Dr Aleksandar Joksimovic: The exchange of academic staff creates additional connection between home and host institutions
According to the director and science adviser of the Institute of Marine Biology of the UoM, dr Alesandar Joksimovic, the visit to the University in Split connects Split and Kotor, cities with traditionally good cooperation.
Visiting the institutions, that have similar activities as home institutions, always leads to new sensations, meeting new people and coworkers. The University in Split has a long tradition of research in the field of Marine Biodiversity and study programmes dedicated to the research of mariculture and fishing, marine biodiversity, flora and fauna.
He gave a special accent on the great organization at Split University, well-provided library with very rich literature and science fond, as well as importance of fish farming and mariculture, that will be, as he explains, very important for the future production of healthy protein seafood.
“University of Split is the only university on the east Adriatic coast with study programme in the field of the sea. Thus, it shows that Croatia, as a seaside country, invests in the science of the sea and marine ecosystem,” he added.
As far as the similarities between home and host countries are concerned, he explains that the organization of teaching and practical curriculum matches, which is a characteristic of the Bologna system.
“The difference concludes in the fact that the students are enabled to visit the fish farming companies,” notes Jokismovic.
Students’ practical experience in companies is one of the examples of good practice that should be applied in our institutions.
“In that way, students could complete their theoretic knowledge. Those models should be implemented in our study programmes, at least in the domain of the Marine Science,” he says.
Joksimovic says that visits to the fish farming system and fish factories fulfilled his knowledge in that field.
“Unfortunately, there is no fish industry in Montenegro, which is a very important direction for further sustainable development of our country and possibility to use the European funds for the development of small and medium enterprises or, in other words, small family companies. Of course, I believe that experience gained at the Split University will be very helpful for our future companies in that field,” he added.
He recommended to all colleagues to use the mobility programmes, because the gained experiences and friendships are, according to his experience, very valuable.