Rector of the University of Montenegro Hosted Representative of UC Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator
Rector of the University of Montenegro, Vladimir Božović, PhD, met with Mr. George Panagiotakopoulos, Director for European and Global Expansion of the SkyDeck accelerator at the University of California, UC Berkeley. Topic of the conversation was to explore possibilities of cooperation between the University of Montenegro and one of the most prominent university start-up accelerators in the world.
The meeting was also attended by Radoje Drobnjak, Program Activities Manager at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, Dr. Srna Sudar, Director of the Technology Transfer Office at the STP, and Dr. Marina Banović, Rector’s Advisor for Economic and Financial Affairs.
Rector Božović pointed out that the University of Montenegro, like universities around the world, is facing the rapid development of artificial intelligence, which will certainly impact formal education in the coming period.
“Our goal today is not only to educate, but to encourage students to create opportunities — for themselves, for society, and for the future. The University of Montenegro, thanks to its size, can quickly adapt, experiment and develop. We also have strong scientific potential that can make a concrete contribution to the development of Montenegro and beyond,” Rector Božović emphasized.
He also reminded that the University of Montenegro is the only university outside the European Union that is a member of the European Ulysseus alliance, which opens doors for cooperation with prestigious international partners — through double degrees, joint courses and micro-credentials, programs that quickly deliver concrete and recognized knowledge, increasingly sought after both in academia and on the labour market.
Mr. Panagiotakopoulos believes that educational program should be employment-oriented, including contacts with industry, internships, and even certificates that come directly from companies. A small country, in his opinion, means flexibility, faster decision-making, and more room for testing. Montenegro, he believes, can position itself as a pilot market for testing new technologies, educational models, and start-up programs — especially those that are difficult to implement in the EU or the US due to regulatory barriers.
Citing examples from personal experience, he advises not to wait for formal approval for every new idea. Instead, one should take a small step, test it in practice, and only then involve institutions — act first, then formalize the cooperation. This, he believes, is the best way to gain support from prestigious international and global companies.
During the meeting, initiatives related to innovation, support for start-ups, international knowledge exchange, and the inclusion of young Montenegrin entrepreneurs in global flows were discussed. The need for stronger integration of the University’s research resources was emphasized with the market through activities to be carried out within the STP, thereby linking knowledge and innovation more directly with the economy.