18.03.2009.

MA marks its Day

On occasion of 18 March-The Day of the Military Academy, a ceremony was held today which was attended by the Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac, and Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic.

On that occasion, Minister Sutanovac stressed that when we speak oh Serbia as a modern country, with a democratically ordered society with a capacity to find itself in the union of European peoples is not feasible without a modern army as a pillar of all modern states.

We cannot have a modern army without a modern military education which educates officers ready for the challenges of XXI century we initiated the reform of military education which is coming to a close.

Minister Sutanovac said that the Military Academy was a recognizable national institution of higher education which has been educating top quality military personnel for 159 years now from youths in the Military Grammar School to the top-level education in GS College and graduate scientific studies.

He pointed out that in the last year or so the Military Academy has set its priorities in terms of reform of the military education system and integration of the Military Academy into the system of university level institutions, by modernizing the curriculum, improving the cooperation with military educational institutions of other armies and countries, by increasing the number of members of the foreign armies who are attending studies at the Military Academy.

Another set of these priorities includes raising the reputation of the military profession and by raising the interest of the young into the military academy.

- It is my pleasure to say that we have managed to fulfil our goals in large part, stressed the Minister of Defense.

In his address, the minister stated that there was an even greater need to make another big step forward and to turn the Military Academy, the Military Medical Academy and other military institutes into a military university. They would represent a basis for the development of a modern and permanent system of good quality which would grow into a regional educational centre for the advancement of military professionals.
Adding that last year cooperation with military schools has significantly been improved, the minister mentioned that there were currently 17 students from Serbia, 6 of whom are in Italy, 8 in Greece, 3 in USA. 12 visits of our cadets to foreign countries have been organized, where 46 members have been attending studies abroad, 17 of whom are on military academies, 18 in Command Staff Colleges and 11 in GS College studies.

-We take great pride in the number of students, who are being educated abroad and we are proud to announce that MA has finally returned to the international scene with the various courses, studies and advancements which has so far been attended by 120 foreign students especially from the Algiers, Iraq, BiH, Montenegro and China.

That SAF has finally restored its repute can be seen in the fact that the number of interested youth has significantly increased. It has increased ten times year-on-year and three times in comparison to 2007.

AS part of the reform we are conducting, the girl have also been allowed to enrol into the Military Academy. we have had 65 female applicants while 107 girls applied in 2008 where only 30 girls were admitted. Some 40 % of students got excellent marks, and 10 % were valedictorians.

-The results achieved last year show that MA has potential to realized its set goals, and I am convinced that the academy will soon turn into a regional centre for educating military personnel thus incorporating it into the educational system of the Republic of Serbia.

The Head of the Military Academy Major General Vidosav Kovacevic pointed out that several hundred senior officers had learned English, French, Italian, Russian, German and Greek. Four generations of to athletes had been admitted, which are permitted by MoD to participate home and abroad. All curricula have been reorganized and all requirements of the accreditation committee have been submitted. This accreditation will significantly change the place and the role of the Military Academy.

New holders of PhD diplomas and MSc were promoted today as well. Diplomas were awarded to Lt. Col. Miroslav Talijan, Major Slavko Muzdeka, Major Ivan Pokrajac, Colonel Zoran Rajic and Lt. Col. Stevan Radojcic while Lt. Col. Miomir Damjanic, Major Miroslav Terzic and Lt. Col. Veljko Petrovic along with Major Djordje Kapanj were awarded MSc diplomas.

This is an opportunity to recall what our country and army are and to recall the ways how we can promote both one and the other. I am looking forward to seeing that the system of military education has slowly becoming part of the civilian education once you get the accreditation. Education is invaluable for Serbia, and it represents its most valuable resource. I greatly appreciate the work of the Military Academy and I want SAF to get the treatment it deserves. In order to do so, we have to promote it on every occasion, said the Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic.

The ceremony was also attended by State Secretaries, Deputy Chief of the SAF GS Chief LTG Mladen Cirkovic with his co-workers, the Deans of the Belgrade and Nis Universities, clerics of the Serbian Orthodox Church and other guests.