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Saying Farewell to researchers from the Polymer Science and Technology programme

Faculty of Sciences at the University of Novi Sad, under the Memorandum of Understanding with Prince of Songkla University (PSU) of Thailand, hosted two doctoral researchers from the Polymer Science and Technology programme – Ms Kwansuda Kongthong and Ms Thitirat Rammak – from 26 March to 26 July 2025.

During their stay, the students conducted collaborative research in polymer science and technology at the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Environmental Protection, while also engaging in a vibrant cultural exchange.

They immersed themselves in Serbian language and traditions, sampled regional cuisine, visited several cities, and participated in community events – building lasting connections with local students and faculty.

Hospitality and expert support were provided by Associate Professor Dr Berta Barta Holló and the IRO Office.

We thank her for her dedication and look forward to future collaborative projects within our international cooperation framework.

International Relations

How to make Science speak clearly and reach everyone – successful workshop within the TwinSubDyn Project

On Thursday, April 17, 2025, the Science Communication Workshop was held at the Faculty of Science, University of Novi Sad, as part of the TwinSubDyn project (Horizon Europe – Twinning Western Balkans), dedicated to developing science communication skills and promoting science to broader audiences.

The workshop was very well attended, which clearly indicates the growing interest among researchers and teaching staff in learning how to present their work to wider audiences – in clear, engaging, and socially relevant way.

Through interactive lectures and open discussions, participants gained practical insights and heard firsthand experiences from speakers who have been actively involved in various forms of science communication for years.

  • Dr Branislav Jović, Full Professor at the Faculty of Sciences, spoke about challenges faced by modern researchers from project deliverables and reporting obligations to media relations and building trust with decision-makers. His talk “How Has Science Failed?” sparked an engaging discussion on the current role and perception of science in society.
  • Dobrivoje Erić, Head of International Cooperation at the Center for the Promotion of Science, presented different approaches to involving the public in scientific processes in his lecture “How to Communicate Science to (Un)Desired Audiences?” emphasizing the importance of open, tailored communication strategies for different target groups.
  • Dr Dajana Bjelajac, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences, through her talk “From Idea to Impact” and the story “Carpe Noctem“, demonstrated how scientific events can be transformed into immersive experiences that break down the barrier between science and the public – especially when addressing topics such as light pollution ant the natural night sky.

Over the course of three hours, participants explored how to make science more visible, inspiring, and accessible to those outside the academic world. The clear goal of the workshop was to empower participants to think creatively and to share their research in a way that people can understand, relate to, and want to follow.

The Science Communication Workshop confirmed the importance of science communication, not only as a skill but also as a responsibility of every researcher who wants to leave an impact beyond scientific journals.

International Relations

Milana Čugalj named the best young chef of Serbia at the ‘Food Vision by Open Balkan’ competition

From November 22 to 24, as part of the ‘Wine Vision by Open Balkan’ festival, the second competition for young chefs was held – Food Vision by Open Balkan.

The top award, the title of the Best Young Chef, was won  by  Milana Čugalj , a PhD student of Gastronomy at the Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad.

Milana Čugalj, with the support of her assistant, successfully competed with more than 30 young and talented chefs. In a challenging competition, her task was to prepare a traditional dish in a modern way, and she decided to prepare  lamb  chop. Through exceptional creativity and professional approach, Milana won a gold medal and the title of the best young chef.

In addition to Milana, the team from the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad consisted of three other students whose work, organization and final dishes, received numerous positive reactions from the eminent world committee of judges.

The preparations were conducted under the expert mentorship of Dr. Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski, Goran Radivojević, Dr. Maja Paunić, as well as assistants Velibor Ivanović and Stefan Šmugović.

Congratulations to Milana Čugalj and her team on this remarkable achievement.

Achievements

First three places for Serbia at the regional IT competition in Bucharest

At the   regional IT competition “ICPC SEERC 2024,”  teams from Serbia won   the first three places in the competition of 91 teams from 10 countries   and achieved the best success of our country so far, as well as a placement at the European and global level of the prestigious ICPC competition.

The 2024 Southeastern European Regional Contest was held   from 16 to 17 November in Bucharest, Romania for competitors from Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, North Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Serbia.

The competition consisted of 13 tasks that had to be solved in five hours.

Students from the University of Novi Sad (Team Infinity – Tadija Šebez, Nikola Pešić, Viktor Lučić) won the first place,  the second place was taken by the students of the Faculty of Computer Science of the Union University, and the third place by the students at the University of Belgrade.

All three teams have qualified for the European level of the competition, which will take place from February 28 to March 2 next year in Portugal.

The teams of the University of Novi Sad and the Faculty of Computer Science of Union University have directly qualified for the world level of the prestigious competition, which will most likely be held in China.

Achievements

International Bioscience Conference – IBSC2024 held in Hat Yai, Thailand

The International Bioscience Conference (IBSC2024), the result of longstanding collaboration between Prince of Songkla University (PSU) and the University of Novi Sad (UNS), took place on October 28-29, 2024, in Hat Yai, Thailand, marking the ninth edition of this international event.

This year’s host, the Faculty of Science at Prince of Songkla University, organized the event in line with principles of sustainable and eco-friendly event management. The conference theme, “Bio4: Expanding the Horizon”, focused on fostering knowledge exchange and deepening international cooperation through sessions promoting innovation and contemporary trends in biosciences.

