are taught at the school. British traditions are respected, with celebrations of Valentine’s Day, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Christmas, while Chartwell is the only school in Belgrade to celebrate Bonfire Night.
Chartwell fosters a strong family atmosphere and is not governed by rules, but rather by respect for others and common sense. This is a place where students come for more than just study – Chartwell is a home away from home.
This is what makes the school a unique, tension-free environment, where pupils and teachers chat during breaks, play sports together, resolve problems and jointly participate in various projects. Regardless of their many cultural differences, pupils and teachers respect each other and work closely to achieve the best possible results.
With an awareness that education encompasses much more than the academic programme, great emphasis is placed on that extracurricular activities that are offered on a daily basis and range from sports to fencing, dance, drama and languages, while Chartwell’s pupils are also involved in the life of the community.
Chartwell’s goal is to provide teachers and pupils with conditions under which they will all be able to achieve their best results. The school will continue to optimise class sizes, in order to be able to tailor the curriculum to suit the individual needs of pupils. Moreover, this school has also implemented the latest air purification technologies in its new buildings, using HEPA filters and UV lights, which provide fresh air for the improved efficiency and concentration of pupils and staff.
FRANÇOIS ALLAIN, BOD PRESIDENT, ÉCOLE FRANÇAISE DE BELGRADE – THE INTERNATIONAL FRENCH SCHOOL OF BELGRADE
Where Happy Children GROW UP
EFB is part of a global AEFE network of 552 international French schools in 138 countries. The curriculum in all these affiliated schools is the public schools in France, which makes it much easier for children to integrate into a new school when their family moves to a different country
The time of borders is slowly coming to an end, with the trend of global citizenship taking over. People are moving around the world more than ever before. EFB aligns with this trend and has been empowering generations to explore the world since it opened in 1951.
You are simultaneously the parent of an attending pupil and the President of the Board of the French School of Belgrade - EFB. Could you please explain this double-role model?
Every parent who has a child attending EFB automatically becomes a member of the Association – like a shareholder. All parents are invited to participate in regular General Assemblies, though attendance is not obligatory. They are invited to vote on certain strategic topics and to decide who will represent them, together with other members, on the Board. The members of the Board work closely with the school management team on a voluntary basis and contribute with their own set of skills and competencies. The model is interesting and flexible: it enables parents to get involved directly in the management of the school if they wish to.
You’ve spent more than a decade living in Belgrade. Your spouse is Serbian, and your son speaks both languages. How does EFB fit in?
EFB is a French school, but Serbia is its country of adoption – just as it is mine. It was crucial for my wife and I that our son adopts both traditions as his own. Cultural immersion is an important principle of EFB Children can attend EFB from the age of two and a half until the end of high school, which ensures smooth transitions through different stages of education
and Serbian language studies are mandatory. In addition to French and Serbian, kids start learning English from the age of five and another foreign language from the age of 12, so four languages in total! There is also an optional bilingual French-English section, where kids have English lessons and other subjects taught in English every single day. And with more than 30 nations represented at our school, EFB is a truly multicultural environment.
The EFB slogan is “For a life without borders”. What message are you sending with this statement?
EFB being a part of the global AEFE network ensures an easy integration into a new French school if the the family moves to a different country. Children simply continue their education where it previously stopped, without any exams to determine the grade.
After passing the French Baccalauréat exam at the end of their high school studies, students can apply for any French university, whether public or private, but also universities in the UK, U.S., Canada, or pretty much anywhere around the globe. EFB provides not only education, but also orientation and counselling throughout the high school years, in order for our students to be able to find their spot in the world.
EFB is known as a place where happy children grow up and that’s loved by parents. Why do you think that is?
Children can attend EFB from the age of two and a half until the end of high school, which ensures smooth transitions through different stages of education. On top of that, EFB offers a range of additional services: school lunch, tutoring and help with homework, daycare services and a range of extracurricular sports and artistic classes to choose from for optional afterschool activities. Basically, you can drop your kids off at 8am and pick them up as late as 6pm, and then spend quality time with them, without having to worry about homework or driving them around for activities. From the perspective of a busy parent, this is a great advantage of EFB!
