1. Excellent university for the researchers
2nd Steering Committee Meeting 2nd Quality Assurance Committee Meeting   Project Title: Enhancement of HE research potential contributing to further growth of the WB region   Project acronym:
Recent and following activities within the WP2:
Excellent university for the researchers
Prof. Dr. Pavle Sekeruš and Vesna Mašulović
University of Novi Sad
6-7 November 2017, University of Sarajevo

2. Act. 2.4: HRS4R created and adopted at partner universities
Realized activities within the WP2: Excellent university for the researchers WP2 leader: University of Novi Sad
Act. 2.2: Training of WBC administrative staff with respect to research services – realized at UNS
Act. 2.3: Seminar on HRS4R for university managements – realized at UBG
Act. 2.4: HRS4R created and adopted at partner universities
HR logo awarded to UKG, UES and UNS

3. Act. 2.8.1: Training of ethical committees - realized at UKG
Realized activities within the WP2: Excellent university for the researchers WP2 leader: University of Novi Sad
Act. 2.5: Training trainers by EU partners – realized at Coventry, Belgrade, Liege and Torino
Act. 2.7: Plagiarism monitoring tools implemented at UNI, UKG, UBG and UNS
Act : Training of ethical committees - realized at UKG

4. Develop a research strategy with common minimal principles.
ACTIVITIES TO BE DONE! Act Reinforcing university centres and offices by creating and adopting relevant bylaws Task leader: University of East Sarajevo
The University of East Sarajevo analyzed all WB Universities reports and made the following recommendations:
Develop a research strategy with common minimal principles.
Develop all relevant documents and bylaws regulating research using existing good regional and European practices.
Regulate the role of research centers and institutes using existing good regional and European practices.
The University of Novi Sad reinforced the University Center for carrier development engaging one person responsible for students with disabilities. The same person, with another colleague from the same Center is nominated to follow the activities of the EURAXESS initiative on behalf of the University of Novi Sad.

5. Revise the procedures for academic promotions.
Act Revising and improving university bylaws regulating academic promotion procedures Task leader: University of Sarajevo
The University of Sarajevo designed a common template for evaluation reports and suggested the following:
Revise the procedures for academic promotions.
Create detailed criteria for academic promotion based on scientific areas and titles.
Develop common template for reporting on academic promotion.
Make all the relevant documents available at the university web-site.
The University of Novi Sad created and adopted the Bylaw on minimal requirements for promotion to a research-teaching position at the University of Novi Sad in December 2016.
UNS Vice-rector for Research presented a Report of the Working Group for Determining the Competencies of the Professional Boards of the University Senate on the Senate meeting held in September 2017.

6. Define clearly ethical principles and issues.
Act Enhancing of ethical committees through legislative improvements and trainings Task leader: University of Vlora and University of Kragujevac
2.8.2 The University of Vlora analyzed all WB Universities reports and made the following recommendations:
Define clearly ethical principles and issues.
Revise the composition of the ethics committees.
Define clearly procedures for ethical assessment.
Draw a clear-cut distinction between the role, scope, tasks and responsibilities of ethics committees and those of scientific integrity boards.
Facilitate the work of the ethics committees through proper legal, institutional and technical instruments.

7. Act Enhancing of ethical committees through legislative improvements and trainings Task leader: University of Vlora and University of Kragujevac
Improve and enhance the efficiency of the work of the Ethical committees.
Analyze periodically legal and ethical norms and standards of research.
Define the model for the transformation of the Court of Honor to the Ethics Committee.
Analyze viability and possibility for introducing the Ombudsman in order to protect rights of researchers at the university level.
Adopt the principles of establishing disciplinary liability in cases of violations of the Code of Ethics, plagiarism, infringement of intellectual property rights etc.

8. Define actions that indicate a violation of professional ethics.
Act Enhancing of ethical committees through legislative improvements and trainings Task leader: University of Vlora and University of Kragujevac
Define actions that indicate a violation of professional ethics.
Refine the procedures under which the Committee for ethical issues gives its recommendations.
Delineate the cases of disciplinary proceedings from the cases in which the procedure is conducted by the Ethical Committee.
The University of Novi Sad adopted a new Code of academic integrity in March In the same month the University of Novi Sad adopted a Bylaw on the procedure for determining violation of the Code of academic integrity.

9. Engage the government in the process.
Act.2.9. Establishing links with scientific diaspora by creating and updating databases Task leader: University of Tirana
The University of Tirana analyzed all WB Universities reports and made the following recommendations:
Universities lacking the alumni database need to create more permanent structures and a list of databases of academics living and working abroad who are willing to come to their home country and contribute to the Institutions of Higher Education.
Having established the database, all WB universities need to implement a Diaspora strategy.
Engage the government in the process.
One Diaspora strategy cannot fit all the countries.
While many governments acknowledge the importance of Diaspora engagement, many still lack the capacity to design and implement effective policies on a meaningful scale.

10. Act.2.9. Establishing links with scientific Diaspora by creating and updating databases Task leader: University of Tirana
Regarding the cooperation with scientific Diaspora the University of Novi Sad realised the following activities:
At the official ceremony marking the Day of the University of Novi Sad held on 28th June 2017 at the Amphitheatre of the Central University Building, an honorary doctorate was conferred to Prof. Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novaković, Full Professor at Columbia University in New York and one of the world leaders in the field of tissue engineering. On thаt occasion, Rector of the University of Novi Sad Prof. Dr. Dušan Nikolić awarded Prof. Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novaković an honorary doctorate diploma of the University and a University medallion. 
Moreover, thanks to two students of the University of Novi Sad who are actually professors at the Donghua University in Shanghai, China, the fourth international conference of universities from China and Central and Eastern European Countries was held on September 22, 2017 at the Central University Building. The Conference has gathered the highest number of representatives from 80 leading universities from China and 16 European countries.