Interview with Dean Saša Mujović, PhD, for the Paper of Electric Power Company of Montenegro
Under the roof of a reputable and prestigious institution – The Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Montenegro (EEF UMNE) generations of engineers are educated who build their knowledge into grounds and development of electric energy system of Montenegro. Hundreds of engineers, internationally recognized experts, gave and invested their knowledge into progress and construction of Electric Power Company of Montenegro as a greatest state companies that is in a big investment venture today. New projects seek for new experts, engineers, and people who will manage and handle them. Currently, at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering there are about 2000 students, as basis for prosperity of future profession, as reminded in the interview by Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Saša Mujović, PhD.
EPCMNE: How would you estimate work of EEF in a previous period?
Dean Mujović: The Faculty of Electrical Engineering responded to challenges profiled by electrification process of SFRY contributed by our former, prominent professors, though establishing internet connections with the world in war consumed 90s of the last century, developing curricula suitable for keeping up dramatically fast changes especially in the field of information and communication technologies until today endeavors to keep up with energetic transition and some newly applicable postulates of modern electric energetic systems. We educated a great number of electric engineers, out of whom many have made their respective careers, or, currently, govern most important electric energy facilities and IT companies. Currently, on the Faculty of Electrical Engineering there are about 2000 students, who are fundamental for prosperity of our profession in future. If you add high quality of science and research work of teachers and associates of the Faculty, recognition and appreciation in international frames, there is reason more for our happiness and confirmation that our mission is implemented successfully. Even though we are satisfied with the implemented there is no time for sleepiness. Therefore, it is challenging to be part of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering fighting to make a minimum step forward. Simply, it is a privilege to work with electrical engineering, but only a new day and new things to conquer.
EPCMNE Paper: Do you work on improving conditions for working on the Faculty and what is the positon of a student?
Dean Mujović: Absolutely, our need and obligation to both current students and generations who devotedly built the Faculty. We have to continue with string of success they had started, we have to follow development of electrical engineering, keep up with modern science and education trends, and listen to voice of students-their needs and drive not to be inferior compared to their colleagues from region. We witness unbeneficial economic situation in Montenegro. Needs and requests are many, incomes are scarce, so coming to the position of a Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, and I faced with limited budget covering payments of employees.
EPCMNE Paper: In such conditions, how to make development strategy?
Dean Mujović: Almost helpless situation. I realized that my only way out may be to alert energy and emotions of alumni of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, or all of us who had been cruelly educated by the Faculty, which we love as such feeling that we owe for successes achieved after graduating and leaving its benches. The wheel has started rolling and in four years of Dean’s mandate, we have collected about 600 thousand euros of donations, with which we have renovated all amphitheaters and computer halls bringing them to the level to be representative. We conduct action of equipping and establishing new laboratories, so proudly I can say that our students have exquisite working conditions and opportunity to develop their potential in the most optimal way.
EPCMNE Paper: Have science research activities, projects been implemented as planned?
Dean Mujović: After great problems we had in corona virus, when projects almost ceased, and a big part of science and research activities as well, when the main idea was to survive and maintain regularity of teaching process, we go back to routine. We are partners again and carriers of numerous projects, we travel again, we participate in conferences, we transfer our and acquire new knowledge and experiences. Our projects are also our intentions to introduce new study programs, so we work intensively on introducing program of Information Safety and master of study programs of the Advanced Electric energy network.
EPCMNE Paper: A long cooperation between EEF and EPCMNE continues, how much does support and assistance given by state electric energy company mean to you?
Dean Mujović: Electric Power Company of Montenegro is one of the founder of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. Therefore, EPCMNE is much more than just a commercial partner. There is no more natural connection and cooperation than the one with EPCMNE and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. Each our mistake in education of students has direct implications to quality of staff employed in the Power Company of Montenegro and achieved business results. Again, possible lack of support and understanding by EPCMNE deprives our students and the Faculty of necessary financial aid, organizing expert visits and practice. Therefore, we are connected, we cannot function without each other, and I am proud to say that this is the same thinking of management of EPCMNE, led by Milutin Đukanović and Nikola Rovčanin. Our mutual understanding is exquisite and every my addressing or requirement are immediately accepted and processed. It is suffice to mention that by the end of February of a current year, we opened renovated laboratory for basics of electrical engineering, equipped by donation by EPCMNE, we have received additional 50 000 EUR for establishment of a completely new laboratory for renewable energy sources, that we are involved in all important project and development activities of EPCMNE, that we are encouraged to think about establishing a special scientific institute that would be financed by the Electric Power Company of Montenegro, and where almost all EEF graduates could find a job. Therefore, the cooperation between our two institutions is exemplary and I will personally do everything to keep it that way. The joint action of science and business is the only way to develop.
EPCMNE Paper: How do adapt to new trends?
Dean Mujović: I fully agree and your statement is well founded. By answering previous question, you can conclude that without a strong and high-quality Faculty of Electrical Engineering, there is no strong Electric Industry of Montenegro, and therefore no prosperity for Montenegro. We, from the academic community, are aware that our science has to be applied, it has to serve economy and overall social development. That is why we are changing, modernizing the teaching, a practical component of knowledge is in focus. Of course, its all a process, it lasts and it doesnt change overnight. There is room for progress, which was unequivocally demonstrated by EPCMNE activity in implementation of solar panels and better utilization of solar energy in Montenegro. We lack certain professional knowledge, but we know what we have to do and what our final goal is. Finally, during the reaccreditation of EECMNE study programs, EECMNE experts were involved in order to give their opinion to improve the curricula.
EPCMNE Paper: What are expectations in this year and what are the plans of EEF?
Dekan Mujović: Not wanting to lose its acquired reputation and therefore our plans have to be ambitious and developmental. We continue equipping laboratories. We lack a quality laboratory for electrical measurements and, above all, a laboratory for high voltage technology. It is inadmissible to produce engineers who will work in high voltage plants, without having had the opportunity to work in such (laboratory) conditions during their studies. I stated that we are working on introducing new study programs, and the plan is that in the near future part of the teaching process will be implemented in English. Lifelong learning programs are also current, and there we can achieve additional cooperation with the Electric Power Company of Montenegro.