Among the new institutions joining CETAF during the 59th General Assembly in Florence was the Department of Biology and Ecology at the University of Novi Sad (RS), Faculty of Sciences, represented by Željko D. Popović, Director for Science, International Cooperation and Public Relations.
As part of Serbia’s second-largest university, the Faculty of Sciences has established itself as a leading centre for biodiversity research and taxonomy in South-East Europe. Through its Department of Biology and Ecology, the institution manages internationally significant collections and contributes to research spanning taxonomy, ecology, conservation and evolutionary biology.
For Popović, one of the most important benefits of joining CETAF is the opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the European taxonomic community.
“I would say that the most important thing is networking,” he explained. “We are living in the digital era, and scientists need to adapt to that as well. We need to network more than ever.”
He highlighted CETAF’s role as a platform for connecting researchers and institutions, facilitating the exchange of ideas, the development of collaborative projects and the creation of new partnerships across Europe.
“CETAF provides very good networking platforms and ways of communicating and exchanging ideas, projects, and opportunities”
This collaborative environment is particularly important for taxonomy, a field that is evolving rapidly and increasingly requires researchers to combine traditional expertise with new technological skills. According to Popović, today’s taxonomists face a growing need to acquire competencies that were not traditionally part of their training, making knowledge exchange and capacity building more important than ever.
The Faculty of Sciences brings substantial expertise and infrastructure to the network. Among its most important assets is the Pollinator Collection, which includes more than 162,000 specimens of hoverflies, wild bees and butterflies, as well as one of the largest hoverfly reference collections in South-East Europe. The institution also maintains extensive botanical, mycological and microbial collections and applies integrative approaches that combine classical taxonomy with genomics, biogeography and conservation research.
For Popović, the institution’s geographical position is one of its greatest strengths.
“As the second largest university in Serbia, the University of Novi Sad will help CETAF grow in this part of Europe,” he said. “The Balkan Peninsula is one of the hotspots of European and global biodiversity.”
This strategic location gives researchers access to unique specimens and ecosystems while supporting studies that combine traditional taxonomic methods with cutting-edge technologies such as genetics and genomics.
“We do all classical taxonomic research, but we also apply modern technologies like genetics and genomics in taxonomy,” Popović explained. “I think that’s going to be of mutual benefit for us and for CETAF as well.”
The accession of the Department of Biology and Ecology (Faculty of Sciences), University of Novi Sad, strengthens CETAF’s presence in South-East Europe and reinforces the network’s commitment to supporting biodiversity research across all regions of the continent. Through its collections, expertise and collaborative outlook, the institution will contribute to advancing taxonomic knowledge while helping to build stronger connections between researchers working to understand and conserve biodiversity.
As CETAF continues to grow, the addition of institutions such as the University of Novi Sad demonstrates the value of bringing together diverse perspectives, collections and expertise to address shared scientific and environmental challenges.
This article is part of CETAF’s coverage of the 59th General Assembly (CETAF59) held in Florence, Italy. Explore related articles on CETAF’s newest members, the 2026 e-SCoRe Award, and key discussions on integrative taxonomy and colonial collections.