Canton Sarajevo co-finances 452 research projects with 4,250,000 BAM

(Patria) - The Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of Canton Sarajevo today organized the signing of contracts for co-financing research/artistic research and research and development projects and programs from the Canton Sarajevo Budget for 2023.

The contracts were signed by the relevant minister, Pavle Krstić, and representatives of the projects and programs for which funds were approved from the budget, based on the public call that was issued.

Prime Minister of CS Nihad Uk emphasized that a record amount of funds for scientific research activities has been allocated in this year's Budget, in the amount of 4,250,000 BAM, and in accordance with the principles of the CS Government, the intention is to continuously increase budget funds for science, technological development, and innovation.

“It is a pleasure that we have a special item for co-financing scientific research for young people, for whose projects we have allocated an additional 250,000 BAM this year. Four million BAM are for older, established members of the academic community. I promise that we will work on increasing these funds, as well as the criteria and method of distributing funds to support this activity in cooperation with the academic community, from which we expect the best suggestions. We want our society to ‘benefit the most’ from your scientific research projects,” Prime Minister Uk stated on this occasion.

Minister Krstić emphasized that the approved funds from the budget will be distributed to a total of 452 projects.

He particularly highlighted the co-financing of scientific research projects for young scientists, as well as the technical preparation and defense of doctoral dissertations at the University of Sarajevo.

Projects and programs of special interest to Canton Sarajevo will be co-financed, as well as the introduction of programs/modules/cyclic and acyclic programs in foreign languages/digital portals, innovative materials that promote BiH's achievements in science and art (paperless internationalization, greening).

Co-financing includes, among other things, the costs of publishing scientific articles, a program to strengthen capacities for applying for EU research funds, then publishing books/monographs, participating in conferences, publishing and indexing journals, organizing conferences…

“We will strive to make the budget even larger for these purposes, to significantly support our academic community, researchers and innovators, as well as all those who wish and believe that they can contribute to the progress and strengthening of science with their knowledge, skills, and engagement,” Minister Krstić said, congratulating the representatives of the projects supported by the CS Budget for this year.

The Vice-Rector for Scientific Research at the University of Sarajevo, Mirza Dautbašić, stated, among other things, that thanks to these funds, respectable scientific research equipment has also been procured.

Prof. Dr. Ljiljan Veselinović from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Sarajevo, with his team, applied for a Canton Sarajevo project specifically related to entrepreneurship development.

“The idea was to develop an application that will teach young people how to start business ideas. It is very difficult to obtain financial resources for the realization of such ideas, and what the CS Government is doing is one of the very positive stories compared to all other levels of government. This is a fairly simplified process, and on the other hand, it is very well-designed and provides sufficient funds. We want to do a lot, but if you don't have funds, it's very difficult. What CS offers is very useful, and I hope that such support will continue in the future. Our project includes several packages in which, besides me, four other colleagues from the Faculty are included. We also want to attract students to master's and undergraduate studies in this way. In this way, we ensure that they also acquire certain skills and knowledge,” he stated.