Young innovators from Sarajevo as ambassadors of innovation and success of BiH

Their innovations, energy and ideas represent the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Innovations have the potential to create new jobs and contribute to economic growth, and [&he...

Their innovations, energy and ideas represent the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Innovations have the potential to create new jobs and contribute to economic growth, and the inventions and standards of young innovators from the Sarajevo High School of Electrical Engineering contribute to the creation of a better future. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich tradition of electrical engineering and entrepreneurial young people help ensure better cooperation and utilisation of available EU funds, and bring the country closer to European standards and the spirit of social involvement of youth.

“This school represents a good opportunity for everyone who wants to build a career in engineering, since electrical engineering is one of the highest paying jobs in our country and it is certain that our students will find employment after graduation. On the other hand, electrical engineers are not all that present in the labour market, in particular those who continue with training and education. Furthermore, by graduating from this school, you can very easily find employment in the country and abroad as well,” says Edita Mujezin, a student from the High School of Electrical Engineering.

It is encouraging that more young people are showing an interest in a career in electrical engineering. “Some time ago, we had only one girl in class. There were twenty five girls in my generation, and there are more enrolling with every new generation. The stereotype is that this is a school for boys and girls think they won’t fit in, but actually the boys are really taking good care of the girls,” says the young innovator.

The students’ innovations and inventions are bringing them international recognition and awards, proving that despite limited possibilities and support for research, BiH youth can, want and know how to be successful. The European Union has recognised the need and significance of supporting young and successful people across Bosnia and Herzegovina and, accordingly, within the project “Support to Local Employment Partnerships”, the Centre for Innovations and Entrepreneurship was founded in the High School of Electrical Engineering. The Centre aims to support the development of innovations and entrepreneurship in the IT sector for youth, by providing them with a fully equipped laboratory to create and develop their ideas that were awarded with gold medals at various international conferences and competitions.

Admir Akšamović, professor of theoretical and practical laboratory work, who is a mentor of young bright minds, stresses that he is very proud of their achievements. Their desire and enthusiasm motivate the professor to continually improve his teaching methods in order to provide the students with the latest and most quality education. “This school is one of the partners on projects funded by the European Union, in order to support employment in local communities. We have participated and were able to develop a very impressive and efficient laboratory, equipped for both software and hardware development. The students have an opportunity to develop their ideas, and to create and implement their projects. They have shown their capacities on both the state and international levels, having received the highest accomplishments and praise,” remarked professor Akšamović.

The connection between formal and practical education is necessary to prepare students for the real needs of the labour market and prepare them for its challenges. “In the Centre, our students have an opportunity to put theory to the test. The school’s management has supported them completely, and this Centre has enabled them to realise all of their inventions. We hope that we will be able to help them to commercialise their inventions,” said professor Akšamović.

“With everything we do, we aim to automate everyday activities and develop better solutions for our everyday needs. This year we developed a robot called Agrobot, which aims to support farmers in their activities. We also developed the Pothole Filler that repairs roads. The robot is controlled via an application and it can fill sand or cement into holes in the road. We also developed automated doors that can be locked with an application. Another one of our inventions is a detector of contaminated or explosive devices. It is used as a sensor and set at a certain level of resistance so it can trace substances. In case it recognises a substance, it sends notifications and alerts to the application,” says Dževada Hatkić Aljović third grade student.

An increasing number of young people choose careers in the IT sector and in the sectors of automation and telecommunications. By enabling students to take their ideas to the next level, the school and the professors aim to support their ideas, offer them an opportunity to realise their ideas and prepare them for the labour market. “Our enrolment policies dictate our enrolment limits. That limit enables us to enrol hardworking and quality students. After graduation, students usually tend to enrol at technical faculties, most often the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. Those who decide against faculty find their place in the private sector and utilise the knowledge they gained at this school. As far as I know, all of our students are active, they have either continued with faculty education or have been employed immediately after graduation,” says professor Akšamović.

Opportunities for research and innovations support the development of scientific excellence. The Opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership application published by the European Commission underlines that development of opportunities for research and innovations help develop a sustainable economy and expert community, crucial for the development and growth of the country. Educational institutions such as the High School of Electrical Engineering and research centres help improve youth expertise and support the realisation of their ideas by providing mentorship and a space for work and development.