Croatian Minister of Science Primorac Discussed Scientific Cooperation in Washington

Washington, April 10, 2004  - During his visit to U.S. Croatian  Minister of Science, Education and Sports Dragan Primorac met the Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State for Science, John Atkinson, in Washington on April 10 and discussed the cooperation between the two countries in the domain of new technologies and the transfer of knowledge in the process of globalization. 

Minister Primorac also met the Vice-President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia, Shige Katsu, with whom he discussed three key Croatian projects -- education reform, the return of scientists and investment in science. He said that World Bank experts would come to Croatia soon, after which the implementation of the project would begin.

Minister Primorac said that the Japanese government had donated 800,000 $ for education reform and that the project had been approved by the World Bank. Croatia will use the funds to review curricula and compile a catalogue of knowledge, primarily for elementary schools, in a project essential for Croatian education reform. 

The World Bank has also earmarked 5 million $ for Croatian scientists and experts wishing to return to Croatia with their know-how and start their own companies. Croatia will carry out this project on the model of India and the Republic of Ireland. 

The third project, worth more than 10 million $, is aimed at investing in Croatian science programs, particularly those by the Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Institute of Naval Engineering and other research and development institutions in Croatia.  

Earlier during his stay in U.S. Minister Primorac had visited the University of New Haven, Connecticut, where he talked about cooperation with the University of Zagreb and other Croatian universities in exchanges of students and teachers. He also visited the George Washington University in Washington where he discussed cooperation with Croatian universities in the area of forensics.