Coopreation between two related institutions

Centre for the Promotion of Science and Innovation Fund make common cause with a Memorandum of Cooperation

The Centre for the Promotion of Science and the Innovation Fund signed a Memorandum of Cooperation today, beginning an official collaboration between the two institutions. The Memorandum was signed by Dr Jovan Trifunović, acting director of the CPS, and Dr Ivan Rakonjac, director of the Innovation Fund.

The Memorandum of Cooperation defines the direction and extent of future cooperation whose aim is to strengthen and support the scientific community in Serbia, especially in the field of innovation and connecting scientific research organisations with industry.

Given their similar goals, which cover various aspects of support to the scientific community, but the different instruments at their disposal, the Innovation Fund and the Centre for the Promotion of Science plan to combine their resources and experience in the coming period to promote entrepreneurs and an innovative culture among researchers and to encourage companies to use the knowledge of scientific research institutions.

Acting director of CPS Dr Jovan Trifunović said: “In the coming times the Centre for the Promotion of Science is planning an intensive cooperation with the scientific community by providing information on subjects, programmes and projects of interest to researchers. Since many of the aims of various programmes of the Innovation Fund match the aims of the scientific community and the Centre for the Promotion of Science we believe there is plenty of room for cooperation between our two institutions.”

“The Memorandum is another step in improving the cooperation between our institutions, all with the aim of supporting knowledge-based business”, said Dr Ivan Rakonjac, director of the Innovation Fund at the signing of the Memorandum. “Through our common efforts, we will try to support researchers and companies to collaborate since products that originate in such cooperation are much more useful for the whole of society. Through its programme of support to companies in carrying out innovative projects, the Innovation Fund supports cooperation between science and business and at the same time helps scientists to place their products on the market.”, said Dr Rakonjac.

Among other things cooperation in publishing is planned, which includes preparing and publicizing publications in which the general public will be presented with the possibilities, experience and examples of good practice of the Serbian scientific community concerning innovations, applied technology and market placement.

During 2017 the Centre for the Promotion of Science formed a special department for cooperation with scientific research organisations which like the plans to cooperate with the Innovation Fund aims to strengthen the position of the scientific community in Serbia and its capacity for development and technological (but also media) breakthroughs.