A few times a year, several foreign higher education institutions make mobility calls when students can apply for a program that is related to the field that they are studying in their home country. This is an open call, so all students across Serbia have the opportunity to apply by filling out a form in which they express their interests and educational goals that they would like to achieve within the program. Hereby candidates can also declare whether they would like to participate in full semestral activities, such as attending courses and passing exams to achieve ESPB points, or whether they would want to participate in shorter academic exchanges lasting up to three months, which are generally realized to conduct research and/or work on a master's or doctoral thesis. The application process also involves a submission of a short autobiography and motivation letter. If the applicants pass the selection, the country in which the mobility program is being carried out provides a complete student scholarship for the specified duration of mobility. The scholarship paid a sum of money for a stay abroad, as well as accommodation in a student dormitory, meals in a student canteen and health insurance.
I had the opportunity to participate in this mobility program. I spent a month studying in Croatia at the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Rijeka. After I received the information that I had been accepted to the program, with my mentor from my home faculty, dr Kaja Damnjanović, I contacted professor dr Igor Bajšanski who happens to be interested in the same research field as the two of us. During my month-long stay, the three of us have conducted research in the field of complex cognition called "Confident and with good reason?" Relationship between judgment of task-solving ability and final judgment of confidence on syllogistic reasoning tasks". We presented that research the following year at the "Empirical Research in Psychology" conference, where we won the award for the best poster presentation. 

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In addition to the fact that this exchange enabled me to improve professionally and conduct scientific research work in the field that I am interested in, for which I was later awarded, it first of all brought me a handful of friends from Croatia, with whom I still stay in touch to this day and who I look forward seeing to. I highly encourage all interested students to read more about open-call applications regarding CEEPUS network mobility for 2022/2023. year via the following link https://www.ceepus.info/default.aspx#nbb, and I also encourage them to apply for one of the programs via the following page 
​https://www.ceepus.info/default.aspx#nbb. Good luck to everyone!

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This year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Nadežda Petrović. This lady which we can see on the 200 dinars banknote is a very talented painter. However, Nadežda Petrović was very versatile, so she dealt with art criticism, photography, pedagogical work, women's emancipation, but also political and national issues. She had done many important things for the Serbian people and giving her life for them. She died of typhus at the age of 42, and contracted it while working as a nurse in the war. She volunteered because she felt it was her duty. She healed many wounded soldiers, but in the end she could not help herself.

Serbian society was patriarchal at the beginning of the 20th century; women's needs were disregarded. The Serbian Civil Code provided for the authority of the husband over his wife. Within the framework of property law, the incompetence of a married woman was particularly highlighted. A married woman was equal to a child. Maybe that is why it is not surprising that Nadežda broke off her engagement and wrote in a letter to her mother that she was happy because she did not get married.

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She was an important figure during the founding of the Circle of Serbian Sisters. This organization brought together women who carried out numerous societal actions. 
Some define this association as humanitarian, others emphasize the patriotic element, and some historians see a feminist moment.

In those years, Nadežda put a lot of effort into organizing the First Yugoslav Exhibition, in which artists from Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria took part. Although Nadežda Petrovic's paintings were in line with the most contemporary art trends in Europe, critics in Serbia did not respond well to them. Nadežda did not care much about it. She was a woman with great confidence and courage and she believed in what she was doing.

Exhibition NADEŽDA PETROVIĆ. MODERNITY AND THE NATION at the National Museum of Serbia was organized in Nadežda's honor. This exhibition is open until April 15th. I highly recommend you to visit it and find out more interesting information about this great artist and heroine.

