Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister for the Health System and Social Welfare, Jelena Borovinić Bojović, together with Health Minister Vojislav Šimun and representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, Dragan Ćetković and Marica Melović, discussed opportunities to strengthen ties between Montenegrin universities and international academic institutions to create conditions for prestigious foreign universities to establish a presence in Montenegro.

The meeting was held on the occasion of a working visit by Oleksandr Pokanevych, a representative of Kyiv Medical University. Particular attention was given to opportunities for academic cooperation in medicine, joint educational programmes, research and professional development.

Borovinić Bojović outlined her vision of Montenegro as an international student destination where, following the example of renowned European university cities such as Oxford, Bologna, Heidelberg, Jena and Graz, a network of modern university campuses, student residences and international academic communities would be developed.

“Our advantage is that we are a small country with enormous natural assets and development potential. What constitutes a single university city in other countries could, in Montenegro, encompass the entire country. We are exploring the potential for Montenegro to become an attractive destination for students from all over the world, enabling our own students who have not had the opportunity to study abroad to become part of an international academic community, take part in research and gain valuable academic experience,” Borovinić Bojović stated.

It was particularly emphasised that the arrival of international universities and the development of academic infrastructure could provide a significant boost to regional development, create new jobs and revitalise towns, especially in the northern part of the country.

“Our ambition should be to build a Montenegro that not only educates and retains its own talent, but also attracts knowledge, researchers and young people from around the world. This is an investment not only in education, but also in the long-term future of our country,” Borovinić Bojović concluded.