Ceremonial Academy on the Occasion of the 85th Anniversary of the Faculty of Biotechnology Celebrated by Awards and Plaques to Deserving Individuals and Institutions

The ceremonial academy on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Montenegro was celebrated by the presentation of awards to the best students and the presentation of plaques and certificates to deserving individuals and institutions, in the presence of a large number of high-ranking dignitaries, representatives of ministries, the diplomatic corps and the academic community, with a musical program performed by a group Alata.

Rector of the University of Montenegro, Vladimir Božović, PhD said that the scientific research process in the field of agriculture is older than the founding of the University, which, with its organizational units, has been the leading scientific research, artistic and educational institution in Montenegro for more than half a century.

We dont need to talk much, he added, about the conditions of life at the beginning of the twentieth century in Montenegro, when life itself was a question of survival in Montenegro, "in the struggle of man with nature, against invaders, with himself...", so for admiration and pride in the establishment of the then State Experimental Station for Southern Cultures in Bar.

"This is a great jubilee not only for this institution, but also for the University of Montenegro and for the country. The institutions focus has always been on science, research, innovation, and since 2005 on the education of higher education personnel in the field of agriculture, thus rounding off every aspect that is necessary for the development of Montenegro, for which it is a strategically important economic branch," Rector Božović said. 

Dean of the Biotechnical Faculty, prof. Dr. Božidarka Marković reflected on the history of the Faculty, important dates and three key activities of the Faculty: teaching, scientific research work and professional-advisory work, citing numerous successful results, especially in the domain of international cooperation in the field of science. To the question "How to proceed?", dean Božović said that it can be answered with only one sentence: "The task of each generation is and will be to build on what the previous ones have created."

"Staying committed to the vision of the Faculty of Biotechnology to be a leading higher education and scientific research institution that creates new knowledge and applies it in the development of agriculture in Montenegro, we will achieve our mission even more consistently - to use modern teaching methods to educate experts who will be able to respond to the ever-increasing challenges in modern agriculture, food industry and scientific research," Dean Marković said.

Minister of Science and Technological Development, Prof. Dr. Biljana Šćepanović emphasized the role of the Biotechnical Faculty in the overall development of agriculture, but also in the preparation of all strategic and programmatic documents related to smart specialization.

"The enormous capacity for innovation in this sector is found precisely in leading research institutions such as the Faculty of Biotechnology, which has already achieved concrete results and inventions through innovative programs and projects supported by the Ministry. It remains for us to make the services of the Science and Technology Park and the Office for Technology Transfer operational as soon as possible, so that such a significant innovation potential will have the opportunity to be commercialized and find its place on the Montenegrin and global markets.

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Vladimir Joković expressed his special gratitude to Dean Marković for her dedicated work and cooperation in the previous period.

"We have an intensive cooperation, all with the aim of ensuring that our students have adequate conditions for acquiring knowledge and practical training, and in this direction we are determined to allocate significant funds for the renovation and equipping of the laboratories, experimental farm, equipment and machinery this year and in the period ahead of us." , Jokovic said.

The Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Belgrade has the longest tradition in the region as a higher education institution in the field of agriculture, so the Dean of this faculty, Dušan Živković, sent his regards.

For successful multi-decade cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, as well as cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dean Božović handed over charters that were received by Minister Šćepanović and Minister Joković on behalf of the ministries.

A plaque of appreciation was presented to Assoc. Dr. Milić Čurović, editor-in-chief of the journal "Agriculture and Forestry", one of the symbols of the BTF, which has published 2,500 scientific and professional articles since 1955, when the first issue was published. In the latest ranking list of scientific journals published by Scientific Journal Rankings, our journal was classified in the qualitative category Q3.

The plaque was also awarded to the team of the FP7 REGPOT project "Improving the scientific basis for the sustainable development of Montenegrin agriculture - AgriSciMont", which was received by assistant professor Jelena Zindović, Ph.D. institutions and supported the internationalization of the Biotechnical Faculty.

Students who are awarded at the ceremony for best achievements since establishment of the faculty until today are Marija Markoč, Milena Đokić, Mira Bubanja, and Milica Andrović.