The Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA) appeals that the "Dr. Zoran Đinđić" Fund Board as well as the Senate of the University of Novi Sad react to publicly presented indications that during the selection of candidates for this year's "Dr. Zoran Đinđić" award, several ethically questionable procedural decisions were made that question the integrity of the outcome of the competition itself.
Namely, the Award for Young Scientists and Researchers has been awarded since 2004. Initially, the prize was awarded by the "Dr. Zoran Đinđić" Foundation and the Provincial Government of Vojvodina, and since 2015, the award has been entrusted to the University of Novi Sad (UNS), while the Fund's functioning is entrusted to a Board made up of prominent experts from the University of Novi Sad. Provincial governments, Dr. Zoran Đinđić Foundation, SANU Department in Novi Sad and Matica Srpska. In its long tradition, the awarding of this award primarily served to affirm a young scientist, and some of the laureates have since become distinguished domestic and international scientists. However, this year (April 21, 2022), without the recommendation or consent of the Forum, two changes are being made to the Rulebook on awarding the award. The first change refers to the fact that a potential participant in the competition no longer needs the decision of the Scientific and Teaching Council of the parent faculty/institute. Also, in the earlier version of the Rulebook, it was prescribed that candidates must not have reached the age of 35 on the day of the deadline for the public competition, while this year's controversial amendment stipulates that the participant can be no more than 35 years old in the year of the public competition.
We believe that the second change is extremely problematic if we take into account that even two of this year's award winners turned 35 at the time of the contest. From this fact, it is clearly seen that only the subtle changes in the Rulebook on awarding awards made the mentioned two colleagues valid candidates. It is even more worrying that one of the members of the Board of the Fund "Dr. Zoran Đinđić" is at the same time the mentor and project manager of one of this year's laureates. Bearing in mind that the Board makes a decision on the proposal for awarding awards, the issue of conflict of interest in the implementation of the current competition arises - as well as consequential injustice towards other candidates.
Accordingly, considering the importance of adequate development of young scientific staff, as well as the prestige of the award whose regularity is in question, we appeal to all relevant institutions - above all the "Dr. Zoran Đinđić" Fund Board, the UNS Rectorate and the UNS Senate - to express their opinion on the problematic amendments to the Rulebook on awarding the award, potential indications of conflict of interest and protection when making the decision on awarding the "Dr. Zoran Đinđić" award.
