Department of Agricultural Economics

The Department of Agricultural Economics is the holder of the teaching process in the undergraduate, master, and doctoral academic study programs of Agricultural Economics. The primary goal of the study programs is the education of graduate and master agricultural economists, as well as doctors of agricultural economic sciences, who possess modern theoretical and practical knowledge and competencies necessary for analyzing and solving economic and business problems, making business decisions, and successfully managing processes in agriculture and agribusiness.

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The roots of the Department of Agricultural Economics date back to 1957, when it was established at the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad. The development of the Department was directly connected with the development of the agricultural economics profession and the growing need to educate experts capable of understanding the economic aspects of agricultural production. The Institute of Agricultural Economics was founded in 1971, and in 1977 the Agricultural Economics major was formed as a special educational profile at the Faculty of Agriculture. Through further organizational development, the Institute of Agricultural Economics and the Institute for Sociological Research of the Village were integrated in 1983, while today’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology was formed in 2004.

Today, the Department of Agricultural Economics represents a developed teaching and scientific collective, whose faculty and associates participate in teaching at the undergraduate, master, and doctoral academic studies. In addition to the Agricultural Economics study program, members of the Department participate in teaching across all other study programs of the Faculty of Agriculture, contributing to the education of students in the fields of economics, management, agrarian policy, rural development, markets and marketing, and other areas significant for modern agribusiness.

The primary mission of the Department is reflected in the development and advancement of knowledge in the field of agricultural economics and the education of experts qualified to respond to economic, business, and developmental challenges of modern agriculture and agribusiness. To date, more than 1,700 students have graduated from the Department at the undergraduate academic studies level, while numerous candidates have acquired master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Scientific research work represents one of the foundations of the Department’s activities, and its members actively participate in domestic and international scientific and professional projects and research in various fields of agricultural economics.

1957

year of establishment
of the department

department members

scientific and professional journal

1700

graduated students of all
levels of study

Department activities

Members of the Department of Agricultural Economics are actively involved in teaching, scientific research, and professional work in various fields of agricultural economics. Research topics include the economics and business operations of agricultural holdings, management and organization in agriculture, agrarian economics and rural development, the market and marketing of agricultural and food products, as well as the application of quantitative methods and information systems in agricultural economic research. Research results are published in relevant domestic and international scientific journals and presented at scientific conferences, with a special emphasis on their application in solving concrete economic, business, and developmental problems in agriculture and agribusiness.

Following modern transformations in agriculture and agri-food systems, the Department increasingly directs its scientific research and teaching work toward sustainable agricultural development, circular and green economy, climate change and climate resilience, economic sustainability of agricultural holdings, modern agrarian and rural policy, and the digitalization of agribusiness. Special attention is paid to the analysis of economic, ecological, and social aspects of sustainability, the development and application of modern methodologies and indicators, and research that can provide a scientific basis for business and public policy decisions. In this way, the Department connects traditional fields of agricultural economics with the modern challenges of the green and digital transition of agriculture and rural areas.

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The scientific research and professional work of the Department are realized through numerous domestic and international projects and various forms of cooperation with scientific institutions, the economy, and the public sector. Members of the Department participate in projects of the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, line ministries, provincial secretariats, as well as in international programs and projects. A significant segment of activities includes the preparation of scientific and professional studies, analyses, and strategic documents, research for the needs of the public and private sectors, and the provision of consulting services in various fields of agricultural economics.

Publishing activity represents a particular value and recognition. The Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology is the publisher of the scientific journal “Agroeconomia”, whose issue number zero was published back in 1972. The journal has a decades-long tradition and represents a platform for publishing scientific and professional papers by domestic and foreign authors in the fields of agricultural economics, agriculture, and rural development, in Serbian and English.

Members of the Department also actively participate in organizing scientific and professional meetings, conferences, seminars, and roundtables, which enable the presentation of research results, the exchange of knowledge and experiences, and the connection of the academic community with the economy, decision-makers, and other relevant actors. Of particular importance is the cooperation with alumni through the AE ALUMNI club, which contributes to connecting students, graduated agricultural economists, and professionals from the sector, exchanging experiences, and continuously improving the study program in accordance with labor market needs.