Stanković: University of Montenegro as a House of Wisdom and Knowledge

The great strength and catalyst for progress of the University of Montenegro in its 50 years have undoubtedly been, among other things, its successful students who have shown gratitude for all the knowledge and experience acquired by dedicating their careers to UCG and remaining with it for years as professors or collaborators. In this way, they decided to pass on all the acquired values to new generations and to remove the obstacles they themselves faced when they were students. Dr. Ljubiša Stanković, the best graduate student of 1982, nominated also the best student in Montenegro the same year, and today a full professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, has dedicated himself to this noble mission.

Since graduating in 1982, he has been working at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Montenegro. He was elected full professor in 1995. He served as the rector of the University of Montenegro for two terms (2003–2005 and 2005–2008).

Approaching the Universitys 50th anniversary, Professor Stanković reflected on his personal development, the milestones, and the exceptional personal achievements that are closely intertwined with the development of UCG. By sharing his biography, he inspires young generations to seize all the opportunities the University offers, encourages them to stay in Montenegro, and be part of the change they wish to see in society.

What role has the University of Montenegro played in your life and development? How much has it inspired and directed you towards your future goals?

Prof. Dr. Stanković: The role that the University of Montenegro has played in my life and further development is symbolically very intertwined. I was born in Murino, the same year the first institution of higher education was established in Montenegro, and just a year later, studies in electrical engineering began, which would mark my life and creative path. As higher education developed and institutionally strengthened, I completed primary school in Murino and Berane, enrolling in high school precisely the year the current University of Montenegro was founded. During the next four years, as I attended high school, the building for the technical faculties was constructed, symbolizing the University of Montenegro and its long-standing headquarters. After enrolling at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in 1978, my class was delayed in starting regular classes, waiting for the building to receive its occupancy permit. That year, with that slight delay, we began our first lectures in the new building, a symbol of the University today.

Meeting the faculty was filled with awe and fear that I might not succeed, as this had happened to many of my acquaintances and friends who were excellent and talented students. They too had a huge desire to finish this well-known, challenging faculty and become skilled engineers and experts. I approached the first lectures, colloquiums, and exams with great respect for the professors and staff in this house of wisdom and knowledge. We were taught not only by professors from Montenegro but also from across the former Yugoslavia, especially from the University of Belgrade. Scoring top grades in exams boosted my confidence. In my second year, I won first place in a mathematics competition attended by students from all over the then Yugoslavia. This competition was very important for the prestige and reputation of the faculty. Securing first place demonstrated that the knowledge I was acquiring at our faculty could not only match but even surpass that of bigger and older faculties. It was also proof of the quality of studies at one of the youngest universities in Yugoslavia. Following were more top grades and another first-place win in mathematics, and then completing the four-year studies in 3 years and nine months, with only one grade of nine and numerous social recognitions and awards. Interestingly, that nine came from the subject where I had twice ranked first in Yugoslavia, further highlighting the difficulty and character of the studies at that time.

The results I achieved at the faculty were the basis for deciding to dedicate my life to an academic career and the University of Montenegro. However, before fully committing to working in Montenegro, I wanted to compare my knowledge and broaden my perspectives in other environments. I completed my masters degree at the University of Belgrade, and then, as a Fulbright scholarship recipient, spent a study year at a university in Massachusetts, United States. After passing all exams in the doctoral studies and receiving an offer to work as a lecturer at that university at 24, I nevertheless returned to Montenegro and continued my teaching and research work there. I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Montenegro in 1988 in the field of electromagnetic waves and published my first scientific papers in leading journals while preparing my dissertation.