BUSINESS GORDANA MEDAKOVIĆ, IB PROGRAMME MANAGER, AND DRAGANA IVANOVIĆ ĐORĐEVIĆ, GENERAL MANAGER, EDUCATION SYSTEM CRNJANSKI
Diploma That Opens ALL DOORS
The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme has been known for more than 50 years and is implemented at more than 5,000 schools in more than 157 countries. It provides an internationally recognised secondary school diploma that’s also a diploma enabling direct enrolment in colleges worldwide, for the most famous and highest rated universities
Education System Crnjanski is specific in many ways, including the fact that enrolments are carried out yearround. Parents enrol their children in the international section of the programme upon returning from abroad, and they opt for the national programme when they want to change their environment and the approach to teaching and development in general.
What are the main characteristics and greatest qualities of the IB programme implemented at your school? GM: They are, first and foremost, a comprehensive approach to the education and development of each pupil, encouraging the individual qualities and abilities of each pupil through the choice of subjects and programmes, learning on the basis of concepts that are mutually intertwined and complement one another in different subjects. We nurture critical reviews and re-examinations of that which is being learned or has already been mastered, teaching our pupils how to present and defend their own opinions in a well-argued, impartial and objective way, as well as accepting and respecting opposing opinions, and along with that we also devote great attention to developing their awareness, learning and consistent applying of the rules of academic integrity, as the basis of the personal honesty and integrity of each individual.
How many of your pupils go on to study abroad? GM: Accomplishing the full diploma programme enables direct admission and enrolment in any university around the world. We can note with pride that members of our alumni include
Gordana Medaković
students who’ve successfully completed Yale, the London School of Economics, the University of Warwick, King’s College London, Central Saint Martins – University of the Arts, ETH Zurich, Bocconi and Erasmus, as well as other renowned and respected faculties worldwide. Usually around two-thirds of each generation, between 10 and 15 pupils, opt to study abroad after successfully completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
You apply a holistic teaching principle that is centred around the child and aims to develop lifelong learning models. Are you trying to educate future leaders who will change the world for the better? GM: Precisely. Fundamentally, the IB philosophy of education aims to enable the intellectual development of the pupil, but also to encourage and nurture the development of their social and emotional skills, which will help the pupils to be able to respond to the many challenges of the modern world. This education programme, thus, develops an awareness within young people that they should use what they’ve learned
Dragana Ivanović Đorđević
to help improve the lives of others, and that through daily leadership they consciously choose to be a driving force for good around the whole world.
What is the goal of the parents who place their trust in you, apart from ensuring that their children receive the best possible education? DIĐ: The motives among parents who choose to school their children in the Education System Crnjanski, which encompasses both primary and secondary school, certainly include - apart from the exceptional teaching staff and level of dedication – a sense of security and a climate in which cooperative relationships of respect are nurtured, between employees, pupils and parents, and among the pupils themselves. Parents often assess us as a “school with high demands”, but also a place where their children can – in the space of a “real school”, and in humane and dedicated relations – get the best education and properly prepare for the continuation of their education, but also for an independent and responsible life.
Interest In Learning THROUGH WORK
Based on the model of Europe’s most famous and most successful dual education systems, implemented in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, Serbia was the first country in the region to adopt its Law on Dual Education in 2017, the full implementation of which began on 1st September 2019
The development of dual education in our country has prompted a need for the formal education system to be adapted to the personnel needs of the economy. Following the completion of their education under the dual model, students can either gain employment with an employer or launch their own business, while they also have the qualifications required to continue their education.
If dual education in Serbia had a tradition dating back 100-200 years, like Germany, we could boast of the fact that more than 80 per cent of the students of three-year dual education programmes find a job with the employer with whom they had their internship. Approximately 25 per cent of German interns earn the right to enrol in university, but they opt instead for an internship, while in Switzerland, for example, the dual education system includes 128 education profiles, each of which is led by a different company.
Serbia is neither Germany, nor Switzerland, nor Austria, which also has a great dual education system, so it cannot boast of such impressive results, but nor are our figures negligible.
