Balkan Science Beat
News about science in South-East Europe by Mićo Tatalović.
Professor Balthazar’s biggest flops: how the cult 1960-70s Yugoslav animation series portrayed failure in science
Galaksija: Representation of science in Yugoslavia’s socialist-era popular science magazine
Trump’s border wall in Europe is already hurting wildlife and – hopefully – our conscience
We Europeans are appalled by Trump’s border wall along the Mexican border, but we have recently allowed many such walls to be built in our along South-East Europe. Read more [...]
What do Croatia’s election results mean for its neglected science?
In the second Croatia’s election in the past year – following the collapse of an inefficient coalition plagued by corruption allegations – they have once again elected no single majority. Read more [...]
Eastern European countries snub neighbours’ science policy
Looking East of an imaginary line going through Berlin and Rome all the way to the Urals creates a broad outline of what Eastern Europe is, in the widest geographical definition. What is striking about this broad region is the number of similarities between different countries, not least in science. And yet it is equally surprising how little these countries exchange good practice. Specifically, scientists and policymakers will talk for hours about problems in their country. But few will have much awareness of how similar problems have been overcome in neighbouring countries. Read more [...]
Study sheds light on Serbia’s research productivity: good output, poor quality
Serbia’s production of research papers listed in Thomson Reuters has boomed since 2006, thanks to a government policy of requiring publication in JCR-listed journals in order for scientists to be promoted and get government funding. Read more [...]
Exclusive: Q&A with Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, president of the ERC, on its work to engage East Europe
The next meeting of the scientific council of the European Research Council (ERC) takes place – for the first time – in Zagreb, Croatia, this month (20-22 October 2014). Mićo Tatalović recently spoke to Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, who took over as president of the ERC in January, about what the ERC can do to improve research in East Europe. Read more [...]
University and Montenegrin government ‘ignored evidence of science minister’s plagiarism’, minister may go
The relevant authorities in Montenegro have ignored evidence of possible plagiarism by the science minister there for up to two years, according to the president of the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, Momir Djurovic. Read more [...]
Science journalism seminar kicks off in Montenegro
[PODGORICA] A small group of local journalists, PR professionals and scientists gathered today in Podgorica, Montenegro for a seminar on science journalism co-organised by UNESCO’s Venice office.
The seminar was part of a bigger event that kicks Read more [...]
Montenegro’s science minister accused of plagiarism
From my post on Retraction Watch: Sanja Vlahovic, science minister of Montenegro, copied two-thirds of a 2010 paper on tourism from previously published work by other academics, according to the national daily newspaper Vijesti.
The newspaper compared Read more [...]
Slovenian to head European Commission’s digital and innovation portfolio?
Slovenia’s Alenka Bratusek may become one of the six key commissioners in president-elect Jean-Claude Juncker’s team, heading the new portfolio on digital and innovation issues, according to an article in EurActiv.com.
Bratusek was the first female Read more [...]