Academy of Arts Celebrated a Quarter of a Century of Existence

A solemn academy was held on 3 July 2023 in the National Theatre of the Republic of Srpska when the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka marked its jubilee - 25 years of successful work and development.

Rector of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, said that what is special about the Academy of Arts is that its artists can be found in all fields of art in the Republic of Srpska, the region and the world.

"Almost no artistic event in the countries of the region or in the world has taken place without the participation of members of our academy, whether professors, teaching assistants or students", Gajanin pointed out.

He added that the University, in cooperation with the relevant ministry and the Republic of Srpska Government, strives to improve the conditions of studying and working at the Academy of Arts.

"I hope that by the end of this academic year, the Student Cultural Centre will be completed, which will essentially be one of the teaching bases of our Academy of Arts, primarily for the Study Program of Dramatic Art", the rector said.

"The Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka is one of the cultural pillars of the Republic of Srpska, and its students are important in the cultural life of the Republic of Srpska and the region", Minister for Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republic of Srpska Asst. Prof. Željko Budimir, PhD, said.

He stated that the Academy is constantly progressing and that this year's great interest of secondary school graduates in enrolling in this higher education institution is an indicator of its good work.

"The Academy of Arts works very well. It has full staffing, i.e., 55 professors and more than 20 teaching assistants show that we managed to organize three study cycles with our own staff", the minister stressed.

Dean of the Academy of Arts Prof. Dragana Purković Macan, PhD, said that the Academy of Arts has just had the 25th generation of students graduating from the Academy and plans to open new departments.

"We are nearing the end of our interior design accreditation, the study of recording and sound design is in progress. So we plan to have all the modern time novelties and tendencies at our academy", Macan said.

At this ceremony, which was also attended by Vice-Rector for International and Interuniversity Cooperation Prof. Milica Balaban, PhD, and Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska Željka Stojičić, distinguished individuals and institutions received commendations, the best students were awarded with plaques, and graduates of the first and second study cycles of the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka were promoted.

The Academy of Arts, with its quarter-century-long tradition and undoubted importance, has an important place among the members of the University of Banja Luka.

The Academy was founded in 1999 by the Decision of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska. Today, it has three study programmes: Fine Arts, Dramatic Arts and Music Arts. All three study programmes are branched and consist of a large number of departments that complement the most diverse areas of art. The professors and teaching assistants of the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka apply the most modern teaching methods, educating and introducing students to the world of creativity in which they will cope with all the professional challenges of the modern era in a creative way.