Author: Jelena Čolović

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Teodora Mašković Đeri, the Studenica Foundation scholar and second-year psychology student at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade, had the opportunity to participate live in the seventh European Psychoanalytic Conference For University Students in Brussels, which was about repetition and transformation in modern psychoanalysis. She listened to various lectures and participated in two-panel discussions, one about the reflection of the body-mind relationship, and the other about the transgenerational repetition in children. She decided to share her experience with us.
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"Participating in an event like this is priceless and I am very grateful and honoured to be invited to listen and learn from truly exceptional experts who come from all over the world and discuss psychoanalytic therapy with them. I believe that it is very important to become familiar with the principles of modern psychoanalysis and to break the prejudices that exist regarding therapy. This conference expanded my knowledge about therapy, which is a very complex process, and encouraged me to think about training for a therapist in the future", says our scholar Teodora. She points out that she learned a lot about the human psyche from following lectures that were about transgenerational trauma, the modern interpretation of dreams, the influence of events from the past on the present, psychoanalytic therapy for children and brain activity during therapy.

In addition, she met and became friends with the participants of the conference - foreign students of psychology and medicine who are also in education for psychoanalytic therapy, with whom she had very rich discussions after the lectures. Next year, she will also be one of the participants at this conference. 
Our scholarship holder Teodora would like to point out the importance of organizing such projects for young people that deal with mental health topics and invites all young people to attend such conferences and similar projects. 

Dear You,
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When I started going on this sudden journey, I had no idea how much my perception of the world would change. I traveled 28 hours by bus to Kuşadasi with many unknown faces who will play a significant role by the end of this story. I can write you a book about my experiences in Turkey, which is not difficult -  every visitor needs only a little peek into its soul to remain enchanted forever. Therefore, I will do my best to convey at least one part of it in a couple of pages. Kuşadasi is a cute little town by the sea. It has its soul, as one coastal town with promenade by the sea should have. Its narrow streets paved with white marble are full of music coming from street musicians, carpet shops, quirky souvenir shops, teahouses full of various herbs, intrigued tourists, and interesting vendors. The smell of tempting Turkish sweets such as baklava and halva can be felt, spreading and creeping into every corner of the city. Of course, I tried my best to experience everything that one tourist can. I entered many souvenir shops attracted by the glittering lamps and candlesticks, which is not uncommon here. Yes, I tried all possible sweets in one of the stores, but I just had to. Okay, I brought some and nobody knows how it survived until home. I also drank tea and ate baklava, don't worry. Well, I also tried the ice cream that they take out of your hand called dondrum made from salep powder and mastic which has a very interestingly strange structure. I also went to the small pirate peninsula of pigeons known as Güvercinada and its ancient fortress. Kuşadasi was named after it (Kuş - bird, ada - island). But what left the biggest impression on me, the place where I left a part of myself, is Pamukkale. I fought a battle within myself about whether to visit them or not because there are rumors that they have dried up and are not what they used to be. I decided to go even if rumors were true - not knowing what to expect, I went on a 4-hour trip alone to see this natural wonder. The cotton castle knocked me off my feet. On the way to Pamukkale, you have to pass the beautiful cotton fields of the town Denizli, and then the remains of the ancient city Hierapolis, which are very rich with history. The Temple of Apollo and Pluto, the Gate of Domitius, and the massive and well-preserved Roman amphitheater are just a small part of those remains. In addition, there is a whole museum full of objects that carry great value from those times. It is even said that Cleopatra enjoyed the riches of this city. After visiting the museum, amphitheater, and Cleopatra's bath, suddenly white calcium travertines appear in front of me. My breath has stopped. There it was. A look that cannot be conveyed with words or a brush stroke. It must be experienced. To feel that white stone under your feet, that healing water the color of the sky, all that scene created by the artist better than all - nature. She never ceases to amaze me with her gift. She makes this world such a beautiful place to be present in. All in all, Pamukkale is a place that you should experience if you have the chance. This time I didn't get to visit the famous ancient city of Ephesus, Istanbul, and Cappadocia, which only means that I will be back soon to write more postcards from this wonderful country.

Until the next postcard,
 Teodora

International students often face difficult challenges while attempting to integrate into Ireland, not only because they are far from family and the comforts of home, but also because they encounter significant differences in the new education system. Experience has shown that when they are supported on arrival, they very quickly acquire an important and valued role in activities on and off campus, and it is essential that their activism be supported. Therefore, Mia strove to achieve just that in her environment.

