Skip to main content

The Project ‘Stone Monument Ensembles and the Climate Change Impact’ (STECCI)

As of September 1, 2023, the Faculty of Sciences University of Novi Sad officially started the implementation of this scientific research project financed within the EU Program for Research and Innovation ‘Horizon Europe’ (2021-2027) titled ‘Stone Monument Ensembles and the Climate Change Impact’ (STECCI). The project was rated as outstanding by the evaluators of the European Commission and the Horizon Europe Program with 14 out of 15 possible points.

The project will certainly arouse the interest of those who know what ‘stećci’ are, as well as of all those who will be acquainted with this type of medieval tombstones for the first time, getting to know their unique shape and ornamentation, and exceptional cultural and documentary value, rightfully included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.

The research topic is very up to date because it is about the climate change impact on cultural heritage monuments, here specifically on ‘stećci’ (medieval tombstones), including anthropogenic threats, environmental threats, neglect of cultural heritage, etc. Furthermore, the research that will be carried out within the project is especially multidisciplinary because it holistically combines different scientific disciplines and expertise. The topic of ‘stećci’ is more than relevant for the geographical coverage of our region, where ‘stećci’ are a unique phenomenon – countries of the Western Balkans, Ex-Yugoslavia countries: predominantly Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, while the international partners are from France, Germany, Austria and from Malta.

Under the coordination of the University of Sarajevo, UNSPMF is a partner in a very compact international consortium that combines all relevant scientific disciplines: climatology, social sciences, digitization, economics, creative industries, preservation and conservation of cultural heritage applying the newest approaches. The added value of the project is the active involvement of citizens in the project (Citizen Science).

Project duration: September 1, 2023 – August 8, 2027

The project leader at UNSPMF is Prof. Snežana Radulović, Ph.D. from the Department of Biology and Ecology, and the wider team of researchers including almost all departments of UNSPMF: Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Department of Physics, Office for International Cooperation and Projects, which is an excellent example of interdisciplinary cooperation at the Faculty itself.

The role of researchers from UNSPMF is twofold – in addition to the relevant research contribution, UNSPMF is in charge of a unique work package called “Dissemination, communication and exploitation of project results”, which is an added value of participating in the project, bearing in mind how important scientific communication and raising awareness of the significance of this project is – both among professionals and the general public.

Stone monument ensembles and the climate change impact (STECCI)

  • Project title: Stone monument ensembles and the climate change impact (STECCI)
  • Project number: 101094822
  • Institutions participating in the project: University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Heritage Malta (Malta), University Donja Gorica (Montenegro), University of Applied Arts Vienna (Austria), Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (Germany), The Centre for Social Innovation Vienna (Austria), University of Split Arts Academy (Croatia), Faculty of Sciences of the University of Novi Sad (Serbia), Mines-Telecom Institute (France)
  • Status in the project: Partner
  • Project coordinator: Nusret Drešković (University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • Project coordinator for UNSPMF: Snežana Radulović (Department of Biology and Ecology)
  • Project call: HORIZON-CL2-2022-HERITAGE-01
  • Project type: HORIZON EUROPE Research and Innovation Actions
  • Period of realization: 2023-2027 (1 September 2023 – 31 August 2027)
  • Project website: https://steccihorizoneu.com

Restoration of wetland complexes as life supporting systems in the Danube Basin (Restore4Life)

  • Project title: Restoration of wetland complexes as life supporting systems in the Danube Basin (Restore4Life)
  • Project number: 101112736
  • Institutions participating in the project: Universitatea din București (UB, Romania), Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU, Austria), Faculty of Agriculture (University of Novi Sad, Serbia), Faculty of Sciences (University of Novi Sad, Serbia), Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (UNIOS, Croatia), The National Institute for Research and Development on Marine Geology and Geo-ecology (GEOECOMAR, Romania), “The Lower Danube” University (UGAL, Romania), National Administration of Meteorology (ANM, Romania), Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KUEI, Germany), WWF Romania (WWF Romania), Central Tisza Region Water Directorate (KÖTIVIZIG, Hungary), Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences (ILESAS, Slovakia), National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NIGGG BAS, Bulgaria), Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province (PZZP, Serbia), F6S Network Limited (F6S, Ireland), Water Administration of Northern Hungary (ÉMVIZIG, Hungary), Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (UNISOFIA, Bulgaria), National University of Public Service (UPS, Hungary), University of Montenegro (UOM, Montenegro), University of Sarajevo (UNSA, Bosnia and Herzegovina), National Center for Sustainable Development (CNDD, Romania), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC, Spain), Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB-IGB, Germany), Bratislava regional conservation association (BROZ, Slovakia), Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia (IZVRS, Slovenia), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ (UFZ, Germany), National Research and Development Institute Delta (INCDDD, Romania), via donau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft m.b.H. (VIA DONAU, Austria), Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (MMAP, Romania), Αrchipelagos-Institute of Marine Conservation (AIMC, Greece)
  • Status in the project: Partner
  • Project coordinator: Dr Mihai Adamescu, Head of Research Center in Systems Ecology and Sustainability, Romania
  • Project coordinator for UNSPMF: Dušanka Cvijanović (Department of Biology and Ecology)
  • Project call: HORIZON-MISS-2022-OCEAN-01; Action: HORIZON-MISS-2022-OCEAN-01-02
  • Project type: HORIZON EUROPE Innovation Actions
  • Period of realization: 2023-2027
  • Project website: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101093985

