The roots of Serbian technical civilisation lie in the middle ages, during the reign of the Nemanjić dynasty. The beginnings of engineering are visible in mining and metallurgy ventures such as Novo Brdo mines, and in the construction of resplendent sacral and other buildings. The renewal of the Serbian statehood after the centuries-old Ottoman power, and the creation of a modern state in the nineteenth century, revived the Serbian engineering as well. At the time, the engineers were predominantly educated in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and France. The “Engineering Society”, the forerunner of our Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia, was established already in 1868, on 3 February. During its long 150 years, the Engineering Union went through many changes, but has always been active and socially recognisable. Many important engineers and scientists of all professions were, and still are, its members. The first chairman was Emilijan Josimović, an architect and urbanist, and Nikola Tesla was a prominent honorary member.
A very important moment in the activity and affirmation of the Union came with the construction of the House of Engineers of Serbia in 1936, and of the New House of Engineers “Nikola Tesla” in 1967. The funds for construction were provided by engineers, businessmen and benefactors; the engineering intellectuals demonstrated their importance and determination for gathering and action through their associations and the Union as the expressions of their professional, scientific, intellectual and critical engagement. Today, the Union has more than forty professional, multidisciplinary, thematic, city-wide and regional members. It encompasses a Development Centre and the Engineering Academy of Serbia. The activities are diverse: gathering, debates, conferences, publishing, cooperation with other professionals and their associations, licencing examinations, exhibitions, academic work with university and secondary school students and young researchers. The Union has several thousand members from all the cities and municipalities in Serbia. The Union itself and its members are self-financed non-governmental organisations, providing funds from their activities and membership fees. The Union has large societal significance and role both in Serbia and in wider European and global engineering community, which is manifested in our membership in international related organisations and in the national environment, through affirmation of knowledge and cooperation with other associations, public bodies, businesses and schools, and, in particular, in the number and quality of our members.
Motif on the stamp and FDC: Trademark and jubilee logotype of Serbian Technicians’ Society; House of Engineers of Serbia and the New House of Engineers ”Nikola Tesla”.
Graphic realization of the stamp: Jakša Vlahović, academic graphic artist.
Expert collaboration: Dr. Igor Marić, Chairman of the Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia.
