MY TRAINING MOBILITY IN BELGRADE: Maja Šofranac, University of Montenegro
Maja Šofranac
University of Montenegro
Erasmus+ Mobility for Training at:
University of Arts in Belgrade, International Relations Office
From the beginning of communication and work on the newly established cooperation with the Belgrade University of Arts and the Faculty of Fine Arts, it was clear that this is a friendly and natural cooperation between the two institutions that have many common cultural and historical connections and great opportunities to develop their potential. As the Vice-Dean for International Cooperation of Faculty of Fine Arts in Cetinje, I am aware of the importance of mobility of students and teaching staff for individual personal and professional development, as well as for the internationalization of the institutions.
However, from the very beginning, this cooperation has launched ideas and opportunities for further networking, for work and for the development of joint projects and events. All this was confirmed by my arrival in Belgrade, and the first meeting with Jasmina Milovanović, head of the Office for International Cooperation of the University of Arts and her colleague Ađela Russo. In my always dear moment of the first “Erasmus office welcoming smile”, how I call it trough my experience of visiting Erasmus offices of partners institutions, I felt a deep understanding without words, welcome and great enthusiasm. At the meeting, we discussed numerous segments of future cooperation, including the initiative to launch doctoral art studies at Faculty of Fine Arts Cetinje, where the University of Arts would be a partner in possible capacity building project. The possibilities of organizing a summer school of the University of Arts in Cetinje for the next academic year were also discussed. My special pleasure was the meeting with Professor Jelena Todorović, Vice Dean for International Cooperation of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, who precisely, responsibly and cordially organized my stay, activities and contacts. Through several meetings with Jelena and colleague Stefan Tasić, coordinator for mobility of the Faculty of Fine Arts, the procedures of student and professor mobility were discussed in detail, as well as the experiences of organizing work in the in the field of international cooperation.
Prof. Todorović introduced me to the organization of classes and the spacious capacities of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, as well as to my colleagues Prof. Katarina Zarić from the Graphics Department and Prof. Svetlana Volc from the Painting Department. A successful and pleasant visit to the Graphic Department with a warm welcome and socializing with Prof. Katarina Zaric was a reminder of the common cultural and historical ties of our institutions and the famous Yugoslav artist Milo Milunović, originally from Cetinje, who is one of the founders of Faculty of Fine Arts Belgrade but also first Art school in Montenegro. During this visit, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the organization of teaching, teaching methods and spatial capacities of the Graphic Department. The visit to the Paintingand Sculptoring Department and the pleasant conversation with Prof. Svetlana Volc – the head of Painting study program were especially valuable. Experiences from the organization of teaching, working atmosphere and teaching methods were exchanged, which was especially important to me considering that I myself work at the painting department of Faculty of Fine Arts Cetinje. We also visited the premises of wall painting techniques and had a successful meeting with the professors of Mosaic and Wall Painting – Professor Snežana Jovčić – Olđa, Prof. Goran Jović and Zoran Graovac, with whom we exchanged experiences in the mentioned field.
The visit to the Belgrade University of Arts and the Faculty of Fine Arts was a meaningful and valuable experience with great potential for further cooperation. After truly enjoinment in Belgrade and the grate impressions I have and inspired by the good and quality organization of these institutions, and especially the welcome by colleagues, I am looking forward to work further to develop this cooperation.
