Last year, the EUTA team helped researchers from Serbia, primarily through our review service, to submit 50 project proposals for the Ideja, Science Fund call. Some of our clients with whom we collaborated during the writing of Project Ideas are: Institute for Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering (IMGGI), Institute for Biological Research Siniša Stanković (IBISS), INN Vinča, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, etc., a total of 19 research institutions. After more than a year, the first stage of project evaluation was completed and 223 out of a [...]

After several years of work with primary schools and organic growers in Serbia, the results of these Strength2Food activities are having a tangible impact. To improve the nutritional quality of school meals and encourage schools to use short food supply chains for their food procurements, EUTA has been working with nearly 30 primary schools. The first of these (OŠ Kralj Petar I, Belgrade) submitted procurement documents for fresh organic vegetables to the procurement web portal in July, 2020. EUTA has been able to demonstrate that organic vegetables are a realistic option for parents to afford. Despite the relatively high prices [...]

Led by Strength2Food partner EUTA, during October 2018, children in 32 Serbian primary schools and their parents completed questionnaires on food preferences and attitudes towards food. Just over 4,000 children and over 3,000 parents completed questionnaires. Schools taking part in the project are now receiving feedback on the results of their children’s food preferences. In addition to an overall report on findings from the children’s food preference questionnaire, reports for individual schools are also being prepared. The overall report, together with accompanying graphics will go on Strength2Food’s Serbian website (https://sites.google.com/view/strength2foodsrbija), and, with the individual report, will also go to the [...]

The half-hour show dedicated to the Strength2Food project was broadcast on February 22, 2019, on the RTS2 channel in Serbia. She focused on working with primary schools in Serbia, including several interviewees participating in the project: Ratko Bojović, Steve Quarrie, Roberto Bassi, Ilaria Rossi, Beatrice Biasini. The show recorded by Dr. Aleksandra Šarković (editor of educational and scientific programs) on the RTS2 channel was created after the visit of the team from Barila and UniPR who demonstrated cooking techniques to chefs in schools in Serbia. (article on the website from December 2018). Interviews with the aforementioned people who actively participate [...]

Three representatives of the BARILLA team, Roberto Bassi (chef) and Ilaria Rossi from Barilla Academia and Beatrice Biassini from Madegus, were in Serbia from 3rd to 5th December to give demonstrations of cooking and advice on meal nutrition to cooks from schools taking part in the Strength2Food project. Two primary schools were selected for the demonstrations: "Kosta Trifković" in Novi Sad and "Dositej Obradović" in Belgrade, chosen because of the availability of suitable facilities for giving demonstrations and the timing of lunches in those schools. Accompanied by the EUTA team, the first day was a visit to each school to [...]

Another date, another place, another Hybrid Forum, and another theme Another date, this time Tuesday, 4th June, and another place, this time Belgrade benefited from another Strength2Food Hybrid Forum in Serbia, and where better to hold it than in one of our schools taking part in the WP9 school meals pilot scheme. Thanks to the school’s director, Jole Bulatović, we had the school’s special events room available from 15:30 until 20:00 last Tuesday. So, while setting up the proceedings we had a few curious children milling around, wondering what all the drinks were for! Another theme, this time for the [...]

After extensive collection of background information on Serbian primary schools and well over 80 school visits since the start of Strength2Food, an initial list of 30 schools has been selected and formally notified by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development on 24th January, 2018. These schools represent the four regions of Serbia selected for study: Belgrade city, Novi Sad, a large area around Mionica - Bajina Basta - Loznica, and Arile - Ivanjica. Each school has been asked to provide a coordinator for the project, with whom Strength2Food researchers will work closely, and schools have been informed of [...]

This is how one of our keynote speakers arrived at the Petnica Research Station for our first Strength2Food Hybrid Forum on Monday, November 27, to participate in a discussion on "How to improve the quality of children's meals in primary schools". This event was held in a unique scientific center in Serbia, an independent and independent institution that provides an opportunity for primary and secondary school students from Serbia, as well as the rest of Europe, to engage in research work. Petnica is located about 90 km southwest of Belgrade, near the town of Valjevo, which meant that many of [...]

Two representatives of Barilla Academy (part of BARILLA's Strength2Food partner), Roberto Bassi and Ilaria Rossi, visited elementary schools in Serbia from November 20 to 22 as part of a pilot project related to school meals. In total, nine schools were visited in the territory of Belgrade, Novi Sad and Mionica, a small town south of Belgrade. The goals of the visit were a tour of kitchens and kitchen equipment and a discussion with school cooks about menus and the challenges they face when preparing food. All schools highlighted the problem related to the Law on Public Procurement and the difficulties [...]