Transforming the future: KSAN’s science and innovation journey in Pljevlja

The story of the Montenegrin non-profit Korak sa naukon (KSAN), which translates to Step with Science, begins with the belief that science should be accessible and relatable for everyone. “As science enthusiasts ourselves, we aim to bring together like-minded, young individuals and promote science’s potential for the whole community,” explains Miloš Jelovac, one of KSAN’s co-founders.  

Since 2020, KSAN has been actively working to engage young girls and boys interested in science and technological innovation through numerous workshops, lectures, trainings, seminars, and competitions. Over the last four years, KSAN has organized the Engineering Summer School of Science, their annual flagship summer event. This program aims to inspire young enthusiasts to explore possible solutions for important problems in their communities, offering support as they work towards bringing their ideas to life. 

This year was no different. Over nine days, 30 young people from Pljevlja and other cities in Montenegro, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia, participated in a diverse range of activities. From immersive experiences such as attending dynamic workshops and lectures, led by both esteemed professors and seasoned practitioners, to actively engaging in KSAN’s mentorship program and collaborative group work, participants gained a wealth of theoretical and hands-on knowledge across a myriad of fields. These areas of expertise included information technology, programming, biomedical and mechanical engineering, energy, and much more, creating a multifaceted and enriching learning journey. With the guidance of experts from various science and tech fields, the Summer School’s participants were challenged to develop creative solutions for some of the greatest problems present in Pljevlja – from addressing air pollution and the local economy’s dependence on coal to finding viable alternative energy sources, and tackling challenges faced by women and youth. 

One benefit of the Engineering Summer School of Science is its ability to connect creative young people with local government representatives and international development agencies, creating opportunities to turn their promising ideas into reality. “Our goal was to show that Montenegro has significant potential when it comes to young scientists and it’s up to all of us to nurture, support, and develop that potential,” says KSAN’s Saša Janković. “We are particularly pleased that the Creative Hub in Pljevlja and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Montenegro have also recognized this potential and supported us in empowering the youth.”  

The active participation of young people in planning and implementing sustainable solutions for the reimagination of the future of the city of Pljevlja is a key element for the successful just transition in this coal-dependent region, spearheaded by national and local authorities, the EU, UNDP and other actors. A just transition doesn’t simply mean phasing out coal, which is the primary source of income for a significant portion of the local population and the foundation of Montenegro’s energy independence. Instead, this process provides a clear vision of how to utilize Pljevlja’s potential and resources to diversify the local economy and build robust programs to support the labor market. This can be achieved through investments in training and skill development, and the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship, with a primary focus on empowering young people.  

In line with this, UNDP Montenegro has designed a portfolio of projects on urban transformation in Pljevlja, including the City Experiment Fund and the Just Transition Roadmap, which are funded by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic and Slovak Agency for International Development and Cooperation. The portfolio aims to support local and national partners in the gradual transformation of the Pljevlja coal region with respect to the principles of inclusivity, innovation, digitalization, and gender equality. 

The newly opened Creative Hub in Pljevlja plays a pivotal role in implementing these options. Established in 2022 by UNDP in collaboration with the Municipality of Pljevlja, the Creative Hub serves as a dedicated space for young people to explore innovative technology applications, gain new skills and knowledge, and foster communication and co-design with citizens, the private and public sectors, non-profits, and the media, all within the context of promoting a just transition in the coal region. This year’s Summer School was supported by the Creative Hub, emphasizing the importance of this collaborative space in nurturing the next generation of scientists and problem-solvers. 

Lara is one of the many young people who frequently visits the Creative Hub, where she feels free to exchange ideas with peers and mentors, confident that she’ll always find support and useful advice. This year, she participated in the Engineering Summer School of Science and reflected positively on her experience, stating: “For me, this was a fantastic opportunity to deepen my knowledge. During the workshops and lectures we had over these nine days, my teammates and I had the opportunity to develop many new skills and expand our knowledge on a variety of topics, which will definitely be useful in our future endeavours.”  

