10.11.2008 is our first birthday…
with some picture and words about first year!

On the solemnity held in Hotel International in Zenica, the acknowledgment and money prizes are handed to the competitors for best business idea in the competition leaded by Business Start-up Centre Zenica, and its head MSc Nino Serdarević, in previous couple of months. The ceremony was attended by Mayor of Zenica, Mr Husejin Smajlović, and the prime minister of Zenica - Doboj Canton Mr Miralem Galijašević, who addressed to the audience with an appropriate speech. Mr Husejin Smajlović and Mr Miralem Galijašević handed the awards to competitors with best business plans. As the best business plan was announced the plan of Miss Emina Talić, the graduated from UNZE. Along with her, next 20 competitors have got the right to use a paid registration and voucher for consultation services, each 2.500 € worth. Besides, 5 competitors gained a paid registration, the voucher and the possibility to use a micro – loan, and 5 best business plans gained a paid registration, voucher and a space in the business incubator BIZ. On this solemnity, UNZE has obtained too an appropriate recognition for entire help to BSC Zenica in realizing this and others programmes, and special reward is accorded to Vice - rector prof. DSc Darko Petković.

The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of UNZE was the organizer of a study visit to technological parks of Slovenia and Spain for the representatives of Ministry of Craft, Development and Entrepreneurship of B&H Federation, the Cluster of B&H Plastics Gračanica and TP Mostar (in course of establishment). During several days stay, the representatives from B&H have an opportunity to see the way of work and potentials of technological park and the city of N. Gorica, Slovenia, as well as Scientific Park Barcelona, TP Barcelona, Agro – technological Park of Lied, TP Valles, ASSCAM Cluster of Plastics, and then finally TP Girona and the city of Girona.

This visit was an excellent occasion that the representatives of B&H get acknowledged with the way of work of respectable technological parks, as well as of those already developing, and then to create some suppositions for further development in European and Bilateral projects. Complete professional organization of expert part of this visit in the name of Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship was leaded by prof. DSc Darko Petković.

CIP and Rector's Office of the University of Zenica were the hosts to Mr Nori Ian from Japanese Ministry of Economy, who talked with Vice – rector for Science, Research and International Cooperation, prof. DSc Darko Petković about projects of interest for development of SME-s and Entrepreneurship in the region. Prof. Petković get the guest acquainted with important courses for entrepreneurship's development, which are studied at the faculties of UNZE, and he has informed him about PDS in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, founding the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre, as well as about the participation of UNZE in projects of development of the Business Zones in Zenica and Vitez, and then about the Technological Park Zenica. In the name of Zenica – Doboj Canton, economy situation is presented by Mr Amir Abazović, and in the name of Zenica City Mr Suad Dizdarević spoke about the importance of Business Zone Zenica 1, the Incubator, ZEDA and other elements for stimulation the entrepreneurship. After these talks, the hosts have shown to the guest Business Zone Zenica 1, the building cite of Technological Park, and then new Plants of CIMOS Enterprise.

In the afternoon hours, prof. Petković have visited with Japanese guest and the Secretary of Federal Ministry of Craft, Development and Entrepreneurship, Mr Jozo Bejić, Business Zone of Vitez, Production Plants of Enterprises Economic and ECOS, and the building cite of new Franchise Centre of Economic Company. By a long talk with the hosts, Mr Alen Lisica, and later with Mr Anton Rajković and their collaborators, the theme was about the way of PC 96 development, the Trade Days of B&H, the production intentions of companies from Business Zone, and other important elements for entrepreneurship development.

In reading room of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, on April 11, 2008, solemn handing the Certificates to graduates of the course Training for Work on CNC Machines and New Production Forms, which was organized by University of Zenica as a form of lifelong learning. Namely, in a partnership with Regional Developing Agency (REZ) Zenica and Federal Ministry of Handcraft, Development and Entrepreneurship, the team of Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Laboratory for Technologies and Design in Wood Processing Industry as a part of future Centre for Excellence in Wood Processing Industry. The course lasted two months and has covered the themes of importance for wood processing sector as: productin development. Technology processes optimisation, coloures and gloes, surface protection, mechanical properties of wood, modern CAD technologies and an ergonomic approach, programming basis and developed programming on CNC machines. The course was frequented by 26 persons from small – middle enterprises, as well as from big systems of whole region (Zavidovići, Zenica, Vitez, Uskoplje, Tešanj and so on) and the lecturers were more than 15 experts for different fields. At the solemnity were present, besides the hosts Rector Prof. Dr S.Ekinovića, Vice rector Prof.Dr Darko Petković and the dean of MF Prof. Dr Dušan Vukojević, the prime minister of ZDK Mr Miralem Galijašević, then the Federal Minister of Handcraft, Development and Entrepreneurship of the B&H Federation Government Mr. Velimir Kunić, who handed the certificates to the graduates about successfully ended course with 3 gained ECTS points.

