President Cvijanović and Minister Rajčević Visited the Academy of Arts

On 28 March 2022, President of the Republic of Srpska Željka Cvijanović and Minister of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republic of Srpska Srđan Rajčević, MA, visited the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka.

During this visit, the President and the Minister talked with Rector of the University of Banja Luka, Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, and Dean of the Academy of Arts Prof. Dragana Purković Macan, MA, and visited the premises of the Academy, where they had the opportunity to see the quality of work of this University member.

President Željka Cvijanović said that the Government has been providing institutional support to public universities, and that in the previous three years approximately BAM 51 million have been invested in their development.

Cvijanović stated that those investments included the construction and reconstruction of faculty facilities as well as student dormitories.

,,We have paid great attention to this and I am glad that the results of the work of the University members are successful. One of those results is the fact that last year the University of Banja Luka Academy of Arts had a record number of enrolled domestic and foreign students, alike,“ Cvijanović said after visiting the Academy of Arts and pointed out that this confirms that this member of the University of Banja Luka is affirmed and well positioned within the higher education system in the Republic of Srpska.

,,In the forthcoming period, we will continue to direct funds to improve the work of the Academy of Arts, and we are witnesses that we have already begun this process by introducing various content,” Cvijanović said.

,,I am glad to see today that a good work organization has been set up at this higher education institution, but also synergy between the teaching staff and our future artists, who we can already say are artists, judging by the works of art we saw today,“ the President said.

Minister of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republic of Srpska Srđan Rajčević, MA, pointed out that the success of the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka is the result of support provided by the Republic of Srpska Government for the work of this higher education institution and the University in general.

,,I am glad that we saw that the Academy has a positive atmosphere, and that there are plans for the future, the implementation of which will be assisted by the RS Government and the relevant ministry,“ Minister Rajčević said.

Rector of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, thanked President Cvijanović and Minister Rajčević for their selfless support to the University.

He reminded that capital investments are being made at the University, with the support of the RS Government, and one of them is certainly the construction of a theatre stage in the IV pavilion of the ’Nikola Tesla’ Student Centre. As Rector pointed out, the plan is for this project to be completed in July this year. 

,,During the meeting with the RS President and Minister Rajčević, we also discussed the organization of the upcoming summer school, which will be held in Banja Luka in July, organizers of which are our Academy of Arts and the University of Arts in Belgrade,“ the rector said.

Dean of the Academy of Arts Dragana Purković Macan, MA, thanked for the visit to this higher education institution and for the expressed interest in its work.

,,We talked about new plans and support for the next period, the development of new study programmes, enrolment policy and the conditions of our workˮ, she said.

With nearly a quarter of a century of tradition and undoubted significance, the Academy of Arts has a special place among the University of Banja Luka members. Today, the Academy has three study programmes, teaching students in the fields of fine arts, music arts and dramatic arts. Professors and teaching assistants of the Academy of Arts apply the most modern teaching methods, educating and introducing students to the world of creativity in which they will creatively provide answers to all professional challenges of the modern age.