"It is a great honour for me to be recognized as the International student of the year. I am glad that through my previous work and activism, I managed to create a change in my environment that will make it easier for future generations to integrate and successfully fit into the new student life abroad. I still sincerely believe that each of us can make an extra effort and make that small change in our environment and that working together will make a positive difference for our future!” Ms Brzaković said.

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At the ceremony, along with her colleagues Rachel Murphy and Courtney McGrath, who received the awards for Equality Campaign of the Year and Student Media of the Year, she was delighted to represent Trinity Students' Union as well as her University. Mia was also the student convenor at her faculty and in the past year, regardless of the challenges we faced, she managed to raise the importance of the student's voice in making important decisions at the faculty and university level. This year, as one of the outstanding students of her generation, she got a place at a prestigious university in America in order to expand her knowledge in biomedical sciences and use the exchange so that she could apply those experiences in Europe upon her return.



In addition to the aforementioned activities, Mia is also active in organisations in Serbia, where she attempts to bring our students closer to opportunities related to personal and professional development, both domestic and abroad. She is also one of the few students from the region who was chosen by the European Student Union as a student expert for the Accreditation of multi-level programs at universities and works together with accreditation bodies and organizations to improve the quality of education around Europe. In the future, he hopes to be able to combine his expertise in all the mentioned areas and continue her progress, as well as help other students fit in more easily and find their new home in the country where they come to study.

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After a three-year break due to the bad epidemiological situation, the 61st Congress of Students of Biomedical Sciences of Serbia with international participation was held from April 25 to 29 this year. It is the largest student congress of its kind in our country. Every year, the Congress gathers students who present their scientific research papers in the field of biomedicine. With the help and through cooperation with the mentor, they decide on the field and subject from which they want to write the paper and start research.
Organized by the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Belgrade, this year's participants were 13 faculties with over 1000 students.
For four days, as long as the congress lasted, the central part of the day were sessions in which students exhibited their works. Between them, students had the opportunity to participate in over 15 workshops on various topics every day, where they could hear useful advice and stories from professors and doctors.
 
This year's participants were also our scholarship holders Mladen Hadži Makunčević from the Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy of the University of Defense in Belgrade and Aleksandar Milenković from the Medical Faculty of the University of Prishtina with a temporary headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica.
 
Scholars share their experiences with us.

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Mladen Hadži Makunčević: "My work dealt with the most common symptomatology and the way of dealing with the consequences of acute abuse of non-standard psychoactive substances. Due to the growing presence and abuse, in this way psychoactive substances without standard tests for drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, are negative. I presented the data of my institution, which is also the national center for poison control. "
 
Aleksandar Milenković: "Due to the devastating statistics that follow the Republic of Serbia in the last few years in the number of cervical cancer patients, my mentor Prof. Vitković and I tried to prove the connection between HPV infection and premalignant and malignant lesions at the cellular level. The main goal was to apply scientific facts for the purpose of prevention, early diagnosis and saving women's lives.
I believe that the subject of my work is molecular biomarkers, the future of preventive medicine.
The Congress brought me new knowledge, experiences and acquaintances, which is the most valuable part of it. "
 
See also photos from the event below. 

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On this day, 143 years ago, one of the most important Serbian scientists, Milutin Milanković, was born. He was a great scientist, but also a sublime creator whose path through the universe and centuries tends far beyond the destination of scientific thought. It belongs to such scientists who establish the world in thoughts, assemblies and relationships, because it actually dealt with issues that, according to the oldest peoples, are the basis of every culture - the laws of insolation, changing seasons and establishing a reliable calendar. Born between East and West, educated in the West, he returned to the East where he worked and died. And what we can say with certainty is that Milutin Milanković is a person who left an indelible mark that even time will not be able to suppress.

