The European Union follows a vision of a sustainable digital society focused on people during the digital era to empower citizens and businesses. Digital technologies and innovations bring new ways of learning, working, researching and conducting business, but also create new jobs. For these reasons, it is essential to introduce the topic of digitalisation and innovation to young people.
This was the topic of a panel discussion attended by students from four high schools in Kragujevac at the University of Kragujevac Rectorate. The discussion was organized by the EU Delegation to Serbia, during which the Head of Operations of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Martin Klaucke, emphasized that the European Union continues to support Serbia in its aim to reach European standards in the field of digitalisation and innovation.
“This topic is obviously very significant for every sphere of society and for economic development, and we are involved in providing funds for nationally important projects that contribute to digital development. I would like to highlight that next year, the citizens of Kragujevac will have the opportunity to receive direct information about EU opportunities and funds, as we have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Mayor of Kragujevac to open an EU info center here,” said Martin Klaucke, Head of Operations at the EU Delegation to Serbia.
The panel discussion was organized as part of the “Europe is Our Home” campaign celebrating Europe Day 2024. The discussion with citizens, students, and high school students is the third in a series of five debates organized by the EU Delegation to Serbia as part of the Europe Day celebrations to initiate dialogue on important issues for Serbia’s European future.
So far, two debates have been organized in Subotica and Novi Pazar, and besides Kragujevac, discussions will follow in Užice and Niš.
In addition to Klaucke, the panel included Goran Đurđević, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communication; Marija Bušić, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Digital Serbia Initiative; and Ivan Rakonjac, Executive Director of the Innovation Fund.
In Kragujevac, Klaucke also had the opportunity to see how local entrepreneurs have improved their businesses with EU grants provided through the EU PRO Plus program. The Architectural-Engineering Studio Aris, led by Marija Simović, acquired new IT equipment and software that enabled technological advancement in their operations. Additionally, Marija Vasojević purchased an intraoral scanner for her dental clinic, significantly improving the quality of services provided to patients.
Martin Klaucke and Innovation Fund Director Ivan Rakonjac visited the Tim-Ing Center in Kragujevac today on the occasion of Europe Day, highlighting the importance of the grant that enabled the modernization of the production line and the development of the next-generation CNC machine. With the support of the European Union, the engineering team from Kragujevac successfully ensured high-precision processing for consumers using more sophisticated and efficient software solutions. This grant has significantly improved the company’s efficiency and competitiveness, contributing to the further development of the local economy.
