President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, at Villa “Biljana” in Ohrid, met with the winners of the “Engineering Ring” award. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Digital Transformation, Stefan Andonovski, the President of the Engineering Institution of Macedonia, Dr. Andrej Lepavcov, and the President of the Chamber of Certified Architects and Certified Engineers, Dejan Metikos, MA.
President Siljanovska-Davkova once again congratulated the young engineers on the prestigious award, emphasizing the importance of their knowledge, expertise and potential for the future development of the country. For her, it is particularly important that we create conditions for the most successful young professionals to realize their professional potential in the country.
At the meeting, the laureates informed about their professional plans, presented their critical views on the situation in the country, and especially in higher education, pointing out the need for better working conditions and professional development of engineers, as a prerequisite for their retention in the country.
The heated debate proposed improving the legal framework for higher education, in terms of more appropriate evaluation of exceptional successes in the selection and employment of universities, as well as timely provision of young people and appropriate personnel potential, i.e. avoiding the generational vacuum.
A series of questions were asked and appropriate answers were proposed for: public architecture, as a significant segment of spatial planning and the creation of a quality living environment; data centers, the attitude towards completed but not implemented projects; locating photovoltaics on fertile land; the accelerated outflow of the best Macedonian engineers and other top personnel in the neighborhood.
The meeting also discussed the prospects of digital agronomy. The engineer in the field of agronomy emphasized the importance of the application of modern digital technologies in agriculture and the opportunities that this area opens up for young people, especially for increasing yields in this activity, given that the country has great potential for development of this area.
The necessity of transitioning and applying European standards (Eurocodes) in state regulations and Macedonian practice was highlighted.
Minister Andonovski explained the digitalization offensive, and the President of the Chamber, Metikos, extended an invitation to an expert event on the application of standards, which will be held at the end of September.
The young engineers indicated that they are ready to accept professional positions in the country and take responsibility for its technological development.
At the end of the conversation, President Siljanovska-Davkova proposed establishing a database of the winners of the “Engineering Ring” award, which would enable better connection of successful engineers and their inclusion in development processes and projects in various engineering fields.
She repeated that the knowledge, expertise and innovative potential of young engineers are a significant resource for the country and that their active involvement in the educational, scientific and applied technological process is an important joint obligation of institutions, the academic and professional community. “If we want a developed country, we must give space to young engineers to create here”, the President said.