LEARNING BOTH AT SCHOOL AND WITH
AN EMPLOYER
In the period of just five years, which is how long dual education has been in the focus of Serbia’s education system, we’ve reached a total of 54 dual educational profiles, 10,000 pupils enrolled in dual programmes, 150 schools and 900 companies engaged in the dual education system, while in the meantime an additional step has been taken, such that today three colleges and five academies of vocational studies are implementing 26 study programmes under the dual model.
By definition, secondary dual education is a model of teaching under the system of secondary vocational education and training in which the curriculum is implemented in both a school and a company, under the guidance of the employer. It thus ensures that students acquire knowhow, abilities, skills and attitudes, through theoretical classes and exercises in school, but also through learning on the job in a company.
“The dual education system ensures a more effective response from the education system to the needs of the economy and labour market, technological change and the need for new competencies, knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes,” say representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.
LISTENING CAREFULLY TO THE NEEDS
OF THE LABOUR MARKET
Such an education model enables the acquiring, advancing and developing of competencies in accordance with the needs of
the labour market, post-graduation employment, the development of entrepreneurship, the innovative and creative abilities of each individual, but also strengthening the economy’s competitiveness. The most important advantage of this education model is in the quality of knowledge and skills that students acquire, but also the opportunity to gain employment at companies based in their area.
“For this 2022/2023 academic year, 30 per cent of the companies that registered are new, while the offer for the dual model will include nine new educational profiles: telecommunications electrical technician, agricultural machinery operator, culinary technician, hotel and restaurant technician, tourist technician, plumber, industrial robotics technician, haberdasher and chemical products manufacturer,” explains a spokesperson of Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Serbia.
Depending on the educational profile selected, the pupil can start visting the company to learn through work already in the first year of studies. They acquire knowhow that’s practical and applicable, in a real work environment, from the very beginning of their schooling, while upon completion of their schooling the student can gain employment with an employer, launch their own business or continue their education.
STUDENTS FIND WORK FASTER
AND EASIER
The dual model of higher education studies, which began being implemented in Serbia with the first study programmes of October 2021, contributes to increasing higher education’s relevance, enabling graduates to secure employment faster and easier, and modernising teaching processes through cooperation with businesses and contact with modern technologies. With the introduction of the dual model of study, the aim is to provide students with the opportunity to significantly increase their labour market competitiveness and job opportunities with the employers that hosted their work placement learning, but also with other employers operating in the same field.
Higher education institutions may organise programmes of academic or vocational studies according to a dual model, through which knowhow, skills, abilities and attitudes are acquired, improved and developed in accordance with the study programme and qualification standard, through active teaching at a higher education institution and practical training and work with an employer.
The dual model of study makes learning through work an integral part of the programme, in accordance with a dual model of study that carries a number of ECTS [European Credit Transfer System] points and represents an organised process during which students, working under the supervision of company mentors, apply theoretical knowledge in a real work environment, have direct contact with business procedures and technologies used in the business world, connect with employed professionals and prepare for the world of work.
The dual education system at the level of secondary and higher education, which is regulated by the Law on Dual Education and the Law on Dual Model of Studies in Higher Education, contributes to improving human resources capital, which will further ensure the easier and faster integration of high school and university students into the world of work. Dual education is also developed in accordance with the Master Plan for the Implementation of the Law on Dual Education.
It is also worth noting that donor and partnership support for the establishment and development of Serbia’s National Model of Dual Education was provided by German development agency GIZ, under the scope of its DECIDE project and the project “Reform of Secondary Vocational Education in Serbia”; the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), under the auspices of the project “Support for the development and establishment of the National Model of Dual Education”, and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
WE’RE INVESTING IN AVIATION CENTRES
“Confirmation of the loan agreement with the Council of Europe Development Bank will enable the reconstruction and equipping of two centres – one in Belgrade and the other in Vršac – to cater for the needs of aviation education in Serbia under the dual education model,” announced Serbian Education, Science and Technological Development Minister Branko Ružić. This investment will enable us to create additional conditions for the education of aviation personnel in Serbia and the region, while helping to secure careers for future pilots, flight controllers and other related occupations, noted Ružić.
