The draft, which is prepared for public debate has been published at the end of June 2009 by the Ministry for Science and Technological Development. The strategy addresses current key challenges of the national R&D community and proposes measures to resolve the issues which were identified. Public debate will last until the end of September. The strategy is expected to be adopted in the first quarter of 2010.

CEON/CEES will take an active participation in watching public opinion on the strategy, as well as in the process of preparations for strategy adoption in general.

Key messages of this draft are:

• Serbian science, despite improvements over the past few years, is still on an unsustainable path;
• Investing in science and technology is, for Serbia, the only way to create a sustainable economy and society;
• To become relevant in science and technology and become an innovative country, Serbia needs to focus on a few national priorities;
• Implementation of the Strategy through system improvement and partnership, is as important as the Strategy itself;
• Increasing and diversifying R&D expenditure, as well as investing 300 million euros in infrastructure, are preconditions for the success of this strategy; and
• A strict implementation tracking system will be established.

Seven national R&D priorities are proposed:

• Biomedicine and human health;
• New materials and nanosciences;
• Environment protection and climate change;
• Agriculture and food;
• Energy and energy efficiency;
• Information and communication technologies; and
• Improvement of public policy making processes and affirmation of  national identity.

Ministry of Science and Technological Development will organize a number of round tables within public debate, as well as the meetings with representatives of other ministries, SASA, universities, institutes and companies.

Strategy draft is available in English at http://www.nauka.gov.rs/lat/images/stories/vesti/09-06-29/strategy_presentation_3.pdf