The University of Sarajevo Hosts CERN Delegation to Strengthen Scientific Collaboration

On May 21, 2025, the University of Sarajevo welcomed representatives of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), researchers Dr. Tadeusz Kurtyka and Dr. Claude Charlot. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss possibilities for strengthening long-term cooperation between CERN and the University of Sarajevo.

On behalf of the University of Sarajevo, Rector Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović extended a warm welcome to the CERN delegation, expressing the full support of the University’s management for the continuation and deepening of collaboration with CERN. The meeting was hosted by Vice-Rector for Research, Prof. Dr. Naris Pojskić, Scientific Advisor. Participants on behalf of the University of Sarajevo also included Prof. Dr. Azra Gazibegović-Busuladžić and Assistant Professor Dr. Amel Duraković from the Department of Physics at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, as well as Nina Begović, Head of the University’s Research Support Office.

Cooperation with CERN, formalized through the signing of an institutional collaboration agreement in 2021, is of strategic importance for the University of Sarajevo. In this context, the University reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its faculties and institutes in fully leveraging the opportunities offered by this prestigious institution – including joint research projects, participation in CERN-led experiments, and student internship programs.

A particular focus of the meeting was placed on enhancing opportunities for doctoral students from the University of Sarajevo to participate in CERN programs and on establishing schemes for joint cooperation programs or dual supervision arrangements. Special gratitude was expressed for the support provided by the “Three Physicists” Foundation to the University’s collaboration with CERN. The Foundation was established by Dr. Edmond Offermann, Honorary Doctor of the University of Sarajevo and Honorary Citizen of the City of Sarajevo.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of the Sarajevo School of High Energy Physics (SSHEP), which has been traditionally supported by CERN since 2010, in collaboration with the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the French Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the “Three Physicists” Foundation. The ninth edition of SSHEP is taking place from May 9 to 24, 2025, at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Sarajevo. In discussions regarding this event, possibilities for joint initiatives aimed at enhancing the visibility and significance of fundamental physics were explored, as well as the broader public promotion of CERN – University of Sarajevo partnership.

Participants also discussed expanding cooperation through student mobility programs, participation in CERN summer schools, masterclass workshops, and technical training programs. Ongoing initiatives and activities were presented, including the SARAI (Sarajevo Ion Accelerator) project and a new collaborative effort in physics through the Horizon Europe project IFIGENEIA, coordinated by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

This meeting marks another step toward building stronger ties between the University of Sarajevo and CERN, with a shared commitment to advancing scientific research and creating greater opportunities for young talents in Bosnia and Herzegovina.