Stanford Students Explore Serbia’s Innovation Potential: BIO4 Campus and AI Development in Focus
01/04/2024
Photo: Zoran Petrović / NITRA
The Minister of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Jelena Begović, met today with 30 first- and second-year students from the Business and Management program at Stanford University, who are visiting Serbia as part of a student trip.
During their visit to the Serbian Government, the students had the opportunity to learn detailed information about the BIO4 Campus, presented by Nenad Paunović, Director of the IT and Entrepreneurship Team in the Office of the Prime Minister, as well as about the progress in artificial intelligence development in Serbia, explained by government advisor Stefan Badža.
Begović spoke with the students about Serbia's ambitions to leverage science for economic development, as well as what the country offers that makes it an attractive destination for investments in biotechnology and artificial intelligence.
"It is important to connect with strong ecosystems that recognize science and knowledge as the foundation of development. We have much to learn, but as a smaller country, we also have much to offer to other scientific communities," the minister said.
In her view, fostering connections is essential if we want companies that progress, learn, and bring economic benefits to our country.
Nancy Liao, a student from Stanford University in California, said she was pleasantly surprised by Serbia, its people, and its representatives, which is why she expressed her desire to return to the country.
"We talked with representatives of the Serbian Government and various companies about how dreams of success can be realized so that your country could also become a leader on the global technological map. We also spoke with people from different countries who want to return to Serbia and contribute to its development," said Liao.
Student Mile Pajović emphasized that his goal is to contribute to Serbia and to collaborate with its educational institutions in the future.
"I hope this visit is the first step, and that collaboration awaits us in the future," he said, noting that the students didn’t know much about Serbia before but are now thrilled with the country.