The guests of University of Zenica (UNZE) on April 11, 2008, were the members of delegation of the Federal Ministry of Handcraft, Development and Entrepreneurship, Minister Mr Velimir Kunić and the Secretary Mr Jozo Bejić. After seeing the laboratory of Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the talks were continued in Rector’s Office of UNZE. The Rector, Full Professor Sabahudin Ekinović, get Minister Kunić acquainted with the development and growth of UNZE by now. Special talks were about the cooperation by now with this Ministry and about the participation of UNZE in Ministry concourses. Minister Kunić enhanced that UNZE is a most active member of B&H Academic Community, as far as his Ministry is in question, , and he expressed a wish to continue and broaden this cooperation. Special talks were about the project Technological Park Zenica, in which, besides UNZE, take part the City of Zenica, REZ and other partners, and enhanced was the importance of most urgent and coordinated approach to the Federal Ministry of Handcraft, Development and Entrepreneurship. Directresses of REZ (Regional Development Agency) Mrs Amela Malićbegović was present too at the meeting in UNZE Rector’s Office. For minister Kunic CIP UNZE was also presented.

In the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Laboratory for Technologies and Design in wood processing industry, final examine was organized and handing the certificates to attendants of second course "Training for the work on CNC machines and new production forms", which was organized as action of lifelong learning by Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the University of Zenica. Namely, in a partnership with Zenica's Regional Development Agency (REZ) and US AID, this course was based on 30 hours of teaching in laboratory and 30 hours of independent work with in total 2 ECTS points. The course was attended by 10 persons from neighbouring Small - Middle Enterprises, as well as from the systems from a broader region (Zavidovići, Zenica, Vitez, Jajce, Hadžići, and others). The certificates were handed to course attendants by Vice-Rector of the University of Zenica, Professor Darko Petković, DSc, who leaded the course, together with Mr Ismar Alagic from REZ.

In the period September 22-24, 2008, in hotel "Zenica", the training seminar "EU Project Development & Funding Opportunities" was held, which used to serve as a preparation for training the key actors in application procedures to EU programmes, projects and funds. The representatives of BSC centre from Zenica, Bitola, Kragujevac and Bar, and representatives of academic and governmental institutions have taken part at the seminar. The University of Zenica also participated in this seminar, both by engagement of the personnel in training and by organization activities through the work of UNZE Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at this project. Complete organisation of this happening in Zenica was leaded by young and ambitious BSC Zenica team, headed by MSc Nino Serdarević.
 

Promotion was held of books edited by the University of Zenica (CIP Centre and Faculty of Economics) and Business Start-up Centre Zenica, under the title "Meeting of Science and Praxis", In Conference Hall of the Fair ZEPS 2008 (www.zeps.com/v2) on Tuesday, October 7, 2008, beginning at 4 p.m. . In this occasion was promoted following books:   
Quality in Higher Education: Challenges and Hesitations
authors: prof.Dr Darko Petkovic and MSc. Ibrahim Plancic
promoter: academic prof.Dr Boris Tihi
Proceedings of Works on Entrepreneurship from the conference Zenica BDC 2008
Editor: prof.Dr Darko Petković
promoter: Minister Velimir Kunić, Federal ministry of hand craft, entrepreneurship and development
Proceedings of Works from Students' Conference Techno-Educa 2008
Editor: Prof.Dr Darko Petković
promoter: Prof.Dr Dževad Zečić, Dean of Faculty of Economics
Proceedings of Works from International Conference TMT 2008, Istanbul, August 2008
Editor: J.Vivancos, S.Yalcin, S.Ekinović
promoter: Prof.Dr Sabahudin Ekinovic

University of Zenica, represented by Centre of Innovation and his director prof. DSc Darko Petković, was participant of international conference  "Advancing Innovation in ECA 2008: Role of Business Incubators in Innovation Development in Small and Medium Sized Towns-International Conference and Workshop" organized and held by Ministry of Development of Russian Federation, by Tambov Region, World Bank, State Universities Tambov and Lomonosov-Moscow, then by the Net of Incubators and Technological Parks JIEiA (www.ecabit.org). During three days lasting work of conference, there were talks about the development of entrepreneurship, technological parks, business incubators and other forms of entrepreneurship development, out of South Eastern Europe and Asia Countries megalopolis (JIEiA). As the representative of B&H at this conference, professor Petković presented actual level of the B&H Business Infrastructure development, with special enhancement on planned development of Technological Parks in B&H cities Mostar and Zenica. During the conference, by video-link, at this conference present were the representatives of World Bank from Washington, of the Direction CeBIT from Romania and others, but especially noted was introduction exposé of UN ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe... www.unece.org) representative from Geneve, Mr Ralph Heinrich (www.uncec.org). The conference was attended by the representatives of more than 20 countries JIEiA (Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Byelorussia, Armenia, Kirgizia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and others), then the representatives of Switzerland, Germany, America, France and other countries.