DNCT Student Network Survey Results
General Information on student academic profiles, time spent in the US, and year when they left Serbia. Equal number of students (8) left Serbia in the period from 2000-2005 and before year 2000. Only 2 students came to the US after 2005. 10 students pursue their MA, and 8 pursue PhD. Most of the students lived between 1-7 years in the US. Student academic interests are dispersed among the range of disciplines, international relations, engineering, and arts and humanities being the most popular.
Most of the DNCT students keep private contact with Serbia: keeping in touch with their friends and families. Some of them also maintain light professional contacts, like keeping in touch with their college professors and giving away books and research materials to their colleagues in Serbia. Two out of 18 students maintain serious professional contact (having private company’s office in Serbia, contributing in journal, and translating materials to Serbian).
All of the survey respondents stated they are interested in having contact with Serbian academic institutions. They are most willing to invest their time and energy in occasional visits to relevant Serbian institutions related to the area of their studies. This is followed by readiness for occasional individual email exchange with students, professors, managers, etc. in Serbia. DNCT students are the least interested in returning / spending a longer period of time in Serbia upon completion of their studies in the US.
As the main obstacles preventing their return to Serbia, DNCT students listed:
1. Lack of opportunities (job, research, professional development opportunities):
(12 students)
Student responses, citations: “few job opportunities”, “lack of jobs in my field of study”, “lack of research facilities, libraries, resources”, “lack of serious publishers”, “lack of research and development in the industry”, “there is no development in my area of study”, “there are no jobs available”, “prospects for research may not be challenging enough”, “possibilities for pursuing science”, “slim chances to apply acquired knowledge”, “difficulty to find relevant job/build my carieer”, “possibilities of pursuing science”
2. Political and economic situation in Serbia: (4 students)
Student responses, citations: “political situation”, “sociopolitical conditions in the country (especially the way ordinary citizens are treated by the state and its agencies, like a mere support for the government)”, “living in a sort of an isolation from the rest of the Europe (where even a simple 3-day visit to any neighboring country is a serious bureaucratic issue)”
“Serbia is not yet the best place for developing artistic ideals and goals – for people are still thinking about the quality of their lives and struggling with the political regimes changing too often”
3. Poor compensation: (4 students)
Student responses, citations: “low salaries in teaching jobs”, “inability to pay off US loans with Serbian salary”, “inability to earn a decent salary”, “salary level”
4. Frustration with work conditions in Serbia: (11 students)
Student responses, citations: “old-fashioned syllabi”, “lack of seriousness and ethical values in work force”, “corruption and poor work conditions”, “distrust in knowledge acquired abroad”, “whole set of problems in the field of science: totally ridiculous system of advancing in the hierarchy, incompetent people in high positions, nepotism(a huge problem), unprofessional conduct in academia (always a lot of personal issues involved in decision making in higher places, vanity, arrogance…)”, “corruption of Serbian Universities/politicization of University”, “impoverished intellectual environment”, “relative lack of expertise”, “distrust in knowledge acquired abroad”, “openness to other academic institutions”, “poor research conditions”
However, if these obstacles get solved, 13 out of 18 students will return to Serbia.