On the second day of the conference, particular emphasis was placed on presenting the international programs Horizon Europe and Erasmus+, as well as successful projects within these initiatives. Panel discussions were also held, covering topics such as scientific development and excellence, global challenges, and technology transfer.

IBSC2024 provided participants with a valuable opportunity to exchange the latest scientific insights and ideas, as well as to enhance collaboration between partner universities. In a friendly and collegial atmosphere, PSU warmly welcomed a delegation of 10 faculty members from the University of Novi Sad.

We eagerly anticipate the next IBSC conference, which will take place in Novi Sad in two years, and look forward to welcoming our Thai colleagues.

Conferences,

Our Scientists Among the Top 2% of the Most Cited Researchers in the World Again

A new review of the top 2% most cited researchers globally, published by Stanford University (the so-called Stanford list), has been released. Faculty of Sciences professors ranked on the list for lifetime achievements are Prof. Emeritus Dr. Neda Mimica-Dukić and Prof. Dr Dušan Jakovetić, while those listed for achievements in 2023 are Prof. Emeritus Dr. Neda Mimica-Dukić, Prof. Dr Dušan Jakovetić, Assist. Prof. Dr. Stevan Armaković , Assist. Prof. Dr Sanja Armaković, and Prof. Dr Ante Vujić.

The database on which the top 2% list is based includes standardized data on citations, the h-index, adjusted hm-index by co-authorship, citations by different authorship positions, and a composite index.

Achievements

Óbuda University Awarded Honorary Professorship to Ivana Štajner Papuga

The long-term collaboration of Prof. Dr. Ivana Štajner Papuga, Full Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Informatics, with colleagues from Óbuda University in Budapest, which spans for over a decade, was recognized this September with a significant award from Óbuda University. Our colleague, Prof. Dr.  Ivana Štajner Papuga, was promoted to the title of honorary professor at a ceremonial opening of the new academic year at Óbuda University in Budapest, held on September 9, 2024.

The award was confirmed by the Senate of Óbuda University, and the diploma was presented to her by the Rector, Prof. Dr. Levente Kovács. The following day, Prof. Dr. Ivana Štajner-Papuga gave a lecture titled “Three Fuzzy Problems” at a mini-symposium for laureates.

Óbuda University is one of the largest higher education institutions in Hungary, with over 12,000 students across 7 faculties in Budapest and the surrounding towns, in various fields including engineering, information technology,  sciences, economics, agriculture, and pedagogy. Founded in 2010 as the legal successor of Budapest Tech, Óbuda University has a 140-year-long history. In the 2024 world university rankings published by Times Higher Education (THE), Óbuda University ranked among the top 1,200 higher education institutions in the world, placing it in the top 4% globally.

Achievements

Great Success of our Students Andrijana Bilić and Milinko Perić at GESC 2024

We are proud of our PhD students from the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Environmental Protection, Andrijana Bilić and Milinko Perić, who won the second prize at the prestigious 2024 Global Environment Solutions Challenge, held in Shanghai, China.

The competition gathered teams from around the world to find innovative solutions to the global plastic pollution problem. Our students stood out with their creativity, knowledge, and dedication in developing the project on the topic “Self-cleaning anti-microplastic filters,” under the mentorship of Dr. Sanja Armaković.

We congratulate our team on this outstanding achievement and are proud that they represented our institution at such a high level.

This success confirms the quality of our education and the dedication of our students to solving global environmental problems.

Achievements

Faculty of Sciences at the World Finals of the International Collegiate Programming Contest Programming Competition Finals (ICPC)

The team from the University of Novi Sad (with 3 out of 4 members from the Faculty of Sciences), after winning the first place in the Southeast European regional competition, participated in the 47th finals of the largest global programming competition – ICPC.

The team members were:

  • Nikola Pešić (Faculty of Sciences)
  • Viktor Lučić (Faculty of Sciences)
  • Tadija Šebez (Faculty of Technical Sciences)
  • Marko Savić, coach (Faculty of Sciences)

The finals were held in Luxor, Egypt, and included teams from 130 universities worldwide. Our University of Novi Sad team achieved an excellent result – 17th place! Furthermore, according to official criteria, they share 13th place, as teams solving the same number of tasks after 12th place are ranked equally (time penalties are not counted).

This result ranked us higher than world-renowned universities such as MIT, Kyoto University, St Petersburg University, ENS Paris, ETH Zurich, Carnegie Mellon, Oxford, Stanford, and many others.

The top 12 teams are awarded medals, and our team performed at a level worthy of a top 10 placement, but due to a minor mistake, that opportunity slipped away. Nonetheless, they truly deserved it for the effort they put into their preparation, leaving a chance to aim for a medal next year.

We are grateful to the Microsoft Development Center in Serbia and the Serbian Mathematical Society for their help and support.

Achievements

Stefan Nikolić Awarded for the Best Doctoral Dissertation by the European Design and Automation Association

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Stefan Nikolić, received on March 26, 2024, in Valencia, the award for the best doctoral dissertation in the category “New Directions in Systems Design Methods and Tools, Simulation and Validation, Embedded Software Design, and Optimization for Embedded, Cyber-Physical, Secure and Learning Systems.”

The award was presented by the European Design and Automation Association at the ceremony in the Hemisferic Center of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.

Nikolić’s dissertation, “Automating the Design of Programmable Interconnect for Reconfigurable Architectures,” is the result of years of research conducted during his PhD studies and as Assistant at the School of Computer and Communication Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland.

Achievements