Belgrade

Presenting the activities of the Institute of Physics, Dr Belic stressed that it is the leading scientific research institution dealing with physics in Serbia employing 183 researchers, as well as 30 young researchers who joined it at the beginning of the year. The Institute also enjoys a very successful international cooperation. What causes problems in the Institute’s operation, according to Dr Belic, is the fact that the financing comes solely through projects which thwarts the component of long-term project planning. In addition, Dr Belic said that the Institute would need the state’s support to finance the young scientists’ doctoral studies and that the issue of employing foreign citizens at the Institute, for a limited duration, remains unresolved.

The Assistant Minister of Education and Science praised the practice of holding Committee sittings outside of the National Assembly headquarters where the Committee members, Ministry and Institute representatives can exchange information and opinions on the work of scientific research institutions.

In the continuation the Committee members spoke with the Ministry and Institute representatives about the need to increase the state budget allocations for science because economic development is directly connected to scientific development, as well as the need to implement scientific and technological achievements in the economy. They also discussed creating the conditions for the return of scientists from the diaspora into Serbia.

Following the discussion, the Committee members visited the Photonics Laboratory, Photometry and Ellipsometry Laboratory, Laboratory of the National Centre of Excellence, Nanoscopy Laboratory, Laboratory for the application of computers in science and Laboratory for magnetic and magneto-optic measurements.

The sitting was chaired by the Committee Chairman Srboljub Zivanovic.