Learn and Travel - Support to Young Experts
The Learn and Travel project of the Zoran Djindjic Foundation was designed as fast and direct support for talented students and postgraduates from Serbia, with the aim of actively involving them in international academic and professional circles. From 2011 to 2022, the Foundation enabled young people to take part in international conferences, seminars, summer schools, and other educational events—representing Serbia and connecting with experts and peers from around the world.
In line with the Foundation’s goals—promoting education, openness, and a European orientation—the project provided financial support, most often in the form of travel cost coverage, to help students and young professionals participate in study visits, exchange knowledge, and enhance their professional and personal skills. The uniqueness of this Programme lay in its flexibility and speed: through a simple application process, candidates received support tailored to the specific needs and timing of international events.
As one of the few programmes that recognizes and quickly responds to opportunities for the individual development of young people from Serbia, “Traveling for Knowledge” represents an important part of the Foundation’s work and a strong example of how targeted support can have a long-term impact on a person’s academic and professional growth. We hope to be able to revive this project in the future and continue supporting new generations of young, ambitious, and talented individuals who, through their knowledge and engagement, contribute to the modernization and internationalization of Serbia.
Participants' Impressions
Maja Trumić
“My trip to Madrid for the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), one of the largest international conferences in the field of robotics, fully met my expectations. It was extremely valuable to attend a one-day workshop where leading professors in the area of flexible robots presented their latest results. We also had the opportunity to present our current work on adaptive control of flexible robots, which was followed by useful feedback and suggestions from other colleagues. The conference was especially important because it offered the chance to establish numerous contacts with robotics researchers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Zoran Djindjic Foundation as one of the rare institutions that supports young people in Serbia.”
Iva Ilić
“This summer, over the course of two months, I had a unique opportunity to stay in Israel at one of the world’s most renowned research institutions—the Weizmann Institute. This experience allowed me to meet people from many international universities, make friends, improve my English, and advance in the field of medicine. I gained skills in laboratory work, learned several molecular biology techniques, and at the end of the program, I presented my research on the topic ‘Screening of junb zebrafish mutants.’ I hope that the knowledge I acquired here, along with the many insights provided by my mentor during this work, will support my further education.”
Ivana Vasiljević
“One of the major conferences, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, organized by the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society, was held this year from May 26 to May 29 in Sapporo, Japan. Thanks to the financial support from the Zoran Djindjic Foundation through the ‘Traveling for Knowledge – Talent Support’ call, I had the opportunity to attend such a prestigious conference and present my paper Lyapunov Analysis of the Chaotic Colpitts Oscillator.
The conference gathered a large number of top experts from various fields, and it was an honor and a privilege to listen to them—and an even greater step for me to be one of the speakers. Attending such an event and being surrounded by so many accomplished individuals is something that is difficult to put into words, but for me, as a young researcher, this trip was of enormous significance. Being in the same room with such great minds was perhaps the greatest motivation I have experienced so far. Day by day, listening to their presentations, my desire to progress and pursue scientific research grew stronger. I broadened my horizons and generated new ideas for my future work.
I also made contact with people who have made significant contributions to science and are among the leading figures in the field my current research is based on—potentially opening the door to future collaboration, which I am very excited about and which encourages me to work even harder and continue progressing so that I may one day get closer to these distinguished names in the scientific community.
I would like to thank the Zoran Djindjic Foundation for the support that made it possible for me to travel to Japan. I will do my best through continued work to justify the opportunity and the trust that has been placed in me.”
Ana Momčilović
“I attended the ‘Danube Summer School’ organized by the European Danube Academy, which was held in Ulm, Germany. The program, titled ‘Migration and Innovation in the Danube Region,’ focused on topics such as the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region, migration and demography, macro-regional strategies, EU cross-border projects, and smart cities in the Danube region. During the course of the program, we worked in teams on our own projects, which were presented during the program and will be published in the ‘Danube Summer School’ proceedings in 2019.
The project proposed by my team falls within the field of environmental protection and deals with the technical possibilities for removing low-density historical waste found in the Danube River. During the program, the projects were also presented to the mayor of Ulm at a specially organized meeting.”
Aleksandra Toroman
“From October 14 to 19, 2018, I had the opportunity to participate in the Danube School held in Ulm, Germany. The event was organized and funded by the European Danube Academy and included many workshops, visits, and projects. This year’s theme of the school was ‘Migration and Innovation.’ I met many students and young professionals who reflect not only on events in their own countries but also globally. I learned about the level of development in my country regarding migration and innovation issues. I find the topic of migration particularly interesting because it is a part of our lives today. The problems of small, vulnerable people have become problems of the entire world, and I realized that only by working together can we overcome them—by improving what needs to be changed or by adopting solutions from developed countries. I found answers to all of these questions by working with people of interesting ambitions and diverse worldviews.
For me, studying is not just about learning, but something much more important and much deeper. That’s why I would like to thank the Zoran Djindjic Foundation, which enabled me to be part of this project through the ‘Traveling for Knowledge – Talent Support’ call. I am also grateful because the Foundation helped me discover some skills I didn’t even know I had. That’s why I encourage everyone never to give up on their goals and dreams—because you never know when they might come true!”
Bogdan Dobrić
“Arosa Kultur is a non-profit organization that facilitates the hosting of concerts in Arosa. The organization has six hundred members, two-thirds of whom are local residents. In addition to organizing concerts, its mission includes supporting the development of future generations of musical performers. For this purpose, a summer academy was created, featuring courses taught by internationally recognized professors.
