SECOND FORUM OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES OPENED IN NIS
November 15th
“The Government of the Republic of Serbia is preparing the Strategy for the Development of Information Technologies in order to increase the personnel capacities in that sector”, Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic said at the opening of the Second Information Technology Forum in Nis. He said that there 1500 IT experts graduated annually, and that the Government’s goal was to reach 5000. Ljajic said that at this moment 15 000 IT experts could be recruited and reminded that the IT sector was the most profitable part of every economy. “About 19000 people working in Serbia in the sector export a software solution worth 450 million euros annually, and the goal is to increase exports in this sector to 1.5 billion euros in the next five years,” said the Deputy Prime Minister. He emphasized that until now little has been invested in science, research and innovation, and that it is necessary to connect scientific-research institutions and economy. “In EU countries, the average investment in science amounts to just over two percent of gross domestic product, and we are under one percent,” Ljajic said, adding that investment in science should amount to at least one percent. He said that Nis has potentials to become a regional center of new technologies and can contribute to the digital transformation of the country. Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic pointed out that the Advanced Technology Forum should show what the advanced technology sector in our city was doing. He added that in Nis there are 170 companies and over 3 000 people working in this sector. “Nis has educational, institutional and economic potential to become the city of electronics again,” said Mayor Darko Bulatovic. The Forum of Advanced Technologies gathered about fifty participants, companies, schools and faculties. Within the Forum, the National Employment Service will organize the Fair of Professional Orientation.