Independent University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Centre for Sociological and Political Sciences Studies – Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
The Independent University of Banja Luka successfully hosted the Fourth International
Scientific Conference entitled Future, Research and Expectations in Science, Knowledge
and Aspirations (FRESKA) on 13 November 2025 at its premises in Banja Luka.
The conference was organized by the Independent University of Banja Luka in cooperation with
the Centre for Sociological and Political Sciences Studies – Institute for African Studies of
the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russian Federation) and the University of the
Free State (Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa).
Opening addresses were delivered by Goran Kalinić, Director of the Independent University of
Banja Luka; Dr. Natalia A. Zherlitsyna, Deputy Director of the Institute for African Studies of
the Russian Academy of Sciences; and Prof. Dr. Husein Solomon, Head of the Centre for
Gender and African Studies at the University of the Free State.
The scientific programme included panel discussions featuring eminent scholars such as Prof.
Dr. Marko Koščak (University of Maribor, Slovenia), Prof. Dr. Dragan Bataveljić (Faculty of
European Legal and Political Studies, Serbia), Ivan Dodig (Vimal Polytechnic, Croatia), and Dr.
Sergej Kosteljanec, Head of the Centre for Sociological and Political Studies at the Institute for
African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The conference brought together members of the academic and professional community from
Russia, the Republic of South Africa, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia
and Herzegovina, providing a platform for international academic exchange and
interdisciplinary cooperation.
In addition to plenary and panel sessions, the conference was structured around four thematic
sections:
- Demographic and Economic Rise of Africa: Local and Global Implications
- Society, Economy and Ecology
- Technology, Biotechnology and Informatics
- Global Approaches to Levels of Equality across Different Social Groups
The conference was chaired by Assist. Prof. Dr. Dragana Popović and MA Vesna Rodić, while
moderation was conducted by Assist. Prof. Dr. Predrag Obrenović, Assoc. Prof. Ljiljana
Čekić, Prof. Vladica Ristić, and the distinguished academician Prof. Dr. Marija Maksin.
Finally, we express our sincere gratitude to the organizer and co-organizers of the conference for
their exceptional dedication and the successful realization of this important scientific event, as
well as to all keynote speakers, panelists, and participants whose expertise and experience
significantly enriched the discussions and facilitated a meaningful exchange of ideas. Special
appreciation is extended to the institutional leadership, conference chairs, moderators, and all
members of the organizing and technical teams for their professionalism and selfless
commitment. The participation of representatives from the academic and professional
communities of multiple countries further underscored the international relevance of the
conference and created opportunities for future cooperation and joint research initiatives.