Faculty Members and Students of the Faculty of Economics Participate in the International Week at the University of Extremadura, Spain

Faculty members, teaching assistants, and students of the Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, are participating in the international week “Common Values of the European Union: Global Values,” hosted by the University of Extremadura in Spain, within the framework of the Erasmus+ mobility programme. The Faculty of Economics is represented by Prof. Dr. Jelena Poljašević, Assist. Prof. Ljubiša Mićić, PhD, and Milica Marić, Senior Teaching Assistant, together with students Nikola Amidžić, a third-cycle student, and undergraduate students Milena Škorić and Andrea Dakić.

Participation in the international week represents an important opportunity to strengthen international cooperation, exchange experiences with faculty members and students from other European countries, and further connect the Faculty of Economics with partner institutions within the Erasmus+ programme. The programme focuses on the common values of the European Union and their broader global relevance, with particular emphasis on academic exchange, intercultural dialogue, and connecting students and faculty members through international educational activities.

The Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, continues to support the international mobility of faculty members, teaching assistants, and students as an important direction for improving the quality of teaching, research, and the international visibility of the Faculty.

Published 28.05.2026 at 13:22

Guest Lecture by Stephen Ezell

A guest lecture by Mr. Stephen Ezell, Vice President for Global Innovation Policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation – ITIF, was held at the Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka. The lecture was titled “Innovation and Digital Transformation: Drivers of Competitiveness in the Modern Economy.”

The event took place on 18 May 2026 in the Ceremonial Hall of the Faculty of Economics, organized by the Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, and the E-business Laboratory – E-lab, within the Freedom250 initiative, following a proposal by the Embassy of the United States of America in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the beginning of the event, the participants were addressed by Ms. Dragana Tatić, Deputy Director of the Banja Luka Local Office of the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of the Freedom250 initiative, as well as academic cooperation and knowledge exchange in the fields of innovation, technology, and contemporary economic development.

The introductory lecture was delivered by Assist. Prof. Ljubiša Mićić, PhD, Head of the E-business Laboratory – E-lab. In his introductory presentation, titled “Balkans Contributions to American Development, Science & Technology,” Assist. Prof. Mićić presented the contributions of individuals originating from the Balkans, particularly Serbian-American scientists, innovators, and cultural figures, to the development of the United States, science, technology, and innovation ecosystems. The introductory lecture was designed as a bridge between the Freedom250 initiative, historical heritage, contemporary innovation policy, and the topic of competitiveness in the digital economy.

Following the introductory part, Mr. Stephen Ezell delivered his lecture on the role of innovation, digital transformation, technological development, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, trade, investment, and public policy in strengthening the competitiveness of modern economies. Special attention was given to how countries, universities, institutions, and business systems can develop capacities for innovation, productivity, and long-term economic growth.

The event was attended by students, professors, teaching assistants, representatives of the academic community, business sector, and professional practice, who actively participated in the discussion. Students showed strong interest in the topics of innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, competitiveness, and international cooperation, contributing to a dynamic and high-quality exchange through their questions and comments.

Following the lecture, the guests held a meeting with Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Dragan Gligorić, where they discussed opportunities for further cooperation, strengthening academic and professional ties, and the importance of international initiatives that provide students and faculty with access to contemporary knowledge and global experience.

The lecture represented an important opportunity to connect the academic community, students, and practitioners with an international expert in innovation policy and the digital economy. The importance of developing digital competences, understanding global technological trends, and strengthening links between universities, institutions, the business sector, and international partners was particularly emphasized.

The Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, and E-lab will continue organizing guest lectures, professional meetings, and activities that connect students with relevant domestic and international experts in the fields of business informatics, digital transformation, innovation, and the modern economy.

Published 18.05.2026 at 18:32

Education Program “Counterfeits”

An interactive educational program titled “Counterfeits” will be organized at the Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, and delivered by Dr. Ranko Stanojević from the National Bank of Serbia

• Wednesday, May 20
• 2:00 PM
• Amphitheatre, Faculty of Economics

The interactive educational program “Counterfeits” offers a brief journey through the history of counterfeiting coins and banknotes, with a special focus on counterfeit money from our region, from the time of King Milutin to the present day. Participants will gain detailed insight into the security features of Serbian dinar, euro, and US dollar banknotes, as well as the characteristics of their counterfeits.

Through a special presentation, participants will become familiar with modern security features of the latest euro and US dollar banknote series, learn about appropriate behaviour when encountering suspicious money, and receive guidance on preventive activities and safe practices when purchasing foreign currency.

During this one-hour program, participants will also have the opportunity to examine examples of dangerous counterfeit dinar and euro banknotes and apply their newly acquired knowledge by testing the authenticity of banknotes using four basic tests and a UV lamp.

Welcome!

