RTIT>> Project: Action Plan to Enhance Technology Transfer in Bosnia and Herzegovina

03.10.2025. An action plan for the acceleration of technology transfer in the field of materials and materials technologies in the Danube region was presented to the BH Business Community

Within the framework of the "Knowhow Communities for Accelerating RTI Transfer in the Danube Region - RTIT>>" project, a round table was held on the topic of Cooperation between the academic community and the business sector. The round table was held as part of the conference "State and trends of the production and sale of contemporary materials", which was held on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of the Kemal Kapetanović Institute of the University of Zenica. In the reading room of the Institute, in front of more than 30 participants from the business and academic sectors from the Central BiH region, the moderator of the Round Table, Prof. Dr. Džafer Dautbegović, first presented the RTIT>> project and the project partners, as well as the key challenges and solutions that the project deals with.

Prof. Petković spoke about the modalities of cooperation in the chain of creation of new values, who emphasized the three key missions of higher education and research organizations: the teaching-scientific process, elements of scientific-research and professional work, and 3M, which covers all other elements of the work of higher education institutions and RDI institutions. In the very meaningful conversations of all the participants during the discussion, several topics crystallized as conclusions that should be pursued in the future cooperation between the higher education and research sectors and the business sector:

• Special attention should be given in research to topics that are highly relevant today, such as sustainable development and green production, etc.

• To strengthen the cooperation of the academic and business sectors in the field of sustainable nature, by solving non-products in production and services that are reflected in the remains of certain materials (residues from cutting mediapan panels, remains from extruding certain packaging packages, remaining wooden pallets, etc.)

• To connect the teaching process more with the real business sector in order to enable and achieve the fastest inclusion of graduates in the work process;

• Lack of personnel for the needs of business entities in the field of metal and wood processing;

• Promote dual studies in all those areas for which they can be organized with quality and content, where the willingness of business entities to actively participate in education at higher education institutions has been demonstrated;

• Based on international experiences, research at master's and doctoral studies should be tied to concrete research that will benefit the BH business sector and the result of which will be concrete solutions and technologies, not projects that will be for archives and libraries;

• Bring back the scholarship system for young people who will have to complete the scholarship in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a model that, along with privileged housing, would contribute to an educated and trained workforce staying in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• Return to the old system of connection between the academic sector and the business community, which implied much stronger and more versatile cooperation: from teaching to research, because the current system of complete separation is not good;

• Work on the development of legislation for dual studies as well as for solving the obligations of those who study in Bosnia and Herzegovina and continue their careers abroad.

In the conversation, representatives of the companies GS TM Travnik, Prograd Žepče, Manako Kakanj, Alloy Wheels Jajce, VIK Zenica, JP Šume ZDK, Institut Kemal Kapetanović and others made a special contribution to the active discussion.

As part of this event, the workshop "Presentation of the action plan for accelerating the transfer of technologies in the field of materials and materials technologies in the Danube region" was held. The action plan, which also represents one of the key results of the project and describes activities to improve the transfer of research, development and innovation (RTI) in the key sector for the Danube region - materials and materials technologies, was presented by v.a. Emir Đulić, MSc. The plan is based on the joint strengthening of capacities and the joint creation process.