The Ambassador of Mexico opens the International Summer School at University Business Academy
On June 10, 2015, following a series of lectures delivered this academic year by renowned guest speakers, namely the Ambassador of the USA to the Republic of Serbia, the Ambassador of Croatia to the Republic of Serbia and the Ambassador of France to the Republic of Serbia, University Business Academy in Novi Sad hosted yet another remarkable guest lecturer- the Ambassador of Mexico to the Republic of Serbia, His Excellency, José Evaristo Ramón Xilotl Ramírez.
The reason for this exceptional honor of having the Ambassador of Mexico as our guest lecturer was opening of the International Summer School, jointly organized by the University Business Academy and Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad. This year’s International Summer School is currently attended by students of The Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education or: Tecnologico de Monterrey from Mexico. Before the lecture, all attendees were welcomed and greeted by the University Council President, Prof. Marijana Carić, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management, Prof. Dragan Soleša, Ph.D. and Prof. Dejan Mihailović, Ph.D., a professor of FIMEK and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education from Mexico.
On this occasion, Prof. Marijana Carić, Ph.D. said the following: “For many years we have continuously been working on the quality of our education, which also implies its sustainability in terms of new developments in areas of economy, law and management. International cooperation is one of our priorities at this faculty. Today we present to you the project of international cooperation and student exchange in the form of this International Summer School, which made it possible for students from Mexico to visit our university.
Prof. Dragan Soleša, Ph.D. as the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management wished a very warm welcome to His Excellency, the Ambassador of Mexico and Mexican students: “This is how we would like to continue to develop international cooperation and student exchanges and thus start a whole new era in the history of higher education development in the City of Novi Sad and at the same time- in the history of our Faculty”.
The International Summer School at our university was established thanks to the exceptional devotion and work of Dr. Dejan Mihailović, a professor of FIMEK and also the University of Monterrey from Mexico as well as Dr. Dragan Ilić, Assistant Professor and Vice-Dean for International Cooperation at the Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad. Prof. Dejan Mihailović has explained it in his speech that, despite the physical distance, Serbia and Mexico are two extremely similar countries, in terms of historical events both countries have been through, as well as the mentality of people, temperament, hospitality, kindness, food habits, music etc. Furthermore, Dr. Mihailović said: “We do not insist on quantity, but rather wish to make the first step in cooperation and try to expand the scope of this international summer school to joint research projects, guest lectures by professors on both sides, to invite other Mexican professor to deliver lectures here and also to establish cooperation in terms of writing and publishing joint academic papers and various other forms of scientific and academic work.
After these opening speeches, His Excellency, the Ambassador of Mexico, José Evaristo Ramón Xilotl Ramírez greeted all the attendees and expressed his gratefulness for the warm welcome and hospitality of all representatives of FIMEK and University Business Academy. “I am pleasantly surprised by the visit of our students to Serbia, Novi Sad and FIMEK and deeply convinced that alongside with wonderful memories they will also take tremendous knowledge with them once they go back to Mexico. It is always great to be in Novi Sad, thanks to your culture and significance that this town has in Serbia. The best proof of this is the fact that Toluka, a town in my country, wishes to become a twin town with Novi Sad”. Having said that, the Ambassador started a lecture on the historical relationship between Serbia and Mexico, which dates back to the early 20th century. Good diplomatic relations were built through decades and varied depending on the international political climate. The similarities between our two countries could be primarily seen in terms of their neutral positions towards other countries during the bipolar division of power in the world. The establishment of a Mexican Embassy together with the highest level of diplomatic relations represented a token of friendship between our two countries. Fostering cultural bonds through different forms of artistic exhibits contributed to the creation of a solid basis for further cooperation on economic as well as political level.