Published 18.05.2026 at 09:17

AI Chatbot in the Service of Entrepreneurship Development Support

The City Development Agency Banja Luka – CIDEA and the Center for Project Management and Entrepreneurship (CPME), Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, organized the “SmartBiz BL Workshop: From Collected Data to Guidelines for the Development of AI Services for Business Support” on Friday, May 15, 2026.

The workshop was opened by the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Prof. Dr. Milenko Krajišnik, who particularly emphasized the importance of involving students of the Faculty of Economics in the process of collecting data for the future AI ChatBot digital service of CIDEA – a “digital assistant” for entrepreneurs, which will provide accurate and reliable information in one place, step-by-step instructions on starting a business, information on subsidies, tax obligations, and practical guidelines for various administrative and development processes in the early phases of launching entrepreneurial activities. Under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Saša Petković, students collected validated data that, together with the input of other interested stakeholders, will be piloted as the first AI ChatBot to support entrepreneurship development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A brief overview of the project goals, the development of the platform to date, and the next steps was presented by Ana Lojić (CIDEA). Prof. Dr. Saša Petković discussed the importance of connecting the academic community, students, and the business sector through work on the real needs of the SME sector and users of the AI platform. Žana Arsić, President of the Craft and Entrepreneurship Chamber of the Banja Luka Region, presented the most common dilemmas of entrepreneurs, the needs of craftspeople, and the priority areas for the chatbot/AI service. What is needed for an AI service to be accessible to persons with visual impairments – voice interaction, simple navigation, clear answers, and an adapted user journey – was presented by Saša Grbić, Secretary of the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Republika Srpska. Data security, user protection, responsible use of AI tools, and trust in digital services were discussed by Duško Barić and Maja Jovičić. A brief presentation of the technical concept, the knowledge base, the approach to solving the collected questions and answers, and the next steps in development was given. Dr. Božidar Popović, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of East Sarajevo.

The City of Banja Luka provided co-financing for this application. The implementers of the LER project in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Caritas Switzerland and NIRAS, financed by the Government of Switzerland. CIDEA’s partners on this project are the Center for Project Management and Entrepreneurship (CPME), Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, the Regional Chamber of Independent Entrepreneurs Banja Luka, and the Club of Successful Women Entrepreneurs of the City of Banja Luka.

#AIChatBot #SmartBizBL #CIDEA #CPME #EFUNIBL #sigurnonajbolji

Published 18.05.2026 at 08:42

Guest Lecture: Stephen Ezell

Published 11.05.2026 at 12:11

Across Alliance – Another Workshop Held for Students and Staff on April 27

The University of Banja Luka (UNIBL), a partner in the Across Alliance of ten European universities supported by the EU (https://www.across-alliance.eu/), organized, within Task T1.3 Cross-border Careers for Students and Staff and as part of its career development support activities, a second pilot two-hour workshop for 15 students and teaching assistants. The workshop took place on Monday, April 27, 2026, at the CPME – Center for Project Management and Entrepreneurship of the Faculty of Economics, on the topic “Soft Skills for Successful Company Growth and Development.”

The interactive workshop was led by Bobana Bajić, a graduate psychologist and HR Manager at LPP BH, Banja Luka (https://lppbh.talentlyft.com/). This highly dynamic session focused on soft vs. transversal skills of both managers and employees across different stages of the business life cycle, from micro businesses to large companies. Participants had the opportunity to learn how to improve communication skills through the “telephone game” case study, how to behave during a job interview, and how recruitment and selection processes are conducted, from the perspective of an experienced HR manager.

#UNIBL #AcrossAlliance #LPPBH #HRM #softskills #cpme # efunibl #sigurnonajbolji

Published 28.04.2026 at 15:31

University of Banja Luka Representatives Participated in the TBEAI Project Meeting in Portugal

Representatives of the University of Banja Luka, Assistant Professor Ljubiša Mićić of the Faculty of Economics and Full Professor Tamara Pribišev Beleslin of the Faculty of Philosophy, participated in the Erasmus+ project meeting Transforming Business Education with AI in Western Balkans (TBEAI), held from 20 to 24 April 2026 in Santarém, Portugal.

The meeting was hosted by Polytechnic University of Santarém, a respected higher education institution recognised for applied education, international cooperation, and strong links with industry.

The programme focused on Work Package 2, dedicated to curriculum modernisation and the integration of artificial intelligence into business education. Activities included benchmarking existing curricula, drafting findings reports, planning future project steps, and hands-on workshops on AI applications in education.

Participants also visited Óbidos Technology Park, where examples of innovation ecosystems, startup support, research centres, and practical AI solutions were presented.

During the visit, initial discussions were also established regarding the signing of a future cooperation agreement between the University of Banja Luka and the Polytechnic University of Santarém, aimed at developing joint mobility initiatives, research cooperation, academic exchange, and future international projects.