DNCT students perceive their current contribution to knowledge development in Serbia as follows:
1. Knowledge sharing: (12 students)
Student responses, citations: “teaching classes/workshops”, “performing for theater and film / developing new works and projects”, “occasional concerts in Serbia”, “giving lectures in my area of expertise”, “as a visiting professor / lecturer”, “professional involvement in my field”, “giving lectures and establishing regular communication”, “sharing my scholastic experience and helping future students”, “Cooperate with universities, occasionally teach”, “Exchange experience and stimulate more business collaboration with Serbian entities, “scientific collaboration with the other researchers from Serbia in my fields of study”
2. Connecting with their colleagues in Serbia: (3 students)
Student responses, citations: “mentoring students in Serbia”, “Listserv for students of my former Faculty where relevant information would be posted: international internships, institutes, seminars, bibliographies, job postings, etc.”, “exchanging views with prospective students from Serbia and providing some information and insight on the system of higher education in US”
3. Conferences, fundraising and policy initiatives: (6 students)
Student responses, citations: “Organizing fund raising for bringing medical equipment”, “Organizing training sessions/seminars/research or other cooperation with US universities for improving Serbian healthcare”, “Write articles, organize conferences”, “Initiative to create and/or expand incubators/research units within the Faculties (of Economics), and stirring competition among them”, “working in diplomatic missions”, “helping out with some humanitarian affairs programs”
DNCT students perceive the following benefits of DNCT Network:
4. Professional exchange: (12 students)
Student responses, citations: “Creative power of our bright young professionals”, “Serbian students are connected only informally through personal contacts. The proposed network would enable a wider network and probably more professional level”, “useful exchange of information about different opportunities”, “possible stimulating intellectual exchange”, “spreading knowledge”, “exchange of knowledge and experience”, “information exchange”, “contact”, “networking, information sharing”, “exchange of ideas”, “Career development”, “Interaction with a fellow student involved in a similar field of study would be beneficial for both”
5. Preservation of Serbian culture in the US and strengthening of the Serbian lobby: (7 students) Student responses, citations: “keeping stronger the Serbian student diaspora”, “connecting people with the same heritage and background”, “strengthening our lobby”, “cultural ties”, “Assisting each other within the US and Serbia”, “Friendship”, “Sharing the experience about living and studying here”,
6. Strengthening ties with Serbia: (8 students)
Student responses, citations: “Possible collaborations involving Serbian institutions with network of institutions in the US”, “making an impact on Serbian situation”, “exchange experience and stimulate more business collaboration with Serbian entities”, “it could provide some help for the new Serbian students arriving in the US”, “Saving the connection with our native country, culture wise, and keeping track of changes in Serbia that might persuade us to return”, “Organizing in order to help knowledge in Serbia grow and develop”, “Networking and developing new programs and ideas to aid Serbia and individual growth of participants”, “would help in making available the necessary research material”
DNCT students perceive the following as the long-term benefits of DNCT network for its members:
1. Personal benefits: (8 students)
Student responses, citations: “Increasing the sense of being a part in Serbian Cultural Heritage and growing from there to serve Serbia and humanity”, “Community support”, “Having a network of people that share similar backgrounds can benefit members who can learn from other members’ experiences”, “Friendship and support”, “Connect people who could help each other out”, “Closeness among students”, “friendship”, “some other ‘regular’ blogging: sport, betting, music, arts”
2. Professional benefits: (10 students)
Student responses, citations: “Opportunities to work with people out of their own state”, “Apart from increasing students’ information level, the network makes possible various forms of cooperation among its members”, “Professional collaborative projects”, “Connecting with other young professionals”, “Potential future research and work”, “Career connections”, “It can be a hub for sharing experience and information”, “Career and academic cooperation/support/exchange”, “Information about various job, student, scholarship opportunities”, “more scientific discussions”
3. Strong network can help Serbia (9 students)
Student responses, citations: “Help in development and realization of ideas for developing a more educated and knowledgeable Serbia”, “Stronger network oriented towards exchange projects with Serbia”, “Finding channels through which to more efficiently assist Serbia”, “Brainstorming/creation of project for Serbia”, “Help us grow as a grow as a country, not only economically and politically, but morally”, “Creating possible joint ideas about projects in Serbia”, “Have more people working on opening new jobs and opportunities in Serbia”, “It would be easier to keep in touch with relevant institutions in Serbia if there is will to do that”, “It would help connect the Serbian people in the US”.
