Biotechnical Faculty - the backbone of Montenegrin agricultural development
The Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Montenegro is the ideal destination for all those interested in agriculture and food production, namely in plant and animal cultivation, as well as food technologies, aspiring to become engineers, masters, or PhDs in agricultural sciences. This year, it is expected that approximately the same number of spots will be available as in previous years for study programs, with 60 places in Plant Production and 35 in Animal Production at the academic studies in Podgorica, and 30 places each in Applied Studies of Mediterranean Horticulture in Bar and Continental Horticulture and Medicinal Herbs in Bijelo Polje.
No entrance exam is required for enrollment at this faculty, and the ranking system for applicants is defined by the Regulations on the conditions, criteria, and procedure for enrollment in undergraduate studies at the University of Montenegro. Graduates from general high schools and all four-year vocational schools are eligible.
The Biotechnical Faculty offers programs that educate experts for modern agriculture, facing one of the biggest challenges – to produce sufficient food that is impeccable in quality and safe for consumers. In this regard, all study programs are conceptually compatible with most European educational systems.
Besides its educational activities, the Biotechnical Faculty is very well developed in scientific research and professional advisory activities, with a tradition spanning over eight decades. This tradition dates back to 1937 when the State Experimental Station for Southern Crops was founded in Bar. Over the years, through various transformations of institutions primarily focused on improving agriculture, forestry, and other fields, its development culminated in the establishment of a higher education institution in 2008. For decades and today, as an important member of the University of Montenegro, it forms the backbone of Montenegrin agricultural development. In the jubilee year of the University of Montenegro, under the motto "The Torch of the Future" and the slogan FuturUM, BTF is focused on future development based on science and education.
A very important scientific and educational base of the Biotechnical Faculty consists of numerous laboratories and experimental farms in Podgorica and Bar. On the “Lješkopolje” experimental farm in Podgorica, covering an area of about 35 hectares, there are vineyards, orchards, greenhouses, and the oldest wine cellar in Montenegro. The wine cellar produces grape brandy and various wines, long recognized in the market as the Institute’s grapevine and wines. Wines from almost all vintages in the last fifteen years have been awarded gold medals and trophies at prestigious fairs. Additionally, students are trained to produce so-called "student wines," thereby experiencing all phases of production (from field to table). The experimental farm hosts one of the largest collections of domestic, naturalized, and introduced grapevine varieties in the Balkans, counting 442 grapevine genotypes, and the experimental farm in Bar features collection plantations and a nursery of subtropical fruit cultures.
The faculty provides numerous laboratory services for a broad range of users, such as seed certification, control and supervision of registered nurseries, wine quality analysis, quality control of milk and dairy products, quality control and a panel for olive oil, as well as all analyses in the field of plant health protection.