Dean Škrbić Awarded the Commendations from Japan

On 12 November 2021, Ambassador of Japan to Bosnia and Herzegovina Makoto Ito awarded the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Ranko Škrbić, PhD, the Commendations of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Rector of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, said that Dean Škrbić received a high award from Japan and thanked that country for its selfless help in the field of advancing science in this area.

„We are also grateful to Dean Škrbić for enabling a great number of professors and teaching assistants of our university to get advanced training in Japan. They are among the bearers of research activities in our country“, the rector said after the ceremony held at the premises of the University of Banja Luka Rectorte.

Dean Škrbić thanked the representatives of Japan for the award and added that based on the contacts he had made during hid education, he motivated the young researchers here to go the same path.

„Based on these contacts, more than 30 people from various fields of science were for a shorter or longer time on educations in Japan. I didn't do it to get an award, but to help us establish connections and contacts, and to connect Japanese and our culture as much as possible.“, Prof. Ranko Škrbić said.

Ambassador of Japan to BH Makoto Ito said that Dean Škrbić deserved this award thanks to everything he has done to promote friendly relations between the University of Banja Luka, the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina with Japan.

Prof. Ranko Škrbić, PhD, is the first one in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be awarded this Commendations. He was awarded for his long-term contribution to the promotion of mutual understanding between Japan and Bosnia and Herzegovina after studying in Japan in 1989, where he stayed as a scholarship holder of the Government of Japan.

The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Srpska Alen Šeranić, Vice-Rector for International and Interuniversity Cooperation of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Biljana Antunović, PhD, Secretary General to the University of Banja Luka Đorđe Markez, MA, and other distinguished guests attended this award ceremony.

Meeting of Rector Gajanin and Ambassador of Japan to BH

Before the ceremony od awarding the Commendations to Dean Škrbić, a separate meeting was held between Rector Gajanin and the Ambassador of Japan. During this meeting, current and future cooperation with Japanese higher education institutions was discussed, as well as further education and advanced training of University of Banja Luka students and staff and their stay in Japan.