During the course, the daily activities were divided into one solo performance class with the professor of our respective instrument, and one chamber music class in ensemble with a different professor. It was also possible to attend the classes of other course participants, which I did as much as possible. I tried to find a balance between observing lessons and practicing, as the professors work very efficiently and provide a great deal of advice—both for improving technical skill and musical interpretation—which requires time to fully absorb.
It was a great pleasure to take part in this summer academy, not only for the opportunity to refine my abilities, but also for the chance to make new acquaintances. I would like to thank the Zoran Djindjic Foundation for making it possible for me to attend the summer academy in Arosa and thus contributing to my professional development.”
Ida Zahović
During my attendance at the “Zhi-Hong” International Summer School of Advanced Materials at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), I refreshed my knowledge in the field of materials and became familiar with the potential applications of hydrophobic materials and solar cells in both science and industry. Since my field of study is biotechnology, the most valuable insights came from the lecture “Novel biodegradable magnesium alloys for medical applications” by Professor Guangyin Yuan. These lectures introduced us to the potential use of magnesium and titanium as structural materials in the production of stents and various medical implants.
I believe these lectures will serve as significant motivation for my future research and academic development. While working in groups on the topic “New materials: discovery/invention and their potential applications,” I had the opportunity to learn a great deal about the latest developments in the field of materials and to connect with students from various universities and scientific disciplines. I consider this form of education to be very effective—not only does it encourage learning, but it also promotes communication among students and universities alike. I hope future students from Serbia will have the chance to experience something similar.
Ljiljana Spasojević
From June 19 to 22, 2017, I participated in the international student conference 16th European Student Colloid Conference in Florence, Italy. At the conference, I had the opportunity to present my work in the form of a poster presentation titled “Influence of pH on Stability and Solubility of Zein/Shellac and Zein/Rosin Nanoparticles.” The work I presented was selected among the top three poster presentations by a professional committee made up of members from the multinational company Procter & Gamble Co.
Participating in this conference was very important to me, as it gave me the chance to attend numerous valuable lectures, gain insight into current trends in the scientific field I work in, and meet many experts and fellow students from around the world.
Marijana Simić
As a master’s student at the Faculty of Economics, University of Kragujevac, I participated in the Ninth International Scientific Conference organized by the Faculty of Management of the University of Economics in Krakow. Within the student paper section, I presented my research paper on the topic of employee motivation in the public sector in the Republic of Serbia, which received positive feedback from the expert committee. In addition to having the opportunity to be part of this academic gathering, I also had the chance to meet fellow students from Poland, Ukraine, Italy, and Russia, who presented their work in relevant areas of economics and management. The conference served not only as an occasion for new connections but also as an opportunity to identify areas for future collaborative research.
The conference itself was a kind of challenge for me, as I perceived the opportunity I had been given as a chance to improve my knowledge of economics and management, as well as my presentation skills in a foreign language. I was particularly pleased to attend sessions where senior colleagues presented their papers with the aim of introducing us to current trends in the field of economics and management, which will certainly contribute significantly to my future professional development. Therefore, the support provided by the Foundation was not only financial assistance for travel and participation in this international conference, but also a valuable incentive for my future work. The Foundation’s decision to support me and make this study trip possible was both a success and a great honor for me, placing me among a group of young and ambitious researchers whose effort and knowledge were recognized and rewarded.
Saša Popović
From July 2 to 5, I participated in the international triennial congress of the French-speaking Society for Analytical Philosophy (Congrès international triennal 2018 de la Société de Philosophie Analytique – SoPhA), which is part of the renowned network of the European Society for Analytic Philosophy (ESAP). This year’s congress, themed “The Continuous and the Discrete” (“Le Continu et le Discret”), was held at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. On the second day of the conference, I had the honor of delivering the first introductory lecture within the session on logic and the philosophy of mathematics. My presentation, titled “Bridging the Gap Between the Continuous and the Discrete: The Case of Absolute Continua,” focused on the historical and philosophical aspects of the theory of the absolute continuum developed by the Italian mathematician Giuseppe Veronese.
In addition to my session, I also took part in the sessions on the history of philosophy and metaphysics, as well as in the symposium “Continuity, Mathematisation, and Conceptual Change.” During the congress, I met young researchers as well as established philosophers and scholars from some of the most prestigious research and educational institutions, such as the University of Oxford, the Sorbonne, École normale supérieure, the Jean Nicod Institute, the Center for Mathematical Philosophy at LMU, CNRS, IHPST, LHSP, the Henri Poincaré Archives, and many others.
Furthermore, by attending the congress, I also became a member of the Society for Analytical Philosophy (SoPhA). Perhaps the most significant result of my participation and the contacts I made is the initiative to publish a selection of notable research papers presented during the aforementioned sessions and symposiums (including my own) in an interdisciplinary volume, to be published by one of the world’s most prestigious academic publishers – Springer-Verlag. The current plan is for the volume to be dedicated to the issues and paradoxes of continuity, discreteness, and infinity, with contributions addressing these topics from philosophical, mathematical, and historical perspectives.
This type of international collaboration and exchange of ideas is incredibly stimulating and beneficial for young scholars, especially in areas such as these, which are addressed by a relatively small number of researchers worldwide. For me, the experience was even more meaningful, as I am currently in the process of formulating the topic for my doctoral dissertation.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Zoran Djindjic Foundation for the support provided through the “Traveling for Knowledge – Talent Support” project. Moreover, as a recipient of the Dr Zoran Djindjic Award in 2015, I feel it is essential to highlight the dedicated efforts of both the Foundation and the Zoran Djindjic Fund in supporting scientific and academic youth in Serbia. Initiatives like these are crucial for our continued growth and development. Therefore, I will do my best to inform younger colleagues about your support programmes, especially since I am currently working as a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade and am actively involved in teaching and mentoring students.