Her friend Viktor and his team were similarly inspired to experiment with an idea to make the air in Pljevlja cleaner. He says, “We focused on air pollution, and our idea was based on automating city traffic to reduce exhaust emissions, along with a subsidy program for citizens to motivate them to use personal vehicles less in everyday situations.” 

Empowering girls in STEM 

Of the 30 participants in this year’s school, more than 50% were young women, passionate about technology, programming, engineering, and related fields. Minja decided to participate in the Engineering Summer School when she heard that one of the topics would be biomedical engineering, an area she is particularly interested in and plans to pursue in the future. “As a child, I thought science was mostly for boys. When I started showing interest in biomedical engineering and attended various seminars and workshops on the subject, I was excited to see many girls participating,” says Minja. 

Ilma, another summer school participant, sees the equal participation of both women and men in scientific research and the implementation of technological solutions as a standard and the only way to achieve a more equitable society. She emphasized, “During the school, my team consisted of three girls and three boys. We all contributed equally to developing the idea we presented at the end, and each had an irreplaceable contribution. This experience is essential to me because I plan to enroll in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.” 

There is a wide range of careers falling under STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the Western Balkans, STEM positions are in high demand as they are often well-compensated. However, women in the region hold only a mere 14% of job positions in these fields.¹ Despite this underrepresentation in STEM, women in Montenegro constitute the majority of the educated population, with 62.5% holding specialist degrees and 60.5% attaining master’s degrees.² Although Montenegro lacks comprehensive statistical data tracking trends in STEM in more depth, the available data suggests that girls and boys enjoy equal opportunities when it comes to choosing their educational paths for future careers, including in STEM fields, and it is persisting patriarchal social norms that often influence girls to pursue professions traditionally labeled as “female”. 

The importance of organizations like KSAN and activities like the Engineering Summer School of Science is embodied in statements like Miljana’s: “When I applied for the school, I knew I wanted to improve my knowledge in various scientific fields, but I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to pursue in the future. Now, as the school has concluded, I believe I have a much clearer idea, and I’ve taken a significant step toward establishing my path as a scientist in the field of technological innovations.” 

“The increasing participation of girls in the Engineering School of Science is an encouraging trend. Therefore, UNDP has supported the efforts of KSAN to continue empowering girls to pursue education and careers in STEM, digital, and green economy fields,” adds Aleksandra Kiković, Team Leader for Green and Inclusive Development at UNDP Montenegro. “In this way, we create opportunities for girls to be initiators of changes that will contribute to gender-responsive development in their local communities.”  

A way forward 

Having successfully concluded the fourth edition of the Engineering Summer School of Science, Miloš and Saša from KSAN feel they have moved a step closer to their objective of integrating science into the daily experiences of youth in Pljevlja. Thirty additional young individuals have now been involved and empowered to advocate for a green economy, harness the natural resources of Pljevlja, and lay the foundation for the region to emerge as a trailblazer in pioneering innovative technologies in the years ahead. 

In preparation for the fifth edition of the school next year, KSAN intends to carry out a series of activities with the goal of further promoting science and increasing awareness of its significance, particularly among young women. Throughout this process, their close collaboration with the Creative Hub in Pljevlja will remain the cornerstone for effectively advancing the vision of a just transition and the pivotal roles that technology and innovation can play in the Pljevlja coal region. 

As emphasized by Miloš and Saša, one thing is clear: the youth in Pljevlja possess the knowledge and enthusiasm needed to work towards building a more sustainable future for generations to come.  

Edited by Svetla Baeva, Strategic communications lead, Innovation team, UNDP IRH, & Arianna Friedman, Intern, Innovation team, UNDP IRH.

[1] UNDP. (2020, December 10). Women’s economic empowerment: Areas for joint actions in the western balkans. https://www.undp.org/eurasia/publications/womens-economic-empowerment-areas-joint-actions-western-balkans

[2] MONSTAT. (n.d.). Uprava za statistiku Crne Gore. Statistical Office of Montenegro, Specialists, Masters and Doctors by gender. https://www.monstat.org/cg/page.php?id=196&pageid=76