After my doctorate, I decided to dedicate myself to the field of digital signal processing and the broader issues of digitization, a field I studied during my time in the USA. The decision to focus on research in this area, and then to teach digital signal processing, came back in 1984, exactly 40 years ago, when all of electrical engineering was based on analog devices (remember those large, wide televisions). At that time, it was hard to imagine, even with a lot of imagination, that computers and information technologies based on digitization would play any significant role in our lives. Under such circumstances, the introduction of digital signal processing as a subject in undergraduate studies was seen as a concession by colleagues, as this form of digitization was not studied at the undergraduate level in our region at that time. At that time, I also worked on the first books on digital signal processing and the application of MATLAB, which were printed in the late eighties, the first time in any South Slavic language. This marked the beginning of my full commitment to scientific research in the field of digital signal processing.

From 40 years ago to today, digitization has moved from fiction to a reality that is now part of our everyday lives, to the point where theres even a need for some segments of society to wean off digital services. The era of artificial intelligence based on the foundations of digitization and information technologies has begun.

My 40 years of teaching, continuous improvement, and developing a research group are exclusively tied to the University of Montenegro, regardless of shorter or longer stays at the University of Bochum in Germany, Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, universities in Brest and Grenoble in France, and Imperial College in the United Kingdom. I’m proud of numerous collaborators, some of whom have gone from initial research steps to the highest university and academic titles and recognitions. Thanks to this joint work, today the University of Montenegro is recognized on the global research map in the field of digital signal processing. We have several editors of leading scientific journals worldwide, over 300 papers by group members in leading journals, several annual awards for the best paper published in the worlds leading journals, the highest ranks in professional associations, and notable citations, with a total of over 25,000 citations of the research team members in this field. Thanks to this citation impact, three professors from the University of Montenegro in the field of signal processing, who have had independent research directions for many years, are among the top 2% of the most cited scientists in the world according to Stanfords citation list (since its inception to date), which would be a significant achievement in one field even at the worlds leading universities. It is my pleasure to be among the 0.1% of the most cited scientists in the field of information and communication technologies, almost entirely achieving my scientific career at the University of Montenegro, and that the average citation of papers in the field of signal processing published by authors from Montenegro according to the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) is the highest in the Eastern Europe region, meaning ahead of Russia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Estonia, etc. On the global ranking, by the criterion of average citation of papers in the field of signal processing (as one of the fundamental pillars of digitization and artificial intelligence), Montenegro, thanks to the works from the University of Montenegro, occupies a high position, ahead of countries of technological giants such as Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, China, Argentina, Turkey...

Youve had the opportunity to experience the University as one of the best students of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, as a professor at the same, and as the rector of UCG for two terms. How has your perception changed, and how have you invested your experience into the advancement of UCG?

Prof. Dr. Stanković: During my studies and shortly thereafter at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, the faculty was dominated by staff established during the founding of both the faculty and the University, with significant assistance from leading professors from then Yugoslavia, especially Belgrade. This generations mission was to establish the foundations of higher education in Montenegro, crucial for the societal emancipation, cultural, and economic development of the region. Therefore, we must always remember and respect those doyens of electrical engineering and the University of Montenegro. Since the studies were already established, my generation was historically tasked with making the University recognizable on the international scene, through scientific work and reforms of higher education that would integrate it into the European and global higher education system.

The change in the Universitys leadership generation occurred in 2003 when I was elected rector. There had been seven rectors before me, and it was notable that all seven were alive at that moment. I believe I was the first rector who had also received his primary university education at the University of Montenegro. It was a special pleasure to personally present the newly established charter of distinguished professor emeritus to almost all my predecessors. Since then, a tradition has been maintained where the University is managed by rectors whose alma mater is the University of Montenegro, or, freely translated, rectors from 2003 to the present day are "children of the University of Montenegro."

