President Milanović at Special Senate Session of University of Zagreb: Without money there is no science
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended a special session of the Senate of the University of Zagreb on the occasion University of Zagreb Day. He remarked that insufficient funds are allocated for universities calling upon the Government to increase funding.
In his address the President compared the University of Zagreb to a Dutch university. “The University of Zagreb has 70,000 students – it is a large, huge university with a budget of a little more than 300 million euros. The state allocates 200 million, the remainder comes from other sources of income. Croatia is not a poor country, Zagreb is not a poor city. Our possibilities are much greater”, President Milanović noted. Talking about a Dutch university with approximately 30,000 students and a budget of one billion euros, President Milanović concluded that the University of Zagreb should therefore have a budget of one billion euros. “The Netherlands is a lot richer than Croatia, but 600 million euros looks like an unfulfilled dream. Can Croatia do it? Croatia is currently in the process of acquiring modern fighter jets, which are necessary, but outlays to the University of Zagreb are below Croatian possibilities. Without money, there is no science”, President Milanović said.
In that sense he added that since the end of the 19th century, science and academics have gone hand in hand, and that economic progress, wealth and power are directly linked therefore talent and inspiration were no longer sufficient. “Without a significant increase there is nothing. Zagreb’s University even today is a proper university and I was never ashamed of saying that I studied in Zagreb, for me it was an honour”, President Milanović stated.
“Let’s not kid ourselves that big projects and plans of the European Commission will lead to a revolution in science. We have to help ourselves because in Europe everyone is unfortunately focused on themselves. Disparities are large, in some way they are getting bigger. Stakes are high and we have to fight for ourselves. We have to be selfish and focused otherwise we’ll have to settle for crumbs. And that is knowledge and power, and inequality is growing. More funds are necessary”, President Milanović stated, concluding his address with the following: “This is what I wish for you, but I cannot get it for you. The numbers speak for themselves – too many unnecessary savings being made on certain things. This has to change”.
Addressing the guests at the Croatian National Theatre besides President Milanović were the envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament academician Željko Reiner, the envoy of the Prime Minister and Minister of Science and Education Radovan Fuchs, the President of the Rector’s Collegium and Rector of the University in Rijeka Snježana Prijić Samaržija, and academician Dragan Čović, Chairman of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the start of the 353 academic year, Rector Damir Boras delivered a report on the University of Zagreb.
At the special session he presented 23 honorary titles and the title of professor emeritus to retired professors of the University of Zagreb, the “Fran Bošnjaković”, “Andrija Mohorovičić”, “Andrija Štampar” awards and the Ars summa universitatis for the year 2021 and the University of Zagreb medal.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan