Ivan Vrdoljak: not all politicians are the same so as not all scientists the same

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Zagreb, February 7, 2017 - "There is no living area in which education is not the foundation of progress and because of that education is a permanent topic number one in Croatia. We organized a round table in order to underline the fact that education and science are more important issue than the opening of the archives, more important than military service and energetic and of all other topics that are at the moment top issues of our society," said HNS president and vice-president of Parliament Ivan Vrdoljak on the round table "Education and science - development and possibilites", which was held in Zagreb, in cooperation with the renowned non-party experts, organized by HNS Political Academy.

"As not all politicians are the same, so are not all scientists the same. For me Đikić and Barišić are not the same, for me Jokić and Glunčić are not the same. They are not the same, if nothing else because of their professional standards, as well because of their results that are not the same. Our priority is education and as soon as we get a next chance to participate in the executive branch, we are going to set up that priority through participation in the relevant ministry", said Vrdoljak.

HNS president spoke about the role of politics in the transformation of croatian knowledge into the country of knowledge. He pointed out the need for concrete and practical knowledge for real life, and he rated that most practical and concrete knowledge is how to learn.

"Croatia is too small country in a globalized world so its citizens could live well only of traditional occupations and production processes. When we take that into account, the way is clear - the development of education in the direction of new and advanced technologies, and that primarily means significantly greater investment in researches and development and the opportunity for young people to be involved in the economy through practice and mentoring. Only that, combined with efficient work, can enable us a good life that we all strive to create and to help us build the society in which every individual has an equal chance to tailor their own happiness."

He added that HNS and he personally will do anything that all that passion for learning and knowledge become the main driving force of development. "If it is necessary, in the end we will establish a commission to deal with the future so we could do our best in all the committees that have been established," he said.

Rector of the University of Rijeka Pero Lučin spoke about smart specialization and training of research organizations for the implementation of smart specialization strategies.

"Our wish is to become aware of where we are and what we should do about education. We are talking about this issue because we want a better society, development, higher wages and better jobs, but when it comes to science and education we must open the subject of survival of us as a community. Survival can be ensured only by well educated people at all levels, community and social network that clearly recognizes the national interests. Each project has its price and costs, including the education project. Here it would be about 20 to 30 billion for the next ten years. With this money can be achieved excellent results, but if we want to survive as a community, then we must find it too", said Pero Lučin, Rector of the University of Rijeka on the Academy's round table about education and science.

Research Associate of the Institute for Social Research and a former head of the Expert Working Group for conducing of a comprehensive curriculum reform Boris Jokić said that the fight for education reform is not a struggle or conflict of different political affiliations and different ideologies.

"This is a story that is sold to outside, it is actually a conflict of two aspects - the conflict of progress and backwardness, the vision of the future versus the past. If anything about Croatian needs to be done, it's to do it the republic of the future, not the past", said Jokić. He thanked HNS for constantly putting topics of education in the first row.

About the use of human capacity for development opportunities that need to provide a system of education and science, spoke the president of the Grand Council of the Trade Union for Science and Education Vilim Ribić. "Education is for politics the last hole on the flute, particularly in the programs or HDZ. We have quality people who can not develop their full potential in their own country and it is not a question of whether people are leaving the country, but how many are leaving and never return and how could they progress. Creative wealth is the greatest wealth, the creative man creation is the greatest wealth. Our task is to create conditions for creation in our country but politics is not talking about it at all. There are too many problems, the picture is horrible, the situation in the academic community is poor, there is increased erosion of morals and we have to change it together", said Ribić.

Head of HNS Political Academy Boris Blažeković noted that the theme of education for HNS is in the first place since the foundation of the party. "HNS has put education policy in the first place. This is proven by the fact that HNS is the only party that has its own Political Academy and we are proud of it. In 12 years of existence, HNS Political Academy educated more than 25,000 HNS members but also those who are not members", noted Blažeković recalling that HNS Academy was created on the deep conviction that every elected HNS representative must know how to dispose with money of our citizens.

On HNS Political Academy round table participated the vice rector for studies and students of the University of Rijeka Snježana Prijić Samaržija, who spoke about the internationalization of science and higher education and also Deputy President of the Management Board of the Croatian Science Foundation Dean Ajduković, who gave a presentation about research financing and croatian capacity for retention (attracting) talents.

This was the third round table in a series of thematic round tables by HNS Political Academy after the round table on the role of the European Union held in December and one in November about the role of the Catholic Church in society.