The Faculty of Biology of the University of Belgrade is a higher education and scientific research institution with a tradition spanning 170 years. Its foundations were laid in 1853 with the establishment of the Princely Serbian Lyceum in Belgrade, when the Mineralogical, Botanical and Zoological Department was formed within the Department of Natural Sciences and Technology, where courses in botany and zoology were attended by students from the Faculty of Philosophy and Technology. The Department of Natural History and Agronomy was headed by Dr. Josif Pančić, who taught botany, zoology and several other “natural” (natural) subjects. These were the first institutions that are considered the foundation from which today’s Faculty of Biology emerged.
With the aim of leaving a testimony to future generations about the life and work of the Faculty of Biology in the previous decade, we are preparing this monograph, proud of our decades-long tradition, dedicated to the current generations of students and with an eye on the future. The history of biological sciences, the Faculty of Biology and teaching at the Faculty was described in detail by our eminent professors in the monograph "145 years of biology and 25 years of molecular biology in Serbia" published by the Faculty in Serbian and English in 1998. The monograph "160 years of biology, 40 years of molecular biology and 15 years of ecology and environmental protection" from 2013 presents the fifteen-year period of development and work of the Faculty from 1998 to 2013. Therefore, this yearbook will be a review of the last ten years (2013-2023) of the work and life of the Faculty of Biology.
Leading the Faculty and being at the head of the Organizing Committee for marking such a significant event is a privilege and an exceptional honor for me as Dean. We see the jubilee of 170 years of biology in Serbia as an opportunity to thank our predecessors who, through their hard work and top scientific achievements, created the name and tradition of the Faculty, as well as the reputation of Serbian biological science. Thanks to the engagement of our graduates, there is not even the smallest segment of biology in Serbia, from elementary to high schools and gymnasiums to other universities and scientific institutes, in which someone who came from our Faculty of Biology did not participate. Our graduates have carried the glory of the Faculty throughout the world, working and creating in many well-known and respected scientific institutes and prestigious universities.
In recent decades, forms of higher education, policies, laws and curricula have changed, and biology and its disciplines, following global trends, have remained very important for the development of the state and society. The Faculty of Biology essentially carries out activities in two areas: education and research, educating teaching and scientific research staff. With the change in the way science is financed in the last decade, a large number of graduate students are employed as researchers, at faculties and institutes that need biologists.
In the past decade, the Faculty has accredited the study programs Biology, Molecular Biology and Physiology, and Ecology and Environmental Protection at undergraduate, master's, and doctoral academic levels, for which it is still recognizable today. In addition to specialized academic studies in microbiology, genetics, and immunobiology, studies in cell biology and histology have also been introduced. Starting from the 2023/2024 academic year, undergraduate students have been enrolled in three separate study programs. Following global development trends, the Faculty has also introduced new fields such as genomics, forensic biology, and bioinformatics. However, after the education reform of 2005 and the introduction of the so-called Bologna system, changes in higher education have not adequately followed the needs of the labor market. Considering that the reform of teaching is taking place as a gradual process, it is extremely important to continuously monitor the implementation of new study programs and the results achieved. The criteria for success should include students' achievements and progress, passing exams, and the time required to complete their studies. It is also important to assess the level of professional readiness to solve practical challenges and also take into account the students' sense of satisfaction and pride in having earned a degree from our faculty.
In modern education, a prerequisite for the success of studies is the need for students to be at the center of the teaching process. Students should be encouraged even more strongly to be creative and innovative. Their role is particularly important in the field of modernizing teaching and improving the efficiency of studying. The Faculty of Biology has a tradition of organizing students and their participation in many extracurricular activities, from promoting the Faculty in high schools and secondary schools, through science festivals to the "Simplast" student congress, as well as many others. Therefore, in the future, the Faculty will support student projects even more intensively, which, as has been shown, significantly affect the improvement of the quality and success of studies.
In addition to teaching, scientific and research activities are an important priority for the Faculty. In the last decade, there have been significant changes in the system of funding science in Serbia, and increased engagement in obtaining projects in the field of science and innovation is necessary. The Faculty recognized the interdisciplinary nature and the need for cooperation and partnership with relevant domestic and foreign research institutions in a timely manner. In order to ensure optimal conditions for effective participation in all calls for projects, it is necessary to continue strengthening the capacity of scientific and research infrastructure, investing in laboratory resources and research equipment, and improving the skills of researchers and forming expert teams by engaging young researchers and teachers. Cooperation with industry is also one of the priorities of the Faculty, especially in matters in which the scientific and professional potential of our teachers and researchers can be expressed, as well as the capacities of the laboratories and equipment at our disposal.
It is important to highlight the importance and contribution of non-teaching staff in achieving the success and reputation of the Faculty. They constitute a diverse group of professionals, including administrative staff, laboratory technicians, librarians, IT specialists, maintenance staff and many others. Without their dedication, expertise and efforts, the success of the Faculty and the quality of education and research in the field of biology would not be possible.
Recognizing quality, potential and heritage, the Faculty of Biology has an obligation to maintain a leading role in the field of biological education and research in Serbia. This can be achieved by continuously improving quality, supporting excellence, adhering to the principles of academic integrity and ethics, as well as by consistently promoting the achievements of students, teachers and researchers. In this way, we will increase the visibility and attractiveness of the Faculty and ensure the arrival of new generations of high-quality students and future biologists, molecular biologists and physiologists, ecologists and biology professors.
Today, modern and recognizable, the Faculty of Biology of the University of Belgrade proudly celebrates a significant anniversary. Founded on a rich past, we have been building a better future continuously for 170 years.
