The International Academy of Sciences and Arts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was founded two years ago and brought together top experts in multidisciplinary skills, organized today in Sarajevo the annual assembly and conference on the topic “Sarajevo and the world”, where experts from numerous fields spoke about current topics, including the challenges of artificial intelligence.
President of the International Academy of Sciences and Arts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and academician Asim Kurjak, who today presented a paper on the topic “Can science get us out of the crisis”, told Fena news agency that in these two years it has become clear that it was necessary to establish this academy.
He added that the Board of Directors of the Academy received an invitation from the high representative of the international community in BiH, Christian Schmidt, to discuss how to work and cooperate, which, he says, shows their credibility.
“According to relevant data, we are the strongest intellectual society in BiH with more than half a million citations. This means that half a million people in the world cited the works of our members, and 16 members of the Academy are members of the European Academy, which has never happened here,” underlined Kurjak.
Academician and vice-president of the Academy Žarko Papić underlined that the Academy had about 150 members, but that it was neither national nor uninational, but a multinational and international academy. In two years, two scientific journals “Science and Religion” were published in English in reference international databases.
He adds that the total number of citations by members of this academy in reference journals, which are the exact parameters and criteria for science, is higher than that of all members of other academies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is why Papić emphasizes that it is an exceptionally high-quality scientific institution.
However, he assesses that nobody listens to science in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in support of that claim is the fact that scientific and research work in the gross social product (GDP) of BiH participates with 0.19 percent, which is five times less than it was in 1990.
“The previous Federal Government allocated equal sums, without criteria, to the three academies of sciences. The Academy of Sciences and Arts of BiH is the progenitor of scientific and research work in BiH, but funds were allocated without a program, not to mention national academies,” he explained.
Therefore, according to Papić, the situation is very bad and they are trying to improve it even at today’s conference, and in this regard the academy previously organized a round table with United Nations agencies on the topic of a new concept of development – sustainable development that is humanized and human-oriented. and a society of equal opportunities.
“In this political, conflict or semi-conflict situation, some changes are opening, but we will see if they will really be changes. But science can really be the voice of reason,” says Papić.
