UNIBL celebrated 50 years of successful work and development

The University of Banja Luka commemorated a great jubilee – 50 years of existence and successful work, in a Solemn Academy held in the Cultural Center “Banski dvor” on 7 November 2025. Many guests, representatives of the academic community, institutions of the Republic of Srpska, students, and friends of the University, came together to jointly celebrate half a century of knowledge, research, and progress.

In his formal address, the Rector of the University of Banja Luka, Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, pointed out that the University is today one of the most important higher education institutions in the region, a place of raising the generations of young people who shape a better society with their knowledge and work.

He particularly emphasized the significance of students as a driving force for the University's development, stressing that their efforts, energy, and curiosity are the greatest strengths of the academic community. The University continues to improve its teaching, introducing students’ practice and development of short study programs that will enable students to acquire additional competencies.

Rector Gajanin emphasized that the University of Banja Luka is continuously dedicated to the improvement of infrastructure, teaching process and research activity, and reminded of capital projects that were realized or are underway.

Speaking about supporting excellence, the Rector pointed out that the University rewarded the best teachers and associates for results achieved in science, education, projects, and art, totaling 121.000 KM.

The Rector paid special attention to students who were awarded “Nikola Tesla” golden badges, as the best graduates of the University of Banja Luka.

“Dear colleagues, I congratulate you on this extraordinary success. I believe your professional path will still be tied to the Republic of Srpska and our University. You are a pride of our academic community,” said Gajanin.

The Rector also expressed his gratitude to all who contributed to the University with their work and vision over the passed 50 years.

“Thanks to all who embedded their knowledge and ideas in this University. I wish all a very happy anniversary of the UNIBL and may the next fifty years be an even more successful, fruitful, and inspiring time for the University of Banja Luka,” said Rector, Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD.

President of the SNSD, Milorad Dodik, said he was proud of the jubilee of 50 years of the work of the University, and announced that he will continue to support the work of teachers and students, build infrastructure, and improve their material status.

“I want to congratulate this jubilee to students and associates,” said Dodik.

He stressed that education and culture are pillars of the Republic of Srpska.

“We want to develop a society that is aware of its tradition. We will continue investing in infrastructure, and we find it particularly important that more and more students decide to go to food production and energy fields,” said Dodik.

The Minister for Scientific Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, Prof. Siniša Karan, PhD, said that the Government and the ministry recognized the need for continual investment in education and creation of respectable conditions for work and studying, which was achieved at the University of Banja Luka.

Congratulating the Rector and all the employees on the 50 years of existence of the University, Karan reminded them of the visionary first Rector, Dragomir Malić, who started to develop this institution in modest conditions.

“Even at that time, it could be recognized that the most important resource, not only of the Republic of Srpska, but society as a whole, will be human potential. We are creating quality conditions for the teaching staff and students, so that they can educate and advance without disturbance,” said Karan.

He added that good students’ standards have been provided, primarily in the sense of accommodation capacities, and further investments will follow.

Honorary Doctorates and Professor Emeritus

The solemn academy was also an opportunity to award recognition to deserving individuals. The title of Professor Emeritus was awarded to an academician, Prof. Rajko Tomaš, PhD, while the honorary doctorates were awarded to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Sijjarto, and to Dr. Roberto Bolli, a full professor at the University of Louisville, in the United States of America.

Minister Sijjarto addressed via video message and thanked them for the recognition, with the following:
“I am using this opportunity to congratulate you on your anniversary. This is something I will be proud of,” said Sijjarto.

Professor Bolli expressed his gratitude, pointing out that this recognition was making him proud.

“I see this award as an introduction to a long-term cooperation between our institutions. This country has high moral values and faith in God. I assure you I will continue to support research at the University,” said Prof. Bolli. 

The guests were addressed by the Chairman of the Rector’s Conference of the Republic of Srpska and the Rector of the University of East Sarajevo, Prof. Milan Kulić, PhD, the Chairman of the Rector’s Conference of BiH and the Rector of the University “Džemal Bijedić” in Mostar, Prof. Alena Huseinbegović, PhD, president of the Students’ parliament of the University of Banja Luka, Ana Sibinčić, and Dr. Milica Gajić Bojić, Associate Professor.

Plaques and Charters 

The UNIBL Charters have been awarded to all former rectors of the University at the Solemn Academy, as a token of appreciation for their contribution to the development of this institution, improvement of its scientific and academic reputation, and dedication to higher education and scientific research activity. The Charters were awarded to Academician Prof. Dragoljub Mirjanić, PhD, Academician Prof. Rajko Kuzmanović, PhD, Prof. Stanko Stanić, PhD, Prof. Milan Mataruga, PhD, Prof. Ibrahim Tabaković, PhD, and posthumously Prof. Dragomir Malić, PhD, and Prof. Dragica Dodig, PhD.

The Charter was awarded to the University of Priština with a temporary seat in Kosovska Mitrovica, as an expression of deep respect, friendship, and continual academic cooperation.

The Student’s Parliament of the University of Banja Luka and the Union of students of the Republic of Srpska were awarded the UNIBL Plaques.

As a token of appreciation for professional contribution to the advancement of the scientific research activity, development of the faculties and institutes, and promotion of higher education, the Plaques were awarded to the deans of: Academy of Arts, Prof. Dragana Purković Macan, PhD; Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Prof. Saša Čvoro, PhD; Faculty of Economics, Prof. Milenko Krajišnik, PhD; Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Prof. Zoran Đurić, PhD; Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Darko Knežević, PhD.

The Plaques were also awarded to the Deans of the Faculty of Technology, Prof. Borislav Malinović, PhD; Faculty of Political Science, Prof. Ranka Perić Romić, PhD; Faculty of Philology, Prof. Biljana Babić, PhD; Faculty of Forestry, Prof. Vojislav Dukić, PhD; Director of the Institute of Genetic Resources, Prof. Marina Antić, PhD; and Prof. Emeritus, Dr. Nenad Kecmanović.

The Plaques were also awarded to the Vice-Rector for Scientific Research Activity and Development of the University, Aleksandar Ostojić, PhD; Vice-Rector for Teaching, Students’ Issues and Quality, Prof. Milica Balaban, PhD; Secretary General of the University, M.Sc. Đorđe Markez, and the President of the UNIBL Steering Board, Prof. Biljana Antunović, PhD.

The professors and associates of the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka performed in the artistic part of the solemn academy.