The “Science Caravan” Sets Off – Bringing Knowledge to Industry This Autumn
The first Info Day dedicated to presenting tools for collaboration between researchers, universities, and businesses was held at the Science and Technology Park Belgrade, marking the launch of the “Science Caravan,” which will visit several cities across Serbia throughout November.
“Our goal is to bring the concepts of industrial PhDs and technology transfer closer to universities, institutes, and companies in order to strengthen cooperation between the academic and business sectors,” said Dušan Vasiljević, Director of the Department for Competitiveness and Investments at NALED.
Vasiljević emphasized that the Guidelines for Industrial PhDs and the Guide to the Process and Good Practices in Technology Transfer were developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, within the StarTech project funded by Philip Morris International.
Marija Milić, PhD, Director of the Science and Technology Park Belgrade, noted that science and technology parks are places where science, innovation, and industry meet.
“Progress comes through collaboration. Every networking opportunity is valuable. At our recent event on technology transfer, we gathered more than 120 scientists, which shows how strong the interest in cooperation is. In the coming period, we plan to establish an AI laboratory in partnership with the public and private sectors,” said Milić.
The Guide to Technology Transfer outlines every step – from research and invention development, through application, evaluation, and intellectual property protection, to commercialization – with special emphasis on continuous market potential assessment and market analysis at every stage of the process.
Industrial PhDs, on the other hand, enable doctoral students to conduct research with the support of companies that provide them with scholarships, mentorship, and access to resources, thus transferring academic knowledge directly into practice.
“In Sweden, this model has been developing for decades. The industry regularly invests in research and publishes calls for PhD candidates. The road ahead of us is five to ten years long, but everyone involved benefits from the process. The key word is commercialization – recognizing what can be applied from academic work in practice, whether it’s concrete results or working methodologies,” explained Professor Marin Jukić from the Faculty of Pharmacy in Belgrade.
The importance of investing in young innovators was also highlighted by Mina Dunjić from Delta Holding, who emphasized that the company develops numerous internal and external programs, as well as competitions, to encourage students and employees to create new ideas.
As a reminder, the StarTech project is implemented by NALED and Philip Morris International, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, aiming to accelerate the digital transformation of the domestic economy and strengthen Serbia’s innovation potential.
