BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Prof. Marijana Dukić Mijatović was born in 1975 in Kula, where she completed her primary school education with distinction. After graduating from grammar school in Vrbas, she obtained her bachelor’s degree at the Faculty of Law of the University of Novi Sad in 1999. She passed the bar exam in 2002 with distinction. After the internship at the Commercial Court in Novi Sad, in 2004 she defended her master’s thesis under the title “Realizing Insurance Compensation” at the Faculty of Law of the University of Novi Sad, under the mentorship of Prof. Slavko Carić, founder of the Faculty of Economics. In 2008, she obtained her PhD at the Faculty of Law of the University Business Academy in Novi Sad. Prof. Marijana Dukić Mijatović is employed at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Fundamental Sciences in Engineering, and at the Faculty of Law for Commerce and Judiciary of the University Business Academy in Novi Sad, where she was appointed full professor in 2016. In the two-year mandate as the State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Marijana Dukić Mijatović was in charge of higher education and science (2020-2022). As the State Secretary, she was in charge of higher education at the Ministry of Education (2022-2024). She was Head of the Local Economic Development Office of the City of Novi Sad (2014-2016) and an advisor to the Mayor of Novi Sad for investments and implementation of strategic projects (2016-2020). She held the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Public Company for Construction and Development of the City of Novi Sad (2012) and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Dnevnik Holding Novi Sad (2014). She was the representative of the republic capital in the Port of Novi Sad (2016-2018) and Head of the negotiating team of the City of Novi Sad for investment projects of Delphi Packard, Lear Corporation, Continental Automotive, CTP Serbia, Barry Callebaut, BMTS Technology, and NIDEC. She was Vice President of the National Council for Higher Education of the Republic of Serbia from 2018 to 2020. Prof. Marijana Dukić Mijatović was a member of the Steering Committee of the Housing Fund for Young Scientists and Artists (2014-2020), and a member of the Commission for passing the Bar Examination of AP Vojvodina (2016-). She was an editor of the Law, Theory and Practice journal (2012-2015), a member of the Publishing Council of the magazine Kultura Polisa, an editor of several proceedings of scientific meetings, and coordinator of several research projects. She is a member of the Publishing Council of the European Legislation journal (2022-). In 2015, Prof. Marijana Dukić Mijatović was awarded the Captain Miša Anastasijević Award for development projects and improvement of the business environment in Novi Sad, and in 2017, she received a national award for best manager in public entrepreneurship. In 2022, she received the Saint Prokopius plaque, the highest recognition of the City of Prokuplje, for her contribution to the development of education. She authored nine books and over 160 research and technical papers. She speaks English. Prof. Marijana Dukić Mijatović is married to the lawyer Miloš Mijatović and has a son Vuk.

Prof. Dr. Goran Maksimović was born in Priština on 2 March 1971. He finished primary school in Gračanica and secondary school in Priština. He earned his BA at the University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Law, MA at the University Union in Belgrade, and PhD at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture in 2010. He was elected assistant professor at the University of Priština, Faculty of Agriculture in 2011, associate professor in 2016, and full professor in 2020 for Agrarian Economics and Economics of Agricultural Cooperatives, and subjects Economics Basics and Agricultural Economics. In the period 1990-1994 he worked in ”Trepča” in Priština, in 1994-2001 at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Priština, in 2001-2011 at the University of Priština, Faculty of Technical Sciences in Kosovska Mitrovica, and since 2011 at the subjects Finances and Financial Business (undergraduate studies) and Entrepreneurship (Master studies). Additionally, he worked at the State University in Novi Pazar in the period 2006-2010. He was also a consultant at the Higher Technical School in Zvečane, Higher Technical School in Leposavić in 2016-2017, and is currently a consultant at the Academy of Vocational Studies of Kosovo and Metohija.
He has authored 60 research and technical papers in international and leading national journals and conferences. He has coauthored a textbook for Agricultural Economics, Economics Basics and one monograph. He participated in 3 projects financed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Serbia. He also served as a member of presidency and president of the Society of Agrarian Economists of the Balkans, member of the editorial board and peer-reviewer of the journal Economics of Agriculture, and a member of the Development Academy of Agriculture of Serbia. At the Faculty of Agriculture in Lešak he has served as a member of Faculty Council, Head of Agroeconomy Department, mentor for Master`s thesis and two doctoral dissertations, member of the committees for PhD and MSc defense, as well as a reviewer for the committee for the academic advancement. He is a member of the Expert Council for Biotechnical Sciences at the University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica. Also, he is a member of the Council of the Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism in Vrnjačka Banja of the University of Kragujevac, as one of the founders.
He has received many awards and recognitions for his work.
He is married with three children. He is employed at the University of Pristina in Kosovska Mitrovica, Faculty of Agriculture and lives in Vrnjačka Banja.