Each civilization had its way of coping with the phenomenon of time and the human need to outline and conquer time with myths, calculations, calendars, constantly following everything that moves and turns in space, passes and comes in time. Despite our efforts to explain everything and connect all phenomena, time is always running out, irreversibly.
Time and Universe is an exhibition conceived as a journey from darkness to light, from chaos to cosmos, and framed by the story of the great scientist from Novi Sad. This exhibition cover the concept of time through centuries, as well as the relationships between humans, time and science. The author of the visual and artistic part of the exhibition is the multimedia artist Dušan Jovović, while the author of the narrative is Aleksandar Petrović, who has been researching Milanković's life and work for more than 50 years. It is an interactive multimedia exhibition and the authors used sculpture, mapped three-dimensional image, mechanical bodies, holograms, digital sound, but according to Jovović: "none of that as an effect, but as the essence".
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"This exhibition is a tribute to the time to which the whole universe is dedicated. Humans are masters of everything except themselves because they cannot control time. Therefore, they have a moral obligation to talk about time, because the awareness of it is the drive of life that disappears if the river of change is clouded by illusions or dried up by ignorance. Time is the identity and inversion of eternity, the energy of the universe as a conscious cosmos consciousness cannot encompass. It is consciousness in mind, sight in seeing, memory in feeling", says Petrović.
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After spending two semesters at Charles University in Prague, on the Erasmus + student exchange program, I wholeheartedly recommend all students to seize the opportunity and spend several months studying abroad. Student exchanges are an unforgettable experience that will broaden your horizons and enable you to learn first-hand what it looks like to live and study outside your country at minimal cost.

I will use this text to share my experience of the entire process of going on an exchange abroad. I hope that it will be helpful to those who want to apply for some of the exchange programs, but I also hope to encourage those who have not thought about exchanges to do so. 

University selection and application process

The first step is to research the opportunities for student exchanges at your faculty. In our country, Erasmus+ is currently the most popular exchange program and almost all faculties in Serbia participate in it. Through the Erasmus + program, students can spend a semester or two in one of the countries of the European Union. There is also the CEEPUS program for the countries of the region and Central European countries, as well as some other less popular programs. For the Erasmus+ program, there is a website mobion.bg.ac.rs you can use to research which universities there is an open call for, at least 6 months in advance.

At the Faculty of Political Sciences, where I study, we have a coordinator for exchange programs who helped me a lot with preparing the application and choosing the subjects that will be recognized as substitutes. Some faculties have Erasmus+ coordinators, but unfortunately not all of them do.

The application consists of motivation letter, “learning agreement,” transcript of grades, certificate of English language proficiency, professor’s recommendation, and some other documents. All that needs to be obtained on time, and something needs to be translated by a court interpreter. The application should be sent via the MobiON site, the instructions on the site are clear and the application is not overly complicated.

You will find out if you were accepted a few months before the start of the exchange. I was informed that at the beginning of November, and the semester started in mid February, so you will have enough time to prepare, get a visa and organize the trip. The whole process depends on the university and the country you are going to. In my case, they sent us documents from Charles University in time to get a Czech visa before traveling. Visas are required for stays in the European Union longer than 3 months for citizens of the Republic of Serbia.


Accommodation: apartment or dormitory?

Before you go on an exchange, you have to decide where you will live. The main question is: apartment or dormitory? When it comes to Prague, the rooms in the apartments were three to four times more expensive than the dormitory, so my friends from faculty and I decided to take the dormitory. This turned out to be a great decision, because the dormitory is irreplaceable when it comes to meeting new people and socializing with students from all over the world.

I met a lot of new people in the dorm, some of whom became my closest friends. I am still in contact with most of them, and we are planning a reunion in Prague this summer. Although living in an apartment is more comfortable, it cannot provide such an experience after all, so my recommendation is definitely a dormitory.

From preparing breakfast in the morning in the shared kitchen to partying in the rooms in the evening — dormitories are great accommodation when you go on an exchange. The bonus is that at most universities that have their own dormitories, exchange coordinators organize and book accommodation for you, so you don't have to go through the process of looking for accommodation. My friend from college and I were allowed to be in the room together, so there is that option if you go on an exchange with another or a friend.

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