From a junior teaching assistant to a full professor, the academic path of Prof. Dr Mirjana Kijevčanin has been tied to the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, where she has been employed since 1996. She was elected a full professor in 2013 and, as of 1 October 2024 holds the position of the Dean of this Faculty. Professor Kijevčanin’s scientific research is focused on chemical engineering, with a special emphasis on solution thermodynamics, process modelling and optimisation, as well as on cleaner production, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. She has published over 150 papers in international journals, which have been cited more than 2,500 times, with the H-index of 30 (Scopus, 2024). She actively contributes to the scientific community as a member of editorial boards in several renowned international journals and as a reviewer of more than 100 scientific papers and European projects. She has also participated in the implementation of a number of national and international projects, developing successful cooperation with industrial and academic institutions throughout Europe and worldwide.
IED Serbia: Madam Dean, as a dedicated promoter of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy and science, how do you see the role of the Faculty in improving scientific research and strengthening cooperation with industry, both in Serbia and internationally?
Prof. Dr Mirjana Kijevčanin: The Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy has had a long tradition of successful cooperation with industry, dating back to its foundation in 1925. The faculty has always been a bridge between theory, modern technological achievements and their application in industry, which enables continuous improvement of curricula and the application of cutting-edge technological achievements in practice. Through scientific and professional work, we address the challenges of the time, creating solutions that can be directly applied in industry.
We are especially proud of our international success, which includes contribution of our Faculty to the high position of the University of Belgrade in global rankings, as well as individual recognitions of our professors. We achieve these results through intensive cooperation with universities and institutions worldwide, through the exchange of knowledge, technologies and experiences. Through cooperation with domestic and international companies, we contribute to the improvement of industrial processes and provide support in solving concrete challenges, while at the same time our students gain experience that prepares them for the global labour market.
Not only does all this make our Faculty an educational institution, but it also makes us an important player in the development of science and technology, both in Serbia and internationally.
IED Serbia: Can you tell us something more about the cooperation of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy with the IED Serbia project? How does this cooperation contribute to the education and professional development of students?
Prof. Dr Mirjana Kijevčanin: Cooperation with the IED Serbia project is of great importance for our Faculty, and provides students with the opportunity to better understand modern industrial processes through practical activities, as well as challenges in the area of environmental protection. Not only do our joint activities strengthen the educational process, but they also enable our students to develop professionally, preparing them to meet industry requirements, while contributing to sustainable development.
In particular, I would like to emphasise a series of lectures carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the project, titled “Application of Environmental Protection Regulations: From Theory to Practice”. This programme gave students an opportunity to learn how legislation is applied in industry, but also to visit industrial facilities and thus become familiar with implemented solutions in practice. These lectures were very important for preparing our students for practical work after their studies.
In addition, long-lasting cooperation on this project has also included activities on organising a competition for high school students called “Tech case study”, which provides students with an opportunity to test their engineering knowledge by solving real environmental problems.
We have recently started a new type of collaboration with the project, by organising workshops for primary school students. Our students have the opportunity to be actively involved in working with the youngest ones, passing on their knowledge and promoting the importance of environmental protection. These workshops received an extremely positive response – the children showed great interest and enthusiasm, and the impressions were extremely positive among teachers, students and professors. I believe that this type of activity will continue in the future, given the success and excellent reception of these workshops. They are not only an important contribution to education and raising awareness among the youngest, but also provide significant experience for our students.
IED Serbia: In what way does the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy contribute to the development of green technologies and sustainable industrial practices? How do you see the role of the Faculty in achieving these goals, in particular, through cooperation with projects being implemented at the Faculty?
Prof. Dr Mirjana Kijevčanin: The development of green technologies and sustainable industrial practices is at the centre of the research and educational activities of our Faculty, which has a significant celebration this year – its 100th anniversary. Over the course of the century, our Faculty has profiled itself as a leading educational and scientific institution, dedicated to finding solutions to sustainability challenges.
Through scientific research, such as the development of new materials and energy sources, improvement of energy efficiency and other related areas, as well as through education of future engineers, we continuously work on the development of innovative approaches to environmental protection. Projects like IED Serbia make us even stronger and intensify our efforts, providing a framework for cooperation with industry and an opportunity for our research results to find application in practice.
In this way, not only does the Faculty strengthen its role as a link between science, education and industry, but it also directly contributes to the improvement of industrial standards, thus shaping a sustainable future for future generations. We are proud of the fact that, with the support of such projects, we are continuing the tradition of excellence and innovation that has been in place for almost a century.