Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection

The activity of the Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection integrates teaching, science, and cooperation with the economy. Education in accordance with the latest scientific achievements in phytomedicine is gaining increasing importance in the context of global food security, sustainable agriculture, and environmental conservation. The world faces challenges brought by climate change, biodiversity loss, and the growing population’s need for food, making the need for experts in the field of plant protection greater than ever.

Read moreShow less

University education in the field of phytomedicine (plant protection) began with the establishment of the Department of Plant Protection in 1960 and has a tradition spanning 66 years. Since the establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture, teaching at the undergraduate academic studies level has been conducted according to several accredited curricula, which evolved over time into today’s Phytomedicine study program, carefully designed to meet market demands within the plant protection profession. The Phytomedicine study program at the master’s academic studies level is prepared as a logical continuation of the four-year undergraduate studies. Teachers and research associates from the Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection create and contribute to the Agronomy study program at doctoral academic studies through elective courses they teach. A large number of students have graduated from the Phytomedicine (Plant Protection) and Agroecology and Environmental Protection study programs since their establishment to date, and a significant number of them have acquired master’s/magister’s degrees, as well as doctorates. In addition to 25 teachers and associates who make up the Department, the Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection also engages 18 researchers (senior research associate, research associates, and trainees), 4 technical-professional associates, and a technical secretary.

1960

year of department
establishment

employees

laboratories

1700

graduated students of all
levels of study

Department activities

The Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection is the holder of teaching for the undergraduate academic study program Phytomedicine and the master’s academic study program Phytomedicine, with the aim of educating graduate and master engineers as experts in the field of plant protection. Teachers and associates of the Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection also participate in teaching the Agronomy study program at doctoral academic studies.

Watch the video about the department

Read moreShow less

Employees at the Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection are involved in numerous projects of republic ministries, provincial secretariats, as well as various international projects. These are primarily research and innovation projects aimed at finding multidisciplinary solutions in the fields of sustainable pest management, safe food production, and environmental conservation.

There are also projects on the education of agricultural producers and experts in the fields of plant protection and communal hygiene, as well as the improvement of the teaching process at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral academic studies. The third group of projects implemented at the Department consists of projects in the field of open and responsible research and innovation.

At the initiative of teachers from the Department, within the Faculty of Agriculture, the “Center for Vector-Borne Diseases and Climate Change Effects within the One Health Concept” was founded and operates successfully as a Center of Excellence.
The Department of Phytomedicine and Environmental Protection publishes the journal “Plant Doctor” (Biljni lekar), which publishes scientific-research, professional, and review papers in the fields of plant protection, environment, communal hygiene, including pesticides and their application techniques, as well as relevant legal regulations.

Cooperation with the economy is of exceptional importance for the Department. Through this cooperation, research is conducted, monitoring is carried out, and concrete solutions to challenges arising in practice are offered. All projects, as well as cooperation with the economy at the Department, are implemented within several laboratories – Laboratory for Biological Research and Pesticides (accredited according to ISO SRPS 17025); Laboratory for Medical and Veterinary Entomology; Laboratory for Invasive and Quarantine Weed Species; and Laboratory for Diagnostics of Pathogens, Pests, and Weeds.

Department Employees

Learn more about our team.

The teaching process is carried out by a team of over 70 teachers and associates, including prominent experts and members of relevant scientific and professional institutions. Of the total number of teachers and associates participating in the teaching and research process, 41 are employed in the department of veterinary medicine. Teachers and researchers of the Department have published more than 3,000 scientific and professional papers, textbooks, and publications, thus significantly contributing to the development of veterinary medicine.