UNN expands ties with partners from Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
On March 12, a delegation of the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) paid a working visit to Lobachevsky Universityto hold negotiations and sign an agreement on cooperation in the field of education and science between UNN and the Information and Communication Technologies Agency of Republika Srpska. The event was attended by Dmitry Starostin, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Oleg Trofimov, Rector of Lobachevsky University, and a delegation from Republika Srpska headed by Dražen Višnić, Director of the Information and Communication Technologies Agency.
The parties agreed on academic cooperation, expanding UNN's partner network in Republika Srpska, joint research, holding scientific conferences, student competitions, and Olympiads. The establishment of joint laboratories, government support from Republika Srpska for developing online educational programmes with the Universities of East Sarajevo and Banja Luka, expert support from UNN for the ICT industry in Republika Srpska, and preserving cultural and historical heritage were also discussed.
Dmitry Starostin, Deputy Chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod regional Government, noted that one can see concrete results in the region’s cooperation with Republika Srpska and that special attention is given to the development of cooperation in the fields of medicine, education and exports.
According to Dražen Višnić, Director of the Information and Communication Technologies Agency of Republika Srpska, the Nizhny Novgorod region has a strong potential in the field of information and communication technologies and in areas such as electronics, mechatronics, satellite technologies and artificial intelligence, and Lobachevsky University is one of the best universities in Russia.
"We consider the Nizhny Novgorod region as one of the most promising partners for advancing technological cooperation. Currently, we are jointly developing a plan for future collaboration. This plan includes the development of academic cooperation, as well as UNN's involvement in shaping Republika Srpska's ICT ecosystem and enhancing the region's technological infrastructure. The university has the potential to make a significant contribution to inter-university cooperation, not only in IT but also across various other scientific and technological fields," noted Dražen Višnić, Director of the Information and Communication Technologies Agency.
Over 28,000 students and postgraduate students from more than 90 countries around the world study at Lobachevsky University. The university's partner network comprises over 150 international universities and research organisations.
"With each passing year, scientific, educational, and youth ties between Russia and Republika Srpska grow stronger. I am confident that establishing a partnership between UNN and the Information and Communication Technologies Agency of Republika Srpska will not only open new development opportunities for our organisations but will also contribute to enhancing cooperation between our regions," said Oleg Trofimov, Rector of Lobachevsky University. "We are ready to discuss joint scientific and educational initiatives, including academic exchanges, educational programmes, and bilateral research projects. We have ambitious plans ahead and look forward to a long-term collaboration," he emphasised.
Cooperation in the academic field between Lobachevsky University and Republika Srpska has been developing for the past 10 years in the form of student competitions, educational lectures, summer schools, student exchanges and joint scientific conferences. UNN's partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina are the University of East Sarajevo, the University of Mostar, the University of Banja Luka, the Banja Luka Gymnasium, and the Ljubiša Mladenović Centre for Secondary Education.
In the summer of 2025, Lobachevsky University hosted an International youth camp for philology students from universities in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Hungary. The event was initiated and financially supported by the Russian World Foundation. UNN acted as the organiser and the host. The aim of the project is to promote the professional training of future teachers of Russian language and literature abroad, and to immerse them in the language environment.