Dr. Dragica M. Stanković, Principal Research Fellow with the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, was born on August 29, 1963, in Belgrade, where she completed her primary and secondary education, and graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade. During her research career, she obtained all research and academic ranks, from Research Assistant to Principal Research Fellow. By the decision of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia, on September 27, 2017, Dr. Dragica Stanković was awarded the rank of Principal Research Fellow in biotechnical sciences.
Dr. Dragica Stanković has achieved significant results in several research fields. Her research interests and activities are related to the fields of biotechnology, ecophysiology, plant physiology and environmental protection, with a special focus on studies related to the concentration and accumulation of heavy metals in various plant species in urban and rural environments, natural and anthropogenic sources of pollutants, the effect of heavy metals on natural and contaminated environments, the impact of pollutants on plants and plant life processes, bioremediation, phytoremediation, as well as the assessment of exposure, risk and impact of pollutants on the environment. Dr. Dragica Stanković’s special contribution is reflected in encouragement of multidisciplinary cooperation between various institutions in Serbia and abroad, which has resulted in joint multidisciplinary publications, patents and projects in the last few years.
Dr. Dragica Stanković has been engaged in teaching in master’s and doctoral studies, as well as being a member of the committee and/or mentor in master’s and doctoral theses.
Dr. Dragica Stanković has published more than 120 research papers. She participated in a large number of national or international research conferences, and authored or co-authored numerous technical solutions and one patent. She has also actively participated in the implementation of many national or international projects. During her research and professional career, she was a member of working groups in various working bodies.
She is a member of the National Association of Environmental Experts, a member of the scientific-professional society “Ecologica”, and a member of the endowment of the “Andrejević Foundation”. She currently holds the position of Director of the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia.

Dr. Vladimir Miklič, Principal Research Fellow, started working at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad in the Department for Oil Crops in 1990 on hybrid sunflower seed production and processing. In the period 1996-2000, he was on a several professional visits in India, more than 2 years in total, working on seed production control and winter breeding generation, as well as educating Indian experts on breeding and seed production of sunflower seed. Additionally, he spent over a year on professional visits to Argentina working on similar activities in the period 2001-2007. He was the Head of the Department for Oil Crops in the period 2006-2015, when he was appointed Assistant Director for International Commerce. In 2016 he was Assistant Director for Organizing Production and Product Placement, in 2017 the Head of the Department for Industrial Crops, and in 2018 the Head of the Department for Sunflower. From 2021 to 2023 he served as the Assistant Director for International Commerce, followed by Advisor for Seed Production and the head of Department for Sunflower in 2023. Furthermore, he was a member of Board of Directors of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad in the period 2005-2014 and was again appointed in 2023, and a member of the Assembly of National Seed Testing Laboratory in 2007 and 2008. He has served as a member of the Board of the International Sunflower Association (ISA) since 2012, and as the ISA Board President from 2016 to 2022. In that capacity he was the President of the Organizing Committee of the 20th international Sunflower Conference held in Novi Sad in 2022. He is a member of the Board of the Group for Production, Processing and Trade of Oilseeds and Edible Oil of the Business Community for Industrial Crops of Serbia. He was the Secretary General of the Association of Breeders and Seeders of the Republic of Serbia, a member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, and a member of the Presidency of the Association of Institutes of Serbia. He has also served as the President of the Supervisory Board of Pionir AD Srbobran. Moreover, as a representative of the Institute, he visited institutes in Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia, Argentina, China, Uzbekistan, India, and Iran. On three occasions in 2004, 2009, and 2017 he visited Chinese institutes in Luoung, Baichenng, and Bayannur where he held invited lectures. As a representative of the Republic of Serbia, he participated in F.A.O. Regional Consultation and Workshop on Seed Production in Budapest, Hungary in 2009. He has published over 400 research papers and three book chapters. He has co-authored over 100 sunflower hybrids released abroad and in Serbia. He has participated in many national and international conferences, moderating several of them, as well as a large number of national and international research projects, managing a bilateral project between Serbia and China in the period 2013-2015. Since 2015 he has been an invited lecturer at doctoral studies at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Novi Sad.

