University Marked 44 Years of Work and Development 

On 7 November 2019, the University of Banja Luka marked 44 years of successful work and development with solemn academy in the National Theatre of the Republic of Srpska.

In his addressing the guests Rector of the University Professor Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, said that the University was making progress in every respect.

,, In the past year, we have worked hard and there has been visible progress in almost all areas of the University's work. The progress has been made thanks to the team work of the management of the University, the Senate, the Steering Committee and the management of the faculties of deans and vice-deans, all employees and certainly students”, Gajanin said and emphasized that the University is making efforts to improve the student standards and studying conditions.

,, With the involvement of the management of the University and the Faculty, the Serb Member of the Presidency of BiH, the Government of the Republic of Srpska, the President of the Republic of Srpska and Student Organizations, our previously best students are now employed as assistants at the University. More than fifty new assistants entered the University’s academic community in 2018 and 2019,'' Rector said in his speech.

He also said that we have more students this year than last year.

,,This was achieved through the joint activities of the University and the faculties.

We correctly planned the enrollment quotas, analyzed the interest of secondary school graduates to further study, promoted the University, faculties and study programs...'', Rector Gajanin said.

Rector reminded that at the proposal of the University management cash awards were assigned to the best researchers for the results achieved in science and publishing of the results in international reference journals. 

,,This year, the University assigned 51 cash awards to our professors and assistants, research holders, who published the results of their researches in international journals. The only criterion for determining the amount of cash award was the quality of research papers, that is, the influence of the journal’’, Rector Gajanin said.

Serb Member of the Presidency of BiH Milorad Dodik assessed that the University of Banja Luka is the most important higher education institution of the Republic of Srpska together with the University of East Sarajevo.

"We have worked on and will work on important issues for the University of Banja Luka to make it as strong, important and attuned to the needs of society as possible. We want to bring order to higher education, but also quality and responsibility for the education of persons to be competitive in the labor market," Dodik said in his speech at the solemn academy on the occasion of 44 years of work at the University of Banja Luka.

He explained that the Republic of Srpska wants a stable University of Banja Luka, which it will continue to give logistic support to in improving the financial status of its employees and improving the working conditions for the staff and the students.

Dodik thanked the University of Banja Luka for the Charter Award assigned to him for his continued and specific contribution to the development of this higher education institution, and he thanked for this recognition, which he said was one of his favorite.

" I highly appreciate the University of Banja Luka and I wish you every success and to be better for each day", Dodik wished.

Minister of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society Srdjan Rajcevic said that the University of Banja Luka and the same institution in Istocno Sarajevo constitute the pillars of the Republic of Srpska and its public education.

"Today at the Government session, we adopted draft laws on higher education and quality assurance in this sector, which is the first step of a long-standing reform in this area that is ahead of us", Rajcevic said.

In congratulating the jubilee, he said that the University of Banja Luka recognizes and supports these reform efforts aimed at internationalization, modernization and rationalization of higher education.

"I hope that in the forthcoming years, the quality of higher education in the Republic of Srpska will be far higher and that it will be integrated into European and regional trends. I think there is a bright future ahead of us," Rajcevic said, adding that they will continue working on synergies between the academic community and the economy.

A speech was also given by the President of the Rector's Conference/Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Professor Milan Kulić, PhD.

Rector Gajanin assigned charter awards and plaques of the University to different individuals, institutions, University professors. University charter awards were assigned for outstanding contribution to the University development as well as for significant contribution to the development of higher education to: Milorad Dodik, Serb Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dragan Lukac, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Srpska, Vladimir Nikolic, Consul General of Serbia in Banja Luka, the Musicological Society of the Republic of Srpska and the Fairnetzen Foundation. The plaques of the University were assigned, for many years of successful work at the University as well as for remarkable achievements in teaching and scientific research, to: the academic Professor Rajko Tomas, PhD, Professor Nikola Mojovic, PhD, Professor Miodrag Zivanovic, PhD, Professor Milan Janjic, PhD, Professor Brankica Milojevic, PhD, and Professor Gordana Djuric, PhD. Professor emeritus, the retired professor of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Banja Luka, Branko Dokic, PhD, was also promoted.

This year the University also awarded 17 students of the generation, and golden badges with the image of Nikola Tesla were assigned by the Vice Rector for Teaching and Student Affairs Professor Strain Posavljak, PhD.

The students, professors and assistants of the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka gave a brilliant vocal and instrumental performance at the ceremony of marking 44 years of the University.

The academy held in the National Theatre of the Republic of Srpska was also attended by the ministers of the Republic of Srpska Government, Mayor of Banja Luka Igor Radojicic, numerous rectors and vice-rectors from universities in RS, BiH and the region, and numerous guests and public, diplomatic, scientific, political and social figures.