The Faculty of Economics marked 65 years since its establishment - change is the only constant in the development of the first faculty in Montenegro

In honor of marking 65 years of the Faculty of Economics, the prestigious International Conference on Economics and Business - MICEB 2025 was held in Budva. The conference gathered more than 200 participants from all over the world, offering them the opportunity to attend business and academic sessions with exceptional panelists. The conference, whose topic was Shaping sustainable economies - the path to EU membership, opened a dialogue on the most important topics for the economic and social progress of Montenegro towards the EU.

The special guest of the MICEB conference was Professor James A. Robinson (University of Chicago), winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics. Professor Robinson won the award along with D. Acemoglu and S. Johnson of MIT for their fundamental contribution to research on how institutions affect economic and social prosperity.

The conference was opened by the dean prof. Dr. Mijat Jocović, who pointed out that this year marks an important anniversary - 65 years since the establishment of the Faculty of Economics - the first faculty in Montenegro:

"With changes in society, the state, the environment and the world - from that year in 1960, until today, the Faculty of Economics has also changed, accepting as its guiding idea and way of functioning the fact - that change is the only constant in the development of man and society. Instilling this attitude in generations of students and dedicatedly imparting knowledge to them, the Faculty of Economics has sown the seeds of more than 12,000 graduate students, who held, or are currently holding, the most responsible positions in the economy and the state. It is one for the reasons that the Faculty of Economics is not, nor should it be, viewed as just one of the organizational units of the University of Montenegro, but as one of the key institutions in the development of this country.

Understanding time is perhaps one of the most serious challenges that man and organizations have to deal with in their existence. In the years of challenges of its decades-long existence, the Faculty of Economics had the wisdom to recognize the time that came the courage to adapt to it - through curriculum reforms, the initiation of scientific research work and the development of international cooperation. One result of such thinking and action is today's conference, which we proudly present to the Montenegrin and international public. Its initiation, the topics it covers, the participants who will address you, the way in which the topics will be analyzed also show our intention - not to be passive observers of the most important economic processes, but to initiate an academic dialogue and give unbiased - scientifically based recommendations for the improvement of economic policies in Montenegro," he pointed out.

At the end, Dean Jocović emphasized the importance of the MICEB conference, which, according to him, carries three most important messages, in addition to all other messages and values:

"The first is that Montenegro's path to the EU has no alternative. Montenegro - spiritually, historically, culturally, juridically-economically, and perhaps most importantly, in value - belongs to Europe and the European Union. The second is that we need inclusive and open political and economic institutions on that path. And the third, equally important, is that in addition to membership in the European Union, it is necessary to strategically design and continuously implement sustainable economic development policies." the dean concluded.