Young People Today Have BETTER PROSPECTS
On behalf of the German Development Cooperation, GIZ has been closely cooperating with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and other relevant institutions in Serbia for eight years in order to strengthen the dual education model and better align the education system with labour market needs
Many companies, public and private, are engaged in the project of German Development Cooperation, along with secondary vocational schools. Two of these are Vlasotince Technical School and Obrenovac Technical School
ALEXANDER BEETZ, Programme Manager for Sustainable Economic Development and Employment at the German Development Cooperation with Serbia
One of the main goals of the German Development Cooperation with Serbia is to improve the prospects of young people in Serbia and to make it easier for them to find work and live in their country
The education system plays a key role in improving young people’s chances of finding a good job. A big step forward was made with the introduction of the cooperative model of education in 2014. Close cooperation between schools and companies, and greater scope and better quality of practical teaching in companies are some of the main characteristics of the new approach. Experience from implementation of the cooperative model was essential for the development of the national model of dual education in Serbia and the adoption of the Law on Dual Education, which entered into force in 2019.
Currently, German Development Cooperation (implemented by GIZ) focuses on working with Serbian partners to improve the quality of dual education. We work on capacity building of schools to become regional centres of competence - model schools that offer high quality dual education and non-formal trainings. In parallel, we provide advisory support to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development to improve the legal and regulatory framework for the implementation of dual education. Our goal is to improve the employability of young people so they can find good quality jobs and decent earnings. On the other hand, we encourage employers to be actively involved in the training of future staff in accordance with the needs of their companies. This contributes to increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the Serbian economy. MILIVOJE ĐORĐEVIĆ, principal of Vlasotince Technical School
WE FOLLOW THE NEEDS OF THE LABOUR MARKET
Thanks to the projects of German Development Cooperation implemented by GIZ, we have established an important public-private partnership, equipped school workshops, built capacities of teachers and instructors from companies...
Vlasotince Technical School is very successful in implementing dual education. We educate students in nine educational profiles and cooperate with more than 30 companies. We have been
accredited for adult education through non-formal trainings and the process of recognition of prior learning. Since 2016, we have increased the number of students by 50 percent.
Our school constantly monitors the needs of the labour market in order to fulfil its purpose, and that is why we cooperate with companies so that we can offer our students education for the occupations that are in demand. Besides gaining practical knowledge and skills during the time spent in companies, students also learn teamwork, business communication, workplace discipline and many other skills that they cannot acquire in school. In that way, we provide them with good conditions for professional development and a chance to build a career in their own town. On the other hand, companies recognize their interest in being actively involved in the education of their future staff because “good workers are not found by chance, you have to make them”, as the owner of one of our partner companies says. Employers are aware that they have to invest in education of their future workers and that it is a great development opportunity for every company to participate in education. Therefore, our school’s cooperation with companies is growing bigger and better every day.
RAJKA BABIĆ, principal of the Obrenovac Technical School
WE ARE AMONG PIONEERS OF DUAL EDUCATION
Thanks to the introduction of dual education, we have improved cooperation with local companies and increased interest in three-year vocational education profiles for occupations that employers need
Obrenovac Technical School was one of the first secondary vocational schools in Serbia to start implementing a dual education model. We started in the 2014/15 school year by introducing a cooperative model with elements of dual education, and now we have four dual profiles: locksmith-welder, electro-fitter for network and installation, electrician, and machine tool maker.
Our partner companies Stelit 90, Cardboard factory UMKA, JKP Toplovod, PE EPS and Thermal Power Plant Nikola Tesla A and B have provided our students with conditions for acquiring professional competencies that will make them competitive on the labour market. This includes a larger number of hours that students spend at work-based learning in the company, training on modern machines under constant supervision and mentorship of instructors who have been trained to work with students. They gain the ability to apply theoretical knowledge acquired in school to practical work in the company, and the opportunity to learn at first hand how the company works and what it means to be part of a team.