It was an exceptional honor and pleasure to have served as the rector of the University of Montenegro for a period, partially sacrificing time that could have been devoted to scientific research. During this time, from 2003 to 2008, a lot was achieved in terms of University reforms. The teaching process was reformed and aligned with the European standard represented by the Bologna Declaration. The reform was carefully done, with an innovative approach, so that the new system was fully aligned with the required qualification framework in Montenegro. A set of key normative acts was written and adopted, starting from the Law and Statutes to numerous regulations that governed the higher education system at the University of Montenegro, which was published in the Documents 2004 book, known as the Blue Book. Much of what was published in this book laid the foundation for further work not only of the University of Montenegro but also of private higher education institutions that were established in the subsequent period. The teaching process and study results were digitized, allowing us to have a digital database and the ability to view teachers workload and students success in real-time immediately after the semester ends, as early as 2005. There was also a start in awarding the results of scientific work, which has continued to this day. There was a fund that allowed all employees to spend a short time during the year at one of the universities worldwide with the aim of establishing cooperation and expanding horizons in teaching and scientific work. During this period, all employees who needed to solve or improve their housing conditions resolved their issue, either through apartments or loans, and I was pleased to hand over to the new leadership several apartments for which there were no more interested parties at that time, as well as a significant remainder of several million unspent funds in the Universitys account without any loan obligations. All this was done through self-financing and a sustainable investment plan without additional budget funds and without any loans. Finally, I’m particularly pleased that in 2008 we completed the first part of the University Park, which later expanded and today represents a real gem and pride of our University, the Capital City, and Montenegro.

Aside from science, youve also engaged in artistic photography. How important is it for young people, as well as everyone else, to develop skills in multiple areas and explore all aspects of their personality through lifelong learning?

Prof. Dr. Stanković: I began engaging with photography before even considering that electrical engineering would define my life path. Starting from a photography section in elementary school, by the end of high school, I was spending more time in the photo lab than on studying all subjects combined, including mathematics. I was creating a significant number of photographs daily, both earning my regular income since the age of 16 and crafting artistic photos. In my final year of high school, I received my first significant recognitions, such as the first prize at the annual national exhibition of artistic photography and the second prize at the 1978 Pobjeda photo contest, along with numerous participations in exhibitions across Yugoslavia. Immediately after enrolling at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, I initiated and was one of the founders of the Student Photo Club at the University of Montenegro. From its inception, we held numerous photography courses and trained, I dare say, thousands of young people, primarily students. We introduced them to the secrets of photography over more than a decade of the Clubs active operation. Numerous exhibitions were organized at the University of Montenegro level, and notable exhibitions at the Yugoslavia level in cooperation with colleagues from the city Photo Club Titograd. During that period, many photography awards were received, and I consider the greatest achievement to be that the Student Photo Club, in 1986, was ranked among the top 20 clubs in former Yugoslavia, and my photograph was rated as the fifth-best photograph at the countrys most prestigious exhibition, the biennial Yugoslav Photography Cup. Later, however, my life path turned towards scientific research, briefly to politics where I was a member of the Presidency of Montenegro and, as the president of the Reform Forces of Yugoslavia for Montenegro, was a candidate for the President of Montenegro at the first multi-party elections. Nonetheless, being at the top in two or more fields is not at all simple, and in the period that followed, starting from the early nineties, I almost ceased to engage in artistic photography, and soon after, politics, dedicating myself to the University and science.

Its extremely important for young people to be socially engaged alongside their studies, to have a hobby and diverse cultural, artistic, sports, and social interests. However, achieving top results in multiple areas is very difficult, so one must always distinguish professionalism from hobbies and pay special attention to their primary life choice. And focus changes over life. Interestingly, in the USA, for example, people change their professional field several times throughout their life, often choosing very different areas.

What has the collaboration between UCG and CANU been like so far? Where could this collaboration be strengthened, and what kind of joint projects do you envision for the future?

