INTERVIEW WITH SIMONIDA VUKADINOVIC – EDUCONS UNIVERSITY

“The main activities of Educons University focused on BEAMING project include boosting strategic focus on excellence in education and research, strong international cooperation, participation in research projects, development of internationalization and commitment to cooperation with the non-academic sector”

Simonida Vukadinović speaks in this interview about the main tasks and challenges within the BEAMING project.

Q: What are the main tasks and activities of the Educons University within the BEAMING project?

A: Educons University (EDU), was founded in 2008 whose teaching staff, researchers and students are fully integrated into the academic community of Vojvodina and Serbia, as well as to the country’s economic and social structures. In response to global challenges, such as climate change, circularity, clean environment and healthy food, the development strategy of EDU respects the priorities in the European Green Deal as well as the European Research Area in terms of ensuring our students and employees satisfaction in research, innovation, and technology transfer. The main activities of EDU focused on BEAMING project include boosting strategic focus on excellence in education and research, strong international cooperation, participation in research projects, development of internationalization and commitment to cooperation with the non-academic sector (industry and government institutions). Regarding that, facts and figures include 447 scientific publications for 5 years period in the scientific field of social, biotechnical, and natural sciences, 52 research projects for the period of 2016-2023 (of which 17 EU funded projects), 53 Erasmus interinstitutional agreements for international mobility, 247 signed contracts with companies and other socio-economic actors.
Close cooperation with stakeholders is maintained through EDU Board of Directors which consists of the most successful examples of business firms and successful individuals provides direct support to university management and represents an important link for networking the labour market and the academic environment.
The establishment of the EDU International Campus is the first example of its kind when it comes to private higher education in the Western Balkans. Namely, from the school year 2015/2016. year, within the University there is a modern student dormitory and a sports hall which will finally achieve a healthy concept of study: learning – living – playing sports.
In addition to institutional accreditation, EDU has national accreditation as a scientific institution for carrying out scientific and research activities and fulfils all criteria such as a research infrastructure, researchers who participate in projects, publishing activity, appropriate research facilities, valuable and quality equipment for the realization of theoretical and experimental scientific research work, library information center, scientifically informative documentation, a program of scientific research work, a program for the development of young researchers (including a PhD candidates), and the results of research work that contribute to the development of science and knowledge.
In 2009 “Alliance of Central Eastern European Universities”(ACEU) with Educons University in Sremska Kamenica as the seat was established. ACEU can serve as a support point for achieving some of the KPIs within the BEAMING project, as an effective alliance of universities, service providers and other key stakeholders in the central European region, with the basic aim of creating new values through partnership in higher education and research in order to contribute to the development of innovative, knowledge-based economy. ACEU comprises 13 universities presently from central and eastern Europe.

Q: What challenges do you find in the BEAMING project?

A: Multidisciplinary approach of EDU, being significantly directed towards the areas of sustainable economic development, green and circular economy, as well as ecological and energy transition, will be fostered by BEAMING project through strengthening collaboration between decision-makers, industry, academia, and civil society. The main challenge is fostering innovation, knowledge and technology transfer, developing enabling policies, and building sustainable bioeconomy ecosystems on national and regional levels.
Opportunities for early career researchers offered through summer/winter schools, conferences, webinars and similar events in the bioeconomy field, following the European Green Deal, are of inevitable importance for finding their space in European Research Area, among decision-makers and stakeholders.
Researchers of EDU actively publish scientific publications and participates in the implementation of national and international projects in the field of sustainable economic development, circular economy, green economy, low-carbon economy, eco-innovations, digital economy, energy efficiency, etc. In particular, the research staff of EDU is working on two ongoing national projects in the field of bioeconomy research – The circular economy as a new development model shaping the Republic of Serbia’s new identity funded by Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, and Transition of the AP Vojvodina towards the circular economy: analysis of the level of knowledge and definition of inputs for strategic design and conceptualization funded by Autonomous Provincial Secretariat. Also, as a part of the project GREENLand-Microplastic free environment (Grant Agreement number 101079267) initiative for a national strategy on microplastic is created as a document that serves as a proposal for a multi-year roadmap for the Republic of Serbia in addressing and managing microplastics pollution. It is created with mutual efforts of EDU researchers multiple state organizations and external partners who will work together to reduce the introduction of microplastics in the environment.