The employers have also assumed all the obligations prescribed by the Law on Dual Education, including the obligation to pay financial remuneration to students for work-based learning. As our students say, companies invest in them so that, when they hire them in the future, they will have high quality craftsmen. MIHAILO JEVTIĆ, director of Stelit 90 d.o.o. in Obrenovac
THEY WERE OUR STUDENTS, NOW THEY ARE OUR COLLEAGUES
A quarter of the current staff in our company’s production plant is trained through cooperation with the Technical school, i.e. through dual education of locksmith-welders
Stelit 90 is a family business, founded in 1990. Our primary activity is the design, production and installation of process equipment and plants, equipment for dust removal and industrial ventilation, energy equipment, metal structures and equipment for environmental protection and waste processing. Thanks to many years of experience and highly professional staff, Stelit 90 is today one of the leading manufacturers of process equipment.
For many years, we have been cooperating with the Obrenovac Technical School in implementation of dual education, primarily for the locksmith-welder profile. During that time, we have managed to train a lot of young staff. Most of the students who had practical part of teaching at Stelit are now employed by us, some have already become lead craftsmen. The support of the German Development Cooperation is important, cooperation with the school and teachers of practical subjects is excellent, we are all going in the same direction - better education of young people and better preparation for the job for which they are studying. We are looking forward to continuing cooperation and expanding capacity for training of future staff.
BUSINESS SLOBODAN JANKOVIĆ,DIRECTOR, INMOLD
They Turn Students INTO GREAT WORKERS
Požega company INMOLD exports its IML robots and sophisticated high-quality tools for injection moulding of plastics and non-ferrous metals to markets around the world. Now it has begun dual education at the technical school, which has paid off, both for the local community and the company
All our staff are from an area of 25 km in radius, and the average age is under 32 ~ says Mr Janković, noting that all interested high school students who graduated from schools in Požega, Užice, Kosjerić, Lučani and Arilje have the chance to become part of INMOLD.
In a short time, Inmold has grown from a company with 25 staff to one with more than 400. How do you explain that?
There are several reasons for that, but I certainly have to mention the great experience from previous companies that I and some of my associates brought to Inmold, all my personal capital that I earned by selling part of the company of which I was a co-owner until 2006, a loan obtained from the Development Fund at the very beginning when I opened the company… The right choice of activities is also important, the huge need for tools and robots for IML technology for the production of thin-walled packaging for the food and chemical industries around the world, the huge number of companies that have started operating in Serbia, Macedonia and BiH and the right moment to introduce dual education into the activities of INMOLD as the best way to provide young and professional staff adapted to the business. Probably my personal commitment and that of my associates to the business, to the work and the quality of work we do has also contributed to success, with the support of the current government for further development and growth of INMOLD, especially at our new site in Priboj, our expansion and providing the conditions for normal work, a stable family and private life, our commitment to employing people living in INMOLD’s vicinity and a whole range of other factors.
Which markets do you cover?
We are engaged in the production of IML robots and sophisticated high-quality tools for injection moulding of plastic and non-ferrous metals, which we export to Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East, USA, Pakistan, Japan, China, Canada...
For decades, our educational system has ignored the needs of the market, but that is slowly changing. Isn’t it high time that the education authorities start providing exactly what employers need?
Yes, that’s right ... We somehow managed to influence the local community technical school to change its awareness of the needs of the labour market and to get young people out of school with occupations that are needed by business. Seven or eight years ago, the state launched a campaign to educate people needed by industry, and we are now actively working on that, which I am very pleased about.
By the way, the tough school bureaucratic apparatus is hard to change, but it is getting better in Serbia because it is being worked on in many towns. The state has managed to change the legal regulations in education, so
now more care is taken about the profiles offered to children.
For a whole decade, you have been training and providing scholarships to students of the technical high school and students of mechanical engineering, which has increased the interest in manufacturing occupations and the mechanical profession. How much has this stopped the outflow of young people from Western Serbia?