Prof. Dr. Stanković: The relationship between these two institutions is quite specific. Most of the current 39 members of CANU have spent or are spending their working lives at the University of Montenegro. This has been the case in the past as well. Since CANU does not have its research institutes and associates, academics still rely significantly on the infrastructure and collaborators, mainly from the University of Montenegro, and more recently on the capacities of other universities in Montenegro. CANU primarily plays a special role, legally defined as the highest scientific institution in Montenegro, aimed, among other things, at unifying the scientific, artistic, and research capacities in our country. A contract of bilateral cooperation has been signed with the University of Montenegro, as an institution of special interest and importance, and a team for planning and monitoring joint activities has been formed. A number of events have been organized jointly, but the collaboration is such that in all CANU activities, projects, forums, round tables, lexicons, Encyclopedia of Montenegro, the participation of teachers and associates from the University of Montenegro is crucial for their successful realization. I am confident that there will be opportunities for closer project collaboration in the future, especially when applying for and realizing the numerous and widely open opportunities with European Union funds, for the benefit of everyone in Montenegro.

What message would you give to the University for its 50th anniversary? What advice for the future would you offer?

Prof. Dr. Stanković: The University of Montenegro has a uniquely special role. It is now the only public university in Montenegro, and until recently, it was also the sole institution of higher education. In this sense, the University of Montenegro carries a significant social responsibility. It must ensure that all citizens of Montenegro have the opportunity to fulfill their desire to obtain higher education and to continuously learn and expand their knowledge. The need for this is exceptional, as the conditions in which we live, work, and create are changing almost daily, and it is necessary to embrace all novelties and be prepared for what is yet to come. Therefore, I believe that it is the duty of the University of Montenegro to provide all young people who wish to pursue higher education in Montenegro with that opportunity. This is also a special social imperative because Montenegro does not have an influx of young educated people from abroad. Every young person who wishes to pursue higher education and is not given that opportunity in Montenegro will seek it in the surrounding area or further abroad. After several years of studying, these young people settle into new environments, and the majority of them remain to live their working, creative, and family lives in those places. It truly pains me to see some of the exceptional and talented young people fail to enroll in the desired faculty in Montenegro, due to our irrational and artificial limits, and thus leave, be among the best at the entrance exams at much larger and traditionally rich universities in the surrounding area, there become one of the best students and, of course, accept one of the numerous offers to continue working in that environment, while Montenegro becomes a place they visit during the summer as long as their parents are alive. The University of Montenegro must give a chance to all young people who want to stay in Montenegro, who want to study here, want to be here and try, according to their knowledge and abilities, to achieve their life goals. We must not reject them at enrollment and thus literally drive them out of Montenegro. For many study programs, there is no alternative in Montenegro. Remaining below the enrollment line at the University of Montenegro often means closing the doors to staying in Montenegro and a permanent departure and loss of the most precious, human, potential of our country.

Of course, a number of young people will leave, even if we provide all conditions in Montenegro. Therefore, the University of Montenegro has a special social mission to ensure the attractiveness of its study programs and study conditions so that a number of young people from the surrounding area and the entire world come and study with us. Thus, a balanced and very desirable exchange of knowledge and people must be ensured, but without losing the overall number. Happy are those communities where more people come for studying and working than leave. That must be our goal, and the University of Montenegro is the main link in achieving that goal. Instead of sometimes offering scholarships for our young people to leave and abandon Montenegro, many of them thanks to our scholarships permanently stay, now we must reverse the process and offer scholarships to people from the surrounding area and the world to come and study here. Some will then permanently stay and increase Montenegros creative potential, while others will be ambassadors of Montenegro in their communities for life, after returning.

To ensure high-quality education for the needs of our society and state, as well as to attract students from abroad, the University of Montenegro must offer the widest range of educational profiles and train people for almost all profiles. We do not have the luxury to focus only on the most attractive programs and leave a number of important areas without the possibility of education. In this sense, the University of Montenegro does offer a great diversity of study programs, but efforts to expand the range must continue.

Alongside the broadest spectrum of study programs, in some areas, excellence at the highest level must be achieved. A selection of programs must rise above the high-education teaching function and achieve scientific results at the level of the leading universities in the world. This process must be encouraged by both the state and the Universitys leadership. Only in this way will we justify our university mission, the mission of a scientific institution that creates conditions for the education of young people who will be the bearers of Montenegros development and beyond, through the results of top scientific and artistic work.