The Founding Assembly, at which the Informatics Association of Serbia (IAS) was founded, was held on 28th June 1973, at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade. On that occasion, the initiative to found the Association was adopted, the Articles of Association was enacted and bodies of the Association were elected.

Professor Tihomir Aleksić Phd, serving in the capacity of the President of the Preparatory Committee for Founding of the Association, said at the Founding Assembly:

In our society of accelerated development, informatics has always taken and will still take an important place.  The Informatics Association of Serbia will enable association of people from various areas of expertise who need the informatics outputs.

The following documents are evidence of founding of the Informatics Association of Serbia:

• the Founding Assembly agenda,
• minutes of the Founding Assembly of the Informatics Association of Serbia, held on 28th June 1973 in Belgrade,
• keynote speech held by professor Tihomir Aleksić ME, at the Founding Assembly of the Informatics Association of Serbia, on 28th June 1973
• article „The Informatics Association of Serbia Founded in Belgrade”, published in the “Praksa” (Practice) in September 1973.

At the time of founding of the Informatics Association of Serbia, there were around 150 computer centres in the Republic of Serbia, where computers were used for mass data processing, automation of specific jobs and dissemination. It is estimated that around 1500 experts were in charge of automatic data processing and broader informatics in computer centres, certain faculties, institutes and enterprises which produced computers, at that time.

Leading users of computers were as follows: Zastava, Genex, Inex, Beobanka Bank, Investment Bank (Investiciona banka), Jugobanka Bank, “Ivo Lola Ribar” Factory, Jugopetrol, Cable Factory from Svetozarevo, Agricultural Corporation of Belgrade, BEKO, Social Accounting Service of Yugoslavia, Federal Statistical Office, Federal Secretariat of National Defence, Federal Secretariat of Internal Affairs, National Bank of Yugoslavia, Institute of Informatics and Statistics of the City of Belgrade, Tanjug, Utva Pančevo, Navip, Goša, Poljobanka Bank, Electronic Industry of Niš, Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade, Mihajlo Pupin Institute, Vinča Institute, Novkabel, Energoprojekt, Faculty of Sciences in Belgrade etc.

The levels of data processing and training of staff were following the global trends of that time. Mihajlo Pupin Institute and Electronic Industry of Niš produced domestic computers (CER, ТIM, EI-N6,…).

Back then, our country was in the process of accelerated economic and social development and there was a specific interest and incentives for application of computers in economy, administration and scientific institutions.

This was the atmosphere in which the activities of the Informatics Association of Serbia were planned and developed and these activities were the reflection of favourable economic conditions, which complemented the entire economic and IT ambience in the country.

 

GOALS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INFORMATICS ASSOCIATION OF SERBIA

The Informatics Association of Serbia is a voluntary, non-governmental and non-profit, professional association of citizens, established for the purpose of achieving the goals in the field of information society development in Serbia.

The Articles of Association of the Informatics Association of Serbia, which is in force, was adopted in 2010, but the goals and responsibilities had also been the same in previous Articles of Association. The Articles of Association of the Informatics Association of Serbia stipulates the following goals:

• tо assemble and network the experts dealing with production, development, use and education in the field of information and communication technologies;
• to pursue and popularise the modern development of science, technical engineering and technology and their use  in the field of information and communication technologies;
• to consider the situation and propose the necessary measures in the development of the information society in Serbia;
• to cooperate with administrative authorities, chambers of commerce, scientific institutions and other organisations in considering the situation and proposing of the measures for the purpose of developing the information society;
• to train and professionally develop employees for the latest use of information and communication technologies, as well as some other goals.

The Articles of Association specifies that for the purpose of accomplishing the goals and responsibilities, the Association shall organise: expert meetings, forums, round tables, lectures, promotions, seminars, courses, publishing of professional bulletins, preparation of studies and analysis etc.

The work of the Association is public and all interested citizens and the media are welcomed to take part in its meetings.