European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) representatives visit

Representatives of the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN): Prof. Christoph Schäfer, Prof. Claude Charlot and Prof. Tadeusz Kurtyka, together with Ms. Biljana Čamur Veselinović, Assistant Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH visited the University of Sarajevo Rectorate on 17 October 2018. They were received by UNSA delegation consisting of Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, Rector, Vice-Rectors Prof. Drs. Aleksandra Nikolić, Aida Hodžić, Maida Čohodar Husić and Prof. Dr. Elvira Čizmić, and academician Prof. Dr. Dejan Milošević, UNSA Council for Science chairman and academician Prof. Dr. Branislava Peruničić, member of the Council.

At the meeting, which is the continuation of one from May 2017, were discussed the possibility of Bosnia and Herzegovina becoming a CERN community member and the establishment of cooperation not only between the University of Sarajevo and CERN, but also all public higher education institutions in BiH, which would contribute to the use of many benefits in educational programs, improving the work of research laboratories, and organizing summer schools.

Representative of B-H Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ms. Biljana Čamur Veselinović, pointed out that following the UNSA initiative, a visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH to CERN took place that led to the intensification of cooperation both on a regional and bilateral level.

During the meeting, Rector Škrijelj reminded of our young researchers who stayed or are now residing at CERN and the outstanding results they achieved, such as Admir Greljo, who is the winner of a two-year contract in a position that is allocated annually to two candidates from non-member countries CERN, then two UNSA students, Amer Ajanović and Suvad Krivašević, who were on the Summer Practice at CERN this year and also achieved remarkable results, and Ena Žunić, who last year was on the same practice. Also, Rector Škrijelj expressed gratitude for the extraordinary contribution enabling our young researchers to conduct their research in a laboratory with an annual budget of CHF 1.25 billion.

During the meeting it was emphasized that the University of Sarajevo has been cooperating with CERN for years within the High Energy Physics School, and that CERN has been implementing special training programs for physics teachers that would be very useful for the education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was also emphasized that cooperation with CERN for the University of Sarajevo would be of great importance, especially since cooperation should not be solely related to the field of physics, but it can include scientists and researchers in medicine, biotechnologies, industrial technologies, and CERN has a special art program “Arts at CERN.”