At the “Svetozar Marković” Grammar School in Subotica, the 28th Makers Lab (https://mejkerslab.rs) in Serbia was opened. The classroom of the future is ready for joint work by teachers and students on projects that connect knowledge, technology, and the real world, making them better prepared for success in the 21st-century economy. The first Makers Lab in Subotica, built and equipped with the support of the IT Subotica 2030 organization, is an example of the value created by connecting the business sector and education.
The ceremonial opening was attended by the school principal Danilo Popov and the Makers Lab coordinator, computer science teacher Endre Jo, Petar Stakić, Executive Director of the IT Subotica 2030 organization, representatives of the Education Group, Miloš Đuričanin (Nordeus Foundation), Darko Radičanin (Junior Achievement Serbia), and Tanja Kuzman (Digital Serbia Initiative), as well as representatives of the local business community and other schools from Subotica. The new Makers Lab will also serve as a meeting place for other secondary and primary schools from Subotica.
The equipment already installed in the third Makers Lab opened in this school year was carefully selected to meet the school’s needs and plans, as well as the modern programs of the Education Group, which are now available to all interested teachers and students. How much this upgrade contributes to the already successful work of the Grammar School was emphasized by the school principal, Danilo Popov:
“What is most important is that every program and project, in addition to classical education, provides opportunities for creativity for children who want more. The Makers Lab offers excellent possibilities, starting from the design of the classroom, through the equipment, to the staff who will work with students and help them realize their ideas, experiment, and showcase what they consider innovative. Every form of work and engagement beyond standard education provides new ways of acquiring information and knowledge, which can only bring positive results and contribute to the reputation of this grammar school that prepares students for higher education.”
One of the key goals of the Education Group, consisting of the Nordeus Foundation, Junior Achievement Serbia, the Center for the Promotion of Science, and the Digital Serbia Initiative, is to connect the business sector and education with the aim of empowering schools, teachers, and students, as well as fostering the development of society as a whole. This goal is selflessly supported by national partners of the Makers Initiative, including Bosch Serbia, Ceresit, Epson, IKEA, Roma Company, and Tarkett. The IT Subotica 2030 organization recognized the Makers Initiative as significant for its city and supported the opening of the first classroom of the future in Subotica, as emphasized by its Executive Director, Petar Stakić, in his address:
“When we began discussions with the Education Group about the potential opening of a Makers Lab in Subotica, the Svetozar Marković Grammar School immediately stood out as a logical choice, given that the wide range of subjects taught there forms a strong foundation for a STEAM laboratory such as this one. Students at this school devote significant time in their regular curriculum to science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and entrepreneurship, and it is excellent that they will now be able to further develop this knowledge in a laboratory designed specifically for these subjects, working according to a special program created for Makers Labs. We all remember how important practical work was to us as students, and we all recall non-standard forms of teaching—this laboratory certainly represents one of them. That is why we did not hesitate to finance this project and collaborate with the Education Group, which carried out the entire process of classroom reconstruction and preparation professionally and efficiently. As far as we are concerned, if other schools in Subotica show interest in such a project, we will be happy to support them.”
After the official opening, attendees had the opportunity to learn about existing successful projects and school clubs, such as a computer game developed by students, the school magazine, a reading club, and a digital platform for identifying emotions in content.
Makers Lab as a Nursery of Ideas for the Future
Subotica has long stood out as a city with strong interest among young people in modern approaches to work and education. Numerous IT hubs and initiatives have been developed here, and the local community has for years encouraged innovative and proactive approaches to learning and work. It is therefore no coincidence that this grammar school has become the host of a new Makers Lab.
The opening of the Makers Lab represents a logical continuation of the school’s mission to be a place where talents are nurtured and innovations developed. The new space offers teachers and students an opportunity for a different approach to teaching, based on research work, practical tasks, and collaboration. It will be a classroom where first computer games are created, school magazines designed, robots developed, and experiments conducted with Arduino kits.
The Makers Lab will also be open to students from other primary and secondary schools in Subotica, expanding the network of innovative education in the city and the region. In this way, the “Svetozar Marković” Grammar School preserves its tradition of excellence and becomes an epicenter of new knowledge and technologies.