Toward Cost-Effective and Non-Invasive UAV-Assisted Multimetric System for Detection of Freshwater Patches of High Conservation Value within the Danube Floodplain Landscapes in Serbia

  • Project title: Toward Cost-Effective and Non-Invasive UAV-Assisted Multimetric System for Detection of Freshwater Patches of High Conservation Value within the Danube Floodplain Landscapes in Serbia
  • Project number: Rufford No-28388
  • Institutions participating in the project: Faculty of Sciences (Novi Sad),Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics (Niš)
  • Status in the project: Coordinator
  • Project leader: Maja Novković
  • Project type: The Rufford Foundation Small Grant
  • Period of realization: 2019-2020

Economically harmful insect species as alternative sources of protein with antiviral and antimicrobial function (AlterNATIVA)

  • Project title: Economically harmful insect species as alternative sources of protein with antiviral and antimicrobial function (AlterNATIVA)
  • Project number: 142-451-2386/2022
  • Institutions participating in the project: Faculty of Sciences (Novi Sad)
  • Status in the project: Coordinator
  • Project leader: Željko D. Popović
  • Project type: APV short-term
  • Period of realization: 2022-2023

Status of Cabomba caroliniana A. Gray in Vojvodina: distribution, functional characteristics, invasive potential and prediction of spread

  • Project title: Status of Cabomba caroliniana A. Gray in Vojvodina: distribution, functional characteristics, invasive potential and prediction of spread
  • Project number: 142-451-2213/2022
  • Institutions participating in the project: Faculty of Sciences (Novi Sad)
  • Status in the project: Coordinator
  • Project leader: Dragana Vukov
  • Project type: APV short-term
  • Period of realization: 2022-2023

Our student Nikola Arsić was admitted to the prestigious Master LIVE program in the field of vaccinology

Nikola Arsić, a third-year student of the primary academic studies program Bachelor of Biology, was admitted to the Master LIVE program (Leading International Vaccinology Education) in the field of vaccinology, within the Erasmus Mundus project, with a full (EACEA) scholarship. This is a two-year program that includes studies at 5 universities in three (or more) European countries: Université Claude Bernard Lyon and Université Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne in France, University of Antwerp in Belgium, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Universitat de Barcelona in Spain. This year, 25 students from all over the world were admitted to the program, 19 of whom received scholarships, while there were over 1,300 who had applied in the first round.

We congratulate Nikola on such an amazing success.

Integration of paper-based nucleic acid testing methods into microfluidic devices for improved biosensing applications (IPANEMA)

  • Project title: Integration of paper-based nucleic acid testing methods into microfluidic devices for improved biosensing applications (IPANEMA)
  • Project number: 872662
  • Institutions participating in the project: Biosens, Wageningen, INRAe, INESC MN, Anova-Plus, Ekofungi, PhotonicSys, EdenTech, Faculty of Sciences (Novi Sad)
  • Status in the project: Partner
  • Project leader: Ivana Gađanski (Jelica Simeunović, Faculty of Science team)
  • Project type: H2020 MSCA-RISE
  • Period of realization: 2021-2025
  • Project website: www.ipanema2020.com

Mainstreaming Environmental Communication through Online Learning and Virtual Mobility (Comm-On Environment)

  • Project title: Mainstreaming Environmental Communication through Online Learning and Virtual Mobility (Comm-On Environment)
  • Project number: KA220-HED-92DDFBD4
  • Institutions participating in the project: Institute of Communication Studies (The Republic of North Macedonia), University of Zagreb (Croatia), University of Novi Sad (Serbia), University of Tirana (Albania), University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • Status in the project: Partner
  • Coordinator for UNS: Dušanka Cvijanović
  • Project leader: Institute of Communication Studies (The Republic of North Macedonia)
  • Project type: KA220-HED – Cooperation partnerships in higher education
  • Period of realization: 01.12.2021 – 01.04.2024
  • Project website: unitir.edu.al/eng/mainstreaming-environmental-communication-through-online-learning-and-virtual-mobility-comm-on-environment