IVANOVO OBLAST– The Minister of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, Prof. Draga Mastilović PhD, visited Ivanovo State University, where he met with the university's rector and Chairman of the Scientific Council of Ivanovo Oblast, Aleksei Alexandrovich Malygin.
During the meeting, discussions focused on enhancing co-operation in the fields of higher education and scientific research, as well as implementing joint research projects. The importance of strengthening institutional ties between universities in the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation was emphasised, and both sides expressed readiness to further deepen co-operation in the coming period.
"The visit to Ivanovo State University confirms that there is strong interest in deepening academic and scientific co-operation. Meetings such as this allow us to jointly define concrete directions for action, ranging from collaborative research to the development of study programmes, which is of exceptional importance for improving the quality of higher education. Co-operation with this university represents a significant step in strengthening international academic ties between the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation," Minister Mastilović stated.
At a ceremonial session of the Scientific Council, Minister Mastilović was presented with an academic gown and diploma as symbols of the recently awarded title of Honorary Professor of Ivanovo State University. The honour represents significant recognition of his scientific and educational work to date, as well as his contribution to the development of international academic co-operation.
"The contribution of Minister and Professor Mastilović to the development of historical science is difficult to overestimate. His research, grounded in a rigorous methodology of source analysis and systematic work with archival documents, sets high standards of academic integrity. We are proud that he has become part of our academic family," Malygin stated, thanking the Minister for his longstanding contribution to science, education, and the preservation of historical truth.
Following the gown presentation ceremony, Minister Mastilović delivered a lecture to students of the social sciences and humanities on the topic "The Genocide against Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia", in which he spoke about the historical circumstances, the suffering of the Serbian people during the World War II, and the importance of preserving the culture of remembrance and applying a scholarly approach to the study of these issues.
Minister Mastilović emphasised that it is the duty of the academic community to speak about the suffering of the Serbian people in a scientifically grounded manner and to pass the truth on to younger generations in order to preserve memory and cultivate a culture of remembrance.