The Minister of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, Prof. Draga Mastilović PhD, participated today in a round table in Moscow entitled "The Future of the Republic of Srpska: Prospects for Cooperation", which focused on opportunities to further develop cooperation between the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation.

The round table was held at the World Trade Centre in Moscow and was organised by the Centre for International Cooperation "Russian-Balkan Dialogue" and the Russian-Balkan Centre for Business Cooperation and Culture.

The discussion focused on opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the fields of education, business, trade, economics, energy, science and culture, as well as on developing cooperation between social and public organisations in the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation.

During the event, Minister Mastilović spoke about the importance of cooperation in science and higher education, stressing that establishing links between universities and scientific research institutions in the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation provides an important basis for the exchange of knowledge and experience and for implementing joint projects.

He stressed that there was scope for further strengthening cooperation between universities and scientific institutions, particularly through joint scientific research projects, exchanges of teaching and research staff, cooperation in higher education, and the establishment of links between students and young researchers.

"Cooperation in science and higher education is particularly important because it creates lasting links between institutions and people. Our aim is to further strengthen the existing ties and create opportunities for new joint projects, the exchange of knowledge and experience, and stronger links between our universities and scientific institutions," Minister Mastilović said.

The round table brought together more than 30 representatives of the education sector, the diplomatic corps, chambers of commerce and industry, the business community, public organisations and the media. The organisers identified strengthening business, social and humanitarian cooperation between the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation as one of the key objectives of the event.

At a recent meeting in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, Minister Mastilović and Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, launched an initiative to establish an Association of Serbian and Russian Universities. In its initial phase, the association would bring together public universities from the Republic of Srpska and 17 universities from the Russian Federation in the fields of science and higher education.

The establishment of the Association would represent a new dimension of cooperation between the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation in science and higher education, with the aim of further connecting universities, scientists and the academic community.