The participation of the University of Banja Luka contributes to the further development of contemporary study programmes, especially Business Informatics, through digital skills enhancement, internationalisation, and stronger links between academia and industry.

Published 28.04.2026 at 08:29

Across Alliance: Visit of Andre Zwingeberger Claren from the Technical University of Chemnitz, Germany

During the Erasmus+ staff training week titled BLENDin: Banja Luka Erasmus Networking Days, organized by the University of Banja Luka, on Friday, April 24, 2026, Andre Zwingeberger Claren from the Technical University of Chemnitz visited the Faculty of Economics.
Mr. Zwingeberger Claren, who is responsible for career guidance for international students at his home university, exchanged experiences on international cooperation and the mobility of foreign students with the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Prof. Dr. Milenko Krajišnik, and the Head of the CPME – Center for Project Management and Entrepreneurship, Prof. Dr. Saša Petković, Task Leader T1.3 within Work Package 1 of the Alliance.
Dean Krajišnik presented the Faculty of Economics’ plans related to strengthening internationalization, with a focus on student and staff exchanges within the Erasmus programme, participation in international scientific research projects, the planned first-cycle study programme “Economics and Business Management”, and the launch of a second-cycle study programme International Master’s in Economics and Commerce (Double Degree) in cooperation with the Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy (Università Politecnica delle Marche), both to be delivered in English.
Prof. Petković presented the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem of the Faculty of Economics, as well as career development programs for students and staff.
The University of Banja Luka (UNIBL) is a partner in the Across Alliance of ten European universities supported by the EU: https://www.across-alliance.eu/
#UNIBL #AcrossAlliance #CPME #EFUNIBL #TUC #Internationalization #CareerDevelopment

Published 27.04.2026 at 09:27

Across Education: From Idea to Market – Development of Digital and AI Products

The University of Banja Luka (UNIBL) hosted a two-hour career development workshop for students on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Titled “From Idea to Market: Development of Digital and AI Products,” the event was part of the Across alliance’s Work Package T1.3 Cross-border Careers for Students and Staff (https://www.across-alliance.eu/).

Prof. Dr. Saša Petković, Head of CPME – the Center for Project Management and Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka, and the workshop host, presented career development opportunities within the Across alliance to students and staff from the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.

The interactive workshop was delivered by Mr. Dragan Vučić, founder and CEO of the innovative startup Cyclos Systems d.o.o. Banja Luka (https://cyclossystems.com/), a PhD candidate at UCLouvain, Belgium, and an alumnus of the Faculty of Economics.

A total of 25 workshop participants had the opportunity to learn through real-life examples of the development of three products, including the challenges, setbacks, and successes of innovative entrepreneurial ventures:

1. ClearMind – an AR simulator of the impact of various factors on drivers’ visual perception: https://clearmind.icu/
2. LaboS – an educational digital platform for primary school students: www.lernoclub.com
3. WizoDoc – a system for automating the entry of payment transaction orders: https://youtu.be/ZIjKPYqLmjI

Through practical cases, participants were introduced to business strategies such as Blue Ocean, Design Thinking, Pirate Thinking, The Lean Startup, and the SECI model of knowledge creation. In the second part of the workshop, the possibilities of applying the Google AI Studio tool were demonstrated through a practical example.

#UNIBL #AcrossAlliance #CPME #EFUNIBL #CyclosSystems #Innovation #AI #DigitalProducts #Entrepreneurship #CareerDevelopment

Published 27.03.2026 at 17:36

From Idea to Market: Development of Digital and AI Products

The University of Banja Luka (UNIBL), a partner in the Across alliance of ten European universities supported by the EU (https://www.across-alliance.eu/), is organizing a career development support activity for UNIBL students as part of Work Package T1.3 Cross-border Careers for Students and Staff. This will take the form of a two-hour workshop titled “From Idea to Market: Development of Digital and AI Products.”

The interactive workshop will be delivered by Mr. Dragan Vučić, founder and CEO of the innovative startup Cyclos Systems d.o.o. Banja Luka (https://cyclossystems.com/) and a PhD candidate at UCLouvain, Belgium, and Prof. Dr. Saša Petković, Head of CPME – the Center for Project Management and Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Economics, UNIBL.

The workshop will be held at the Faculty of Economics on Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Room 6 (2nd floor), starting at 13:00.

Secure your spot now—spaces are limited! Apply by completing the form at https://forms.gle/efbEqCRtpWtwMaAa7 no later than Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 13:00.

#UNIBL #AcrossAlliance #cpme #efunibl #cyclossystems #Innovation #AI #DigitalProducts #Entrepreneurship #CareerDevelopment

Published 23.03.2026 at 08:24