Supporting an Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans - Tools and Methodologies

The Western Balkan region has significantly improved in terms of innovation performance in the last ten years. However, in catching up with other European regions, the focus of innovation efforts should be enhanced. Exports are still far more focused on medium- and low-technology products. Innovative efforts mostly accommodate traditionally strong sectors, which do not necessarily reflect the ideal competitiveness paths for economies in the region. Although some Western Balkan economies record increases in patent activity, patent intensity in the region is still low, while, on the other hand, scientific publication production displays a stable growth trend. While Western Balkan economies are at different stages in the formation of research and innovation (R&I) policy governance systems, national research and innovation policy frameworks are continuously being improved. The enhancement of governance in the area of R&I came as the result of increased capacity building activities in the region, as well as of the real needs emerging as a result of social and economic transformation. On the other hand, R&I systems in the Western Balkan economies need to continue shifting their focus towards businesses to provide better balance between public and private sector orientation. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission is committed to supporting the shift in innovation policies and improvement of R&I efforts and governance in the Western Balkan economies through a number of tools and activities, allowing policy instruments to be matched with the specific needs of the economy. This approach seeks efficient governance mechanisms for R&I policy by reaching out to the business sector and other important actors of the innovation ecosystem. It determines sustainable development directions for economies and ensures the continuity of policy monitoring and evaluation cycles. This ambitious challenge is translated into four specific lines of activity: (i) the application of the smart specialisation methodology to design and implement innovation strategies; (ii) capacity-building activities for technology transfer, in particular through specialised workshops, tools and instruments specifically designed to assist the academic institutions in the regional economies; (iii) support to transnational collaboration and linkages in the context of EU macro-regional strategies; and (iv) data quality enhancement. The analysis of the development potential of the Western Balkan region in terms of economic, innovative and scientific capabilities in this report is supported with the good practices addressing specific challenges in the region.JRC.B.3-Territorial Developmen

Medical physics education at the University of Novi Sad - Serbia

Overview of new educational program and training in Medical Physics at the University of Novi Sad is presented, where the medical physics education from undergraduate to doctoral study is established in the last decade. Necessity for basic and additional education and hospital training for medical physicists becomes the evident subject in clinical practice in which physicists and physicians are in close collaboration to ensure high quality of patient care. Learning objectives: to incorporate the latest scientific and professional findings in the field of medical physics, medical diagnostics, therapy and instruments; to accomodate students pursuits of individual fields by offering elective courses from different areas of current medical practice; to reflect the multidisciplinary spirit of the studies, since teaching is performed by experts from diverse fields.6th International Conference of the Balkan-Physical-Union, Aug 22-26, 2006, Istanbul, Turke

Medical physics education at the University of Novi Sad - Serbia

Overview of new educational program and training in Medical Physics at the University of Novi Sad is presented, where the medical physics education from undergraduate to doctoral study is established in the last decade. Necessity for basic and additional education and hospital training for medical physicists becomes the evident subject in clinical practice in which physicists and physicians are in close collaboration to ensure high quality of patient care. Learning objectives: to incorporate the latest scientific and professional findings in the field of medical physics, medical diagnostics, therapy and instruments; to accomodate students pursuits of individual fields by offering elective courses from different areas of current medical practice; to reflect the multidisciplinary spirit of the studies, since teaching is performed by experts from diverse fields.6th International Conference of the Balkan-Physical-Union, Aug 22-26, 2006, Istanbul, Turke

Different methods for tritium determination in surface water by LSC

The main aim of this paper was to compare different methods of preparing water samples for tritium analysis by ultra-low-level background liquid scintillation counter, Quantulus 1220. Three methods of sample preparation for low-level tritium measurement have been implemented in the Nuclear Physics Laboratory in Novi Sad: electrolytic enrichment, direct method without electrolytic enrichment and sample Oxidizer 307 method. The examined fresh water samples were rainfall collected during 6 months and water from a stream in the Vinca nuclear research center collected over 3 months. The obtained results using these three methods showed satisfying agreement. The appropriate measuring time by LSC for each sample prepared according to different methods has been determined. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

β\beta-delayed neutrons from oriented 137,139^{137,139}I and 87,89^{87,89}Br nuclei

We propose a world-­‐first measurement of the angular distribution of $\beta$-­‐delayed n and $\gamma$- radiation from oriented $^{137, 139}$I and $^{87,89}$Br nuclei, polarised at low temperature at the NICOLE facility. $\beta$-­‐delayed neutron emission is an increasingly important decay mechanism as the drip line is approached and its detailed understanding is essential to phenomena as fundamental as the r‐process and practical as the safe operation of nuclear power reactors. The experiments offer sensitive tests of theoretical input concerning the allowed and first-­‐forbidden $\beta$‐decay strength, the spin-­‐density of neutron emitting states and the partial wave barrier penetration as a function of nuclear deformation. In $^{137}$I and $^{87}$Br the decay feeds predominantly the ground state of the daughters $^{136}$Xe and $^{86}$Kr whereas in $^{139}$I and $^{89}$Br we will explore the use of n-$\gamma$- coincidence to study neutron transitions to the first and second excited states in the daughters $^{138}$Xe and $^{88}$Kr. These measurements will use the new “Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy” (VANDLE) and high purity Ge detectors for neutron-­‐$\gamma$- coincidence and monitoring of the nuclear orientation experiment. This instrument had its first use in on-­‐line experiments using fission fragments at HRIBF and in direct reaction studies at NSCL and Notre Dame University. The experiments described in this proposal have direct relevance to a recently initiated Coordinated Research Project (CRP) at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on the development of a “Reference Database for $\beta$-­delayed Neutron Emission Evaluation”