16.01.2012.

First generation of students at specialist defense and security studies

The first generation of students of High Security and Defence Studies began their training at the highest level of career development for officers and civil servants at the Military Academy.

On this occasion, Minister Sutanovac expressed his pleasure at being able to address the attendees at today’s ceremony, as this is a crown of the reform of military education in the defense system that has been implemented in the last four years.

- By implementing the reform of education and training in the defense system we have achieved higher education in the formal education system to become part of our country. The Military Academy has accreditation for its bachelor and master studies programs and scientific research, said Sutanovac adding that the universities in Serbia had established a joint study programs in the field of defense technology, thus creating conditions for more rational use of the capacities of the Military Academy and the Faculty of Education of personnel who are to be educated for the purpose of the defense system.

The Minister recalled establishing the University of Defence, with accredited programs in the humanities, social, technical, technological and medical sciences, as well as creating conditions for accreditation of study programs of doctoral studies in these fields.

The novelty is that as of this year, as the Minister pointed out, civilian students will be allowed to pursue defense logistics track, after which a graduate can obtain the title of engineer of logistics engineering, and as announced by the Minister, by next year and receive scheduled and civilian students other accredited degree programs of the Military Academy.

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Establishing this program in security and defense university-level studies, is the central and the highest level of training in the defense system, motivated by the needs of the Republic of Serbia for the promotion of security and defense system. It includes preventive, efficient and interdepartmental access to security and defense tasks in response to new political and security environment, the changing nature of social and security issues and a growing number of political and security challenges - Sutanovac said noting that these studies will enable the participants to find answers to issues of national security and protect national values and interests set out the strategy of national security.

According to him, our country is one of many developed countries which tend to resolve these issues top quality higher education institutions and study programs.

Sutanovac told the attendees that these studies open up new horizons towards professional development, and the ability to play an active and constructive role in security and defense affairs.

- The fact hat we have members of the BIH armed forces in first year proves our vision to make this a regional institution, both in terms of students, and professors who will be included in the curriculum - said Sutanovac.

Speaking of the year behind us, the Minister pointed out that it would be remembered as a year of successful reform in which we have achieved a fully professionalized army, completed the transformation of the pension fund and set up a completely new health fund.

- It will also be remembered as the year of reforming the military educational system in by establishing the University of Defence and the studies that are being launched today- the minister said, expressing gratitude to all those who through their work and efforts have contributed to the success and proved that not everything depends on the amount of investment.

The Minister has sent a special thanks to Norway and the UK for their support to establishing university level security and defense studies. Their experiences, as he pointed out, the built-in programs, and joint work has served as direction showing the path they need to flourish in.

Welcoming the participants, the Head of the College Level Security and Defense Studies colonel Slobodan Joksimovic said that the idea of establishing the grand opening VSBO passed several years and have participated in the development of the project all the organizational units of the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia.

- High Security and Defence Studies is a unique educational institution in the country in which the students improve the work of the so-called Inter-environment, the cooperation of ministries and other institutions in achieving national security strategy. In the next four and a half months they will be not only participants, those who adopt or expand their knowledge and skills that enhance individual skills, they will, individually and as a group, be active participants in the assessment and review of all that the national security system and the system defense and are intended to do - said Colonel Joksimovic.

He pointed out that VSBO collaborate with government, academic and commercial institutions, and teachers at school will be domestic and foreign ministers, state secretaries and heads of General Staff, the most famous professors from home and abroad, experts and public figures engaged in the business of security.

During the ceremony, Chief of the Military Academy, Brigadier General Mladen Vuruna, gave thanks for the support of the organization study the Norwegian Defence Attaché, Colonel Esben Osu and Colonel Thomas Schroeder from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence.

This training which is aimed at producing strategic leaders should be attended by 15 students - five of Serbian Army officers, six Distributor of other ministries and agencies of the Government of Serbia, two representatives of the Serbian Parliament and two officers of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The main objective of security and defense specialist studies will be education and prepares students from Serbia and the region to download high office in the national security.

The focus will be on training students for multidisciplinary analysis of the contemporary security environment, evaluation of long-term political and security trends, development of elements of national security policy and cooperation with other national security systems at regional and global levels.

At the end of the opening ceremony, a representative of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence presented a plaque to Colonel Slobodan Joksimovic, who will be the first in the specialist studies security and defense, as a sign of support and cooperation.

ANSWERS TO REPORTERS’ QUESTIONS

Responding to reporters' questions, Sutanovac said that at this time on clearing up the consequences of natural disasters on the territory of the municipality in Sjenica and municipalities in southern Serbia, the Serbian Army deployed 11 machines and 72 soldiers.

- All mayors and municipal representatives who approach us get the proper help. We expect to send and Bosilegrad officially, but have no knowledge that this was done, but we will certainly help, and the municipality - said the Minister said and stressed that all who sought help received in adequate measure, given that the Army Serbia has limited resources. He pointed out that a large number of funds involved in the Tit which was the worst, but not forgotten either south of our country.

The Defense Minister said that the security system of high state officials and the president of a number of agencies involved, and "Cobra" are, so to speak, the last ring of security.

- VBA and the Military Police, in cooperation with the Serbian Police Force and BIA, have drafted a security plan and analyzed a general security situation making sure it is done professionally - said Sutanovac.