About the Institute
Establishment of the Genetic Resources Institute of the University of Banja Luka
How it all began
The initiative for the establishment of the Genetic Resources Institute as an organizational unit of the University of Banja Luka was supported by the Faculty of Agriculture (Decision No. 0101-4727-13-10/08 of 11 November 2008), the Faculty of Science (Decision No. 2142/8 of 28 November 2008) and the Faculty of Forestry (Decision No.1861/8 of 10 December 2008).
The feasibility study on the establishment of the Genetic Resources Institute as an organizational unit of the University of Banja Luka was accepted by the Senate of the University of Banja Luka at its 15th session held on 25 December 2008 (Decision No. 05-5118-XV-4/08) and it was forwarded to the Management Board of the University for further procedure. At the same session, the Founding Committee was formed with the task to identify preparatory activities for the commencement of the Institute. The members of the Committee were: Prof Gordana Đurić (PhD), Prof Živojin Erić (PhD), Prof Nikola Mićić (PhD), Prof Nada Šumatić (PhD), Assistant Professor Zoran Govedar (PhD) and Assistant Professor Goran Trbić (PhD).
At its 9th session held on 30 January 2009, the Management Board of the University adopted the Decision to accept the feasibility study on the establishment of the Genetic Resources Institute as an organizational unity of the University of Banja Luka (Decision No. 05-232-IX-317/09) and the Decision on establishment of the organizational unit, i.e. the Genetic Resources Institute (Decision No.05-232-IX-3б/09)
According to the Decision on establishment, the land and buildings on the site of the Botanical Garden of the University were given for use to the Institute. On the basis of the same Decision, the Institute was entrusted with the role of coordinating institution in the implementation of the Programme for Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in the Republic of Srpska, in accordance with the guidelines of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska.
Pursuant to the said Decision, the Provisional Scientific Council was formed with the task to prepare the documents required for the registration and beginning of the operations. The members of the Council were the same members of the Founding Committee.
An operating permit was granted to the Institute by the Decision of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Srpska and the Institute was entered into the Register of the Scientific Research Institutions on 24 February 2009 (Decision No. 19/6-040/050/-3/09).
On the basis of the Decision No. 15-01966/109 of 25 March 2009, Nikola Mićić, a full professor at the University of Banja Luka, was appointed by the Rector as the first Director of the Genetic Resources Institute.
Pursuant to the Decision of the Basic Court in Banja Luka of 11 September 2009, the Genetic Resources Institute was entered into the Court Register as an organizational unit of the University in Banja Luka (Registration File No. 1-611-17 Banja Luka).
The Genetic Resources Institute has been entered into the Register of the Tax Administration of the Ministry of Finance (JIB 4401017720154) as well as the Register of Agricultural Holdings of the Agency for Mediation, Information and Financial services in Banja Luka (Registration Number RVPG 10023404045).
The Genetic Resources Institute consists of two organizational sub-units:
1. Centre for Biodiversity
2. Centre for Sustainable Use of Genetic Resources
The Centre for Biodiversity is in charge of the activities directed towards basic and applied researches, while the Centre for Sustainable Use of Genetic Resources is responsible for the activities directed towards technological progress, innovation, regional and the overall socio-economic sustainable development and the application of scientific and professional results in the practice. As a part of the Centre for Biodiversity there is the Plant Gene Bank of the Republic of Srpska.
1 The Institute was established in accordance with the Guidelines provided in the Programme for Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in the Republic of Srpska, adopted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska (Decision No. 01-936⁄09 dated 10 June 2008, Official Gazette of the Republic of Srpska, No.59/08). Having adopted the Programme, the Republic of Srpska fulfilled one of the imperative obligations –a legal framework for preservation of biodiversity of cultivated plants, which is also a moral obligation of our generation towards the future generations. This document identifies the establishment of the Genetic Resources Institute as an organizational unit of the University in Banja Luka, a professional unit for the coordination of the Programe implementation and all other actions in the field of conservation of plant genetic resources.
