DeSci International Event Organized by the University of Mostar
Web3 Innovation HUB
101179566 — W3IH — ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE
About the Event
The DeSci International Event, an international gathering dedicated to the development and strengthening of decentralized science, was held on April 23 on the margins of the fourth edition of the MoStart Conference.
Organized by the University of Mostar as part of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project WEB3 Innovation Hub, in cooperation with the MoStart Conference, the event brought together around 50 participants including researchers, experts, and technology enthusiasts from the region and beyond.
The program focused on strengthening the capacities of the DeSci community in the Western Balkans and on building stronger collaboration between the academic and technological sectors.
Program Highlights
Opening and keynote
The event opened with remarks by Vice-Rector Tomislav Volaric, who also serves as the project coordinator at the University of Mostar. The keynote lecture was delivered by Veronica Kirin under the title "DeSci is Shooting Itself in the Foot (and how to fix it)," focusing on the current challenges and future directions of decentralized science.
Expert Lectures
The program continued with expert lectures by Pavle Batuta, representing Moonstruck, and Zoran Balkic, blockchain expert and founder of Base58. Their presentations explored DeSci and the transformation of scientific models through Web3 technologies.
- Tokenization of science and new support models
- Digital infrastructures for research collaboration
- New models for research funding
- Blockchain innovation in scientific ecosystems
Panel Discussion
The event also featured the panel discussion "From Open Science to DeSci: Transforming Research Ecosystems through Web3 Technologies," where participants discussed the future of research ecosystems and the role of decentralized technologies in their transformation.
In addition to the formal program, participants had the opportunity to network and exchange experiences during breaks and dedicated networking sessions.
Regional Cooperation
Project partners include the University of Montenegro, University of Split, University of Sarajevo, University of Belgrade, and five industry partners: Attic42, Moonstruck, Digitalizuj.Me, UBIK, and INTERA Technology Park.
The event concluded with closing remarks and the announcement of the next DeSci conference, which will be held in Podgorica in 2027, organized by the University of Montenegro.