The Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sports considered:

1. Information on awarding grants for research and development subprojects - Implementation of “Higher Education and Research for Innovation and Competitiveness” (HERIC) Project;

2. Information on implementation of project of the first Centre of Excellence in Montenegro “Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics (BIO-ICT) - Implementation of “Higher Education and Research for Innovation and Competitiveness” (HERIC) Project”;

3. Information on setting up a Science and Technology Park in Podgorica;

4. Initiative for holding of the control hearing of the Minister of Education Mr Predrag Bošković, submitted by MP Mr Srđan Perić

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1. The Government of Montenegro, via the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Education, from the funds of the World Bank, is implementing the HERIC Project “Higher Education and Research for Innovation and Competitiveness”  in the period 2012-2017. The objective of the project is to strengthen the quality of higher education, as well as to stimulate science and research activities. The grant awarding programme within the third component of this project was directed towards strengthening of excellent research teams, promotion of international cooperation, as well as creation of commercial innovation. The grant programme supports applied and developmental projects in the priority fields of research: Sustainable Development and Tourism; Agriculture and Food; and
New Materials, Products and Services. The projects were supported in individual amounts between 150,000 and 400,000. The Ministry of Science performs continuous supervision and periodical independent evaluation of project implementation. The World Bank representatives audited the HERIC Project, in the period 24-29 May 2015, and on that occasion they were informed on the progress in implementation of the “BIO-ICT” project and made on-site visits to the national project partners and positively assessed implemented project activities.

2. Within the third component of the (HERIC) Project “Establishing competitive research environment”, the first Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics (BIO-ICT) is funded. Establishment and work of the first Centre of Excellence in Montenegro will enable:

- strong relation between knowledge, research, and innovation, i.e. a tight connection between research and economy;

- creation of new generation of science and technology talents via their employment and research training in the Centre;

- achieving a dynamic partnering relation with state authority bodies and local self-government.
The goals of the BIO-ICT project:

- Defining new scientific approaches and methods for promoting products and services in the field of science on living systems (agriculture, health and ecology);

- Strengthening of interdisciplinary research in Montenegro by creating partnerships with national science and research institutions within the project;

- Strengthening of cooperation with international science and research entities, by involving two international science and research institutions in the project;

- Establishing cooperation with the private sector in Montenegro, by involving two national companies in the project; and

- Promoting national potential for creating commercial innovation via commercialising knowledge and intellectual property.

By achieving these goals, the BIO-ICT project will establish strong connections within the “knowledge triangle”: education, research, and innovation, enable creation of the database of national science and research institutions, where the young researchers would work together with experienced researchers on various interdisciplinary topics, and provide technological solutions to companies which are partners in the project. Additionally, they would contribute to the process of commercialisation of research and generating intellectual property, thus providing new funds and enabling sustainability of the implemented research and the Centre.
The Information provides an overview of implemented activities and evaluation of the first year of work of the “Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics BIO-ICT”.

3. The Science and Technology Park in Podgorica was conceived as a networked structure that would have three decentralised units - impulse centres namely in Nikšić, Bar, and Pljevlja. The Science and Technology Park in Podgorica will be established with the goal to:

- unify entrepreneurial, innovative, and industrial capacities;

- achieve strong connection with local and regional business centres, incubators, clusters and voucher schemes;

- enhance internationalisation and commercialisation of research and increase demand for consultant services, innovation of products and services, through business procedures, organisation and marketing.
In the Science and Technology Park in Podgorica opportunities will be created for: cooperation with the University of Montenegro; implementation of developmental research, their commercialisation and placement in the market of finished product or services; increase of employment and competitiveness of economy; dynamic development of the Capital City of Podgorica and region in which the Science and Technology Park is placed with its impulse centres, as well as development of Montenegro.
The said three informations were presented to the Committee members by representative of the Ministry of Science Mr Smiljana Prelević, secretary to the Ministry. Through the questions asked and positions presented, the Committee members assessed the said informations positively.

4. The Committee did not support the initiative for holding of the control hearing of the Minister of Education Mr Predrag Bošković, submitted by MP Mr Srđan Perić.