Jorgovanka Tabaković: Taking knowledge to a higher level in Serbia
Speech by Dr Jorgovanka Tabaković, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia, on the occasion
of Signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the National Bank of Serbia and the
Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, Belgrade, 27 January 2016.
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Dear colleagues, esteemed Mr. Boričić, esteemed members of the press,
Allow me at the beginning to answer four simple questions.
Why is this Memorandum signed today by Mr. Boričić, as the Dean of the Faculty of
Economics, and myself, as the Governor? Because, by definition, it is the top manager's task
to be in command of the future, finance and human resources. This is and has been the
responsibility of the head of an institution.
Why are we signing this Memorandum today, three and a half years into my term in office?
Because all informal channels, personalities, letters of reference have so far turned out to be
an insufficient guarantee that we would get the best people. Yes, some came and have stayed,
but there are also many who came and left. Many of those for whom the NBS was just a
stepping stone, a training ground, and, in the worst-case scenario for this country, a reference
for a future elsewhere, outside Serbia. After signing this Memorandum, we will have a chance
to select "the best of the best" and ensure they stay with the National Bank of Serbia.
How did the Memorandum come about? It was at the initiative of the young people from the
Faculty of Economics who are here with us today. They knocked on our doors introducing
themselves as the Team for Serbia. The team. And for me, this was the key word. Because,
the solution lies not in genius individuals, but in the genius of a team of individuals. A team
with a leader - yes, a team at the top - no, and this is why we are here today and why we are
signing this Memorandum. This meeting is motivated by the basic needs of men: to learn, to
progress and to create.
And why do we need each other - the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade and the National Bank
of Serbia? Because there is no alternative to knowledge. And because in order to add value
and improve by practice, you must have something of value to start with. During summer
practice in the NBS, students are given a chance to improve on the qualities they already
demonstrated during studies. In our institution, they become part of the team. We, at the
National Bank, teach young people to remain human. To keep their personality and always
know the difference between submissiveness and respect for the hierarchy. They are taught
to accept orders, to carry them out, to be superior, to be subordinate, but also that no authority
comes without responsibility. That being loyal to a profession, vocation, institution, individual
is as important as having knowledge, that there is a Hippocratic Oath for each profession,
known as professional ethics. That it is initiative and hard work that will make us valued and
appreciated by our co-workers, and that no one is irreplaceable.
The National Bank of Serbia has become a pillar of economic stability, our ideas have been
successfully implemented and defended many times, and that is why we wish to share our
knowledge and experience with our young colleagues. But the doors of our institution remain
open for all ideas which create new possibilities, for new objectives that shift horizons. It is only
in this way that we will be ready to tackle new challenges.
The National Bank of Serbia continues to organize summer practice for students of the final
year of first- and second-degree studies, and by signing this Memorandum today, on this day
of spirituality and education when we are celebrating Saint Sava, the enlightener of the Serbian
people, we are ensuring the continuity and quality of this practice and cooperation, while taking
it to a higher level. One could say that the signing of the Memorandum on this particular day is
just a coincidence, but I say that this is a blessing and a destiny that we are shaping for
ourselves.
Thank you for your attention. I now give the floor to Professor Boričić.