They also perceive the following as the long-term benefits for Serbia of DNCT student network:
1. Institutional collaboration with Serbia (14 students)
Student responses, citations: “a network that actively creates collaborations with Sebria and its universities”, “Help in trying to make our educational system more modern and sophisticated”, “Serbia will have a central network of experts in various fields who are more than willing to help Serbia”, “It’s participants can get together and launch beneficial projects”, “It can instigate various groups/activities that can directly impact the quality of life and education in Serbia”, “Improve education systems”, “Enriching the knowledge in Serbia”, “Info on how to do business with Serbia and where to start”, “Maybe relevant institutions in Serbia could contact highly educated people through this network and establish some sort of cooperation”, “Improve education system”, “a network that actively creates collaborations with Sebria and its universities”, “developing the concept of legitimate networking that would be easy to replicate and hard to libel”, “Creating possible joint ideas about future projects in Serbia”
2. Individual collaboration with colleagues in Serbia (6 students)
“Connect young professionals in Serbia and US”, “Possibility to share experience and let future students know about student’s life here”, “Creating networks with scholars from Serbia”, “A voice of young Serbian people from the States – so people in Serbia can learn something about the States and perhaps give up on some prejudices they had”, “Opportunity to study abroad/experience”, “Give an opportunity to more students to come here and learn as much as they can and want in areas of their interest”,
3. Network is beneficial for the Serbs here (6 students)
“Professional benefit”, “one that would promote knowledge, respect, community and joy”, “Having a network of people that share similar backgrounds can benefit members who can learn from other members’ experiences”, “Lobbying, promotion of Serbian culture”, “Sharing the knowledge, ideas, and skills gained in the USA”, “established relations and trust among those who should occupy distinct and important posts in Serbia in the future – fostering cooperation and increasing potential output”
DNCT students mention the following as desired future activities for the DNCT Network:
1. Events
Student responses, citations: “Creative and cultural events/classes/performances”, “Yoga classes, events/workshops”, “Local gatherings in bigger cities”, “Workshops, conferences, info sharing”, “Seminars/get-togethers”, “Organization of live get togethers”, “perhaps an actually physical meeting of the alumni, to kick off some tighter cooperation”
2. More intense contact among network members
Student responses, citations: “More vivid communication for the beginning”, “Closer contact”, “More communication and feedbacks between students”,
3. Professional information exchange among network members
Student responses, citations: “Notifications of conferences, presentations, and other type of public talks that are students involved in”, “Information about opportunities for graduate students and post-docs (collaborations, available positions)”, “Experiences from different universities and, afterwards, about different employers”, “listserv where people would share information, be proactive, offer help, etc.”, “Any kind of relevant information”
4. Serbia-focused network initiatives
Student responses, citations: “Information, based on a member’s personal knowledge or experience, about different ways in which individuals or groups have contributed to the improvement of any aspect of social, cultural, and educational life in Serbia”, “Politics in Serbia”, “Ways to improve education at all levels in Serbia”, “Opportunities and specific connections that would help us to return to Serbia”, “who is involved in what in Serbia”
3 students also had specific suggestions on network activities, expressed in their own words:
“Some sort of a meeting where more concrete goals based on the survey results would be laid out, especially with regards to establishing relations with the existing (relevant) Serbian organizations in the US (such as the various student organizations in places like MIT, Stanford, etc.; or organizations such as Serbian Unity Congress).”
“I would like to see and help create/organize forums for developing:
1. Creativity (through articles/classes/workshops
2. Acting (public speaking) events performances, news/classes
3. Yoga related news/events/classes/workshops and retreats.
All of these topics to help build stronger community and the spirit of union, generosity, and joy.”
“During 6 years of my Ph.D. studies, I offered numerous opportunities for collaboration to my Alma Matter (University of Nis). I held invited talks, brought books and initiated research at Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Nis. This was all in vain, as the academic structure in Serbia is in such a pathetic shape that any attempt at fixing it is, unfortunately, a waste of time. In all this time, not a single professor or assistant at the University put any effort in contacting me back with some serious proposal or work plan (this is my personal experience, other people may have different experiences). Main reason for failure of this kind of approach was that there was no immediate financial benefit/motivation on their part. All I could offer at that time was academic collaboration, and they were too busy with their personal financial problems.
I realized that the only motivation that will certainly work is financial compensation – when I got an opportunity to hire some developers as outsourcing force at the company where I work last summer, I jumped at it. Over the last year, this grew to an office in Nis with 8 full-time and 2 part-time engineers (plus some non-technical staff). We plan to expand to about 15 people before the end of 2007. I’m just finishing my first business trip to Nis, with 100% positive impressions. Also, the CEO of the company just visited Serbia last week and was very pleased and excited with the quality of people we hired there. We’re paying extremely competitive salaries to our employees (3-8 times national average in Serbia), and have given them stock options in MotionDSP Inc. Everybody is very happy -- MotionDSP is getting some great engineering help, and people in Serbia have a chance to work for a high-tech company in the U.S.., learn a lot, and get paid well. As a result, and we’re getting large number of inquires for job positions in our Serbian branch. Total budget of the Serbian office is couple hundred thousands dollars a year, most of which goes directly to payroll, and stimulates economy of the city of Nis further. I’ll be willing to share my experience with other DNCT alumni if you find it appropriate.”