Dr. Vuk Đorđević was born in Novi Sad on January 6, 1979. He graduated from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Novi Sad in 2002. In 2007, he obtained his Master’s degree at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, majoring in genetics and plant breeding. In 2010, he defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Biochemical characterization of high-protein soybean genotypes” at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Belgrade, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding.
In 2008, Dr. Vuk Đorđević completed his six-month postdoctoral training in soybean genetics, breeding and physiology at Iowa State University, IA, USA. He was appointed Research Assistant in 2011, Research Associate in 2017, and Principal Research Fellow in 2022. He has been employed at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia since 2003. Dr. Vuk Đorđević focuses his research on soybean genetics and breeding. In the period 2018-2020, he managed the team of breeders at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops. From 2020 to 2022, he was the Head of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding. Since 2022, he has been the Head of the Department of Legumes. He was appointed a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops Novi Sad in 2023.
Dr. Vuk Đorđević has published over 250 scientific results – research papers, chapters in monographs, announcements at international and national conferences. Most of the published research papers are focused on genetics and plant breeding. He has authored and co-authored 75 soybean cultivars, which have been registered and realized in Serbia and abroad. The Hirsch index is 15 (Scopus, 2023). He was a member of the dissertation committee and/or mentor in several doctoral dissertations. He organized two international conferences dedicated to legumes. He is one of the founders of the International Legume Society ILS, and a member of numerous scientific and technical associations. So far, he participated as a member of the project team, leader of the work package or project coordinator in over 20 projects supported by the Republic of Serbia (Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Provincial Secretariat for Science, Fund for Science), by the European Union (Seventh Framework program, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe), and by other international institutions.
Dr. Vuk Đorđević is a member of The Serbian Genetic Society (vice-president of the Breeding Section), Serbian Association of Plant Breeders and Seed Producers, and Center of Excellence for Legumes. He is a reviewer of numerous international journals.

Dr Milosav Babić was born on 4 May 1965 in Lešnica. He graduated in 1989 at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Belgrade, received his MSc in Plant Genetics and Breeding at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Novi Sad in 1993, and his PhD at the same Faculty and field in 1996. In the period 1990-2014 he worked at the Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, where he became Head of the Maize Breeding and Genetics Department in 2000 and the general director in 2009. He organized and financially stabilized Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje” and positioned this institution as the leading national research institute and the leading maize breeding and seed company. In the period 2014-2016 he worked at Pioneer DuPont as a researcher and leading researcher in the field of biology, responsible for planning and conducting research activities of the company in Russia, as well as carrying out field trials of maize and sunflower in Russia. During 2016 he started working at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad as a principal research fellow and an advisor of the director for maize genetics and breeding. He was also the Head of the Maize breeding Department and an advisor of the director for commercial affairs focusing on the Russian market. He participated in two international projects, one with Kazakhstan in 1993-1995 and the other with Zambia and Chile in 2000-2009 working on winter selection generation of the Maize Research Institute, including genetic purity field tests. In the period from June 1998 to August 1999 he was in a study visit at the State University of Iowa at the Agronomy Department, working on maize breeding program with professor dr Kendall R. Lamkey as his mentor. In March 1999 he worked on maize breeding program at the CIMMYT, Mexico with Juan Cordova as his supervisor. During his research career he has created and improved initial populations, developed and assessed the value of new parental inbred maize lines, developed new maize hybrids and performed field assessments, produced maize seed and maintained breeders seed, and worked on quantitative genetics. He co-authored more than 165 published papers mostly regarding maize breeding and quantitative genetics, and more than 40 maize hybrids released in Serbia.