Prof. Dr. Ljubiša Stanisavljević
The Faculty of Biology of the University of Belgrade is a higher education and scientific research institution with a tradition spanning 170 years. Its foundations were laid in 1853 with the establishment of the Princely Serbian Lyceum in Belgrade, when the Mineralogical, Botanical and Zoological Department was formed within the Department of Natural Sciences and Technology, where courses in botany and zoology were attended by students from the Faculty of Philosophy and Technology. The Department of Natural History and Agronomy was headed by Dr. Josif Pančić, who taught botany, zoology and several other “natural” (natural) subjects. These were the first institutions that are considered the foundation from which today’s Faculty of Biology emerged.
With the aim of leaving a testimony to future generations about the life and work of the Faculty of Biology in the previous decade, we are preparing this monograph, proud of our decades-long tradition, dedicated to the current generations of students and with an eye on the future. The history of biological sciences, the Faculty of Biology and teaching at the Faculty was described in detail by our eminent professors in the monograph "145 years of biology and 25 years of molecular biology in Serbia" published by the Faculty in Serbian and English in 1998. The monograph "160 years of biology, 40 years of molecular biology and 15 years of ecology and environmental protection" from 2013 presents the fifteen-year period of development and work of the Faculty from 1998 to 2013. Therefore, this yearbook will be a review of the last ten years (2013-2023) of the work and life of the Faculty of Biology.
Leading the Faculty and being at the head of the Organizing Committee for marking such a significant event is a privilege and an exceptional honor for me as Dean. We see the jubilee of 170 years of biology in Serbia as an opportunity to thank our predecessors who, through their hard work and top scientific achievements, created the name and tradition of the Faculty, as well as the reputation of Serbian biological science. Thanks to the engagement of our graduates, there is not even the smallest segment of biology in Serbia, from elementary to high schools and gymnasiums to other universities and scientific institutes, in which someone who came from our Faculty of Biology did not participate. Our graduates have carried the glory of the Faculty throughout the world, working and creating in many well-known and respected scientific institutes and prestigious universities.
In recent decades, forms of higher education, policies, laws and curricula have changed, and biology and its disciplines, following global trends, have remained very important for the development of the state and society. The Faculty of Biology essentially carries out activities in two areas: education and research, educating teaching and scientific research staff. With the change in the way science is financed in the last decade, a large number of graduate students are employed as researchers, at faculties and institutes that need biologists.
In the past decade, the Faculty has accredited the study programs Biology, Molecular Biology and Physiology, and Ecology and Environmental Protection at undergraduate, master's, and doctoral academic levels, for which it is still recognizable today. In addition to specialized academic studies in microbiology, genetics, and immunobiology, studies in cell biology and histology have also been introduced. Starting from the 2023/2024 academic year, undergraduate students have been enrolled in three separate study programs. Following global development trends, the Faculty has also introduced new fields such as genomics, forensic biology, and bioinformatics. However, after the education reform of 2005 and the introduction of the so-called Bologna system, changes in higher education have not adequately followed the needs of the labor market. Considering that the reform of teaching is taking place as a gradual process, it is extremely important to continuously monitor the implementation of new study programs and the results achieved. The criteria for success should include students' achievements and progress, passing exams, and the time required to complete their studies. It is also important to assess the level of professional readiness to solve practical challenges and also take into account the students' sense of satisfaction and pride in having earned a degree from our faculty.
In modern education, a prerequisite for the success of studies is the need for students to be at the center of the teaching process. Students should be encouraged even more strongly to be creative and innovative. Their role is particularly important in the field of modernizing teaching and improving the efficiency of studying. The Faculty of Biology has a tradition of organizing students and their participation in many extracurricular activities, from promoting the Faculty in high schools and secondary schools, through science festivals to the "Simplast" student congress, as well as many others. Therefore, in the future, the Faculty will support student projects even more intensively, which, as has been shown, significantly affect the improvement of the quality and success of studies.
In addition to teaching, scientific and research activities are an important priority for the Faculty. In the last decade, there have been significant changes in the system of funding science in Serbia, and increased engagement in obtaining projects in the field of science and innovation is necessary. The Faculty recognized the interdisciplinary nature and the need for cooperation and partnership with relevant domestic and foreign research institutions in a timely manner. In order to ensure optimal conditions for effective participation in all calls for projects, it is necessary to continue strengthening the capacity of scientific and research infrastructure, investing in laboratory resources and research equipment, and improving the skills of researchers and forming expert teams by engaging young researchers and teachers. Cooperation with industry is also one of the priorities of the Faculty, especially in matters in which the scientific and professional potential of our teachers and researchers can be expressed, as well as the capacities of the laboratories and equipment at our disposal.
It is important to highlight the importance and contribution of non-teaching staff in achieving the success and reputation of the Faculty. They constitute a diverse group of professionals, including administrative staff, laboratory technicians, librarians, IT specialists, maintenance staff and many others. Without their dedication, expertise and efforts, the success of the Faculty and the quality of education and research in the field of biology would not be possible.
Recognizing quality, potential and heritage, the Faculty of Biology has an obligation to maintain a leading role in the field of biological education and research in Serbia. This can be achieved by continuously improving quality, supporting excellence, adhering to the principles of academic integrity and ethics, as well as by consistently promoting the achievements of students, teachers and researchers. In this way, we will increase the visibility and attractiveness of the Faculty and ensure the arrival of new generations of high-quality students and future biologists, molecular biologists and physiologists, ecologists and biology professors.
Today, modern and recognizable, the Faculty of Biology of the University of Belgrade proudly celebrates a significant anniversary. Founded on a rich past, we have been building a better future continuously for 170 years.
Prof. Dr. Ljubiša Stanisavljević