All our staff are from a 25-kilometre radius of the company, and the average age is under 32. High school students who graduated from schools in Požega, Užice, Kosjerić, Lučani and Arilje and who are interested in working at INMOLD get the chance to become part of our team. All students from these parts who want to return and start working can get a job at INMOLD even if their education does not meet our needs, because we organize so many retraining courses for them.
The fact that more than 50 of our workers have bought an apartment in the last few years estifies to their firm determination to stay in this area. In addition, every year we have several marriages between INMOLD staff members, and we can also boast that we had about 20 babies last year.
Your experts work with interns according to the plan and programme you designed on the basis of the German and Austrian systems. How is practical training in your company organized and what does it look like?
We try to acquaint children from the first year of high school with their obligations. Their stay at INMOLD consists of learning specific jobs and of free daily activities of their choice - table tennis, basketball, table football, quizzes...
In the grades that follow, the load gradually increases. We always insist on tidiness, discipline, elementary and general education, hygiene and ecology, and there are also specific jobs that include work in real production in real conditions, on machines that are similar to those on which they will work after graduation. In addition to practical work, we also organise theoretical training in mathematics, English and several mechanical subjects, because what they learn at school is not enough to do the work at INMOLD. This approach takes the stress out of starting an employment relationship.
Students are paid for the time spent at INMOLD, so children can earn very decent pocket money and decide for themselves how to use it. Cash compensation is determined according to clear criteria and is very stimulating.
You have more or less included your daughters Dušica and Nevena and your sons Slobodan and Dušan in the business. You must be proud of them because they returned to the family company after studying abroad ...
Yes, it is a great joy for me. My children are here. They were educated abroad, learned languages, had internships in foreign companies and came to INMOLD to make it even better and bigger with their youth and enthusiasm. Three of them are already married, I have two grandchildren, my daughters-in-law and sons-in-law are determined to live in Požega, and because of that, I’m the happiest man in the world. All this is a guarantee that INMOLD will operate well and successfully in future.
Gruner Gives Youngsters AN OPPORTUNITY
Apart from bringing salaries for almost 750 workers, German company Gruner has brought something even more valuable to Southern Serbia: its dual education model, which provides young people with an opportunity to gain employment immediately upon graduation, and to plan their future in their home region
Gruner has been cooperating with the Vlasotince Technical Vocational Secondary School since 2015, when the programme to train the first generation of industrial mechanics was launched, while today future mechatronics technicians, electronics technicians and CNC operators are being trained here.
Alongside its production of smart meter relays, “start-stop systems” for the automotive industry, injection moulded plastics and metal parts for its own purposes, Vlasotince-based company Gruner Serbia is also renowned for the dual education programme that it conducts in this southern Serbian town. This is a company that’s proud of all its workers, both production personnel and highly educated experts, and particularly the youngest employees, who arrived straight from school benches.
The dual education programme was launched in cooperation with the Technical Vocational Secondary School in 2015 and has developed gradually since then. Beginning with just one department of industrial mechanics, the initial profile, it has grown to now encompass the training of future mechatronics and electronics technicians and CNC operators. According to Gruner representatives, continuing cooperation with the school forms the basis of the company’s further development, production capacities’ expansion and future increases in employee numbers.
Plans include the opening of a cutting-edge training centre that would provide students with tangible, practical knowhow. Approval has been given for the equipment required for mechatronics technicians to be under the ownership of the school and used at Gruner’s training centre, where all trainees will be provided with appropriate work and study conditions. The goal is for these young people to complete their schooling and earn their diploma having acquired all the necessary skills and knowhow defined by both the curriculum and the needs of employers – not only in Vlasotince, but also among other companies throughout Serbia.
The pupils of the Technical Vocational Secondary School that are included in the dual education programme have stressed how they’re extremely satisfied to know that, thanks to their hard work, study and dedication, they will be able to gain employment as soon as they graduate. Gruner’s owners are also satisfied, because dual education has helped them to quickly find professional personnel for their specific needs. If the dual education model were to be conveyed to also include higher education institutions, colleges would be producing young experts capable of performing specific tasks immediately upon graduation.
Gruner is a company that’s proud of all its workers, and particularly the youngest ones, who arrived straight from school benches
