The seminar on history at the Petnica Science Centre was established in cooperation with the Association for Social History from Belgrade in 2000. The idea and the programme stem from the need to modernise the existing approach to teaching history and scientific research with some aspects that have been neglected so far, such as local, social, cultural and economic history. This seminar is a link between teaching and science, secondary schools and the Faculty of Philosophy and scientific institutes. It offers secondary school students an opportunity to attend lectures given and workshops run by professional researches and lecturers and to conduct their own mini-research, assisted by their mentor, who is also the programme-coordinator. The students do not only learn about certain aspects from our past which are often unavailable to professional historians, but are also provided with solid foundation for their regular studies, not necessarily related to history.

This is neither a child-play, nor a hobby.

This is a proof that elementary knowledge of and compliance with scientific methods, combined with determination and hard-work, can result in cognitive benefits even before the beginning of university studies.

This is not a substitute for regular studies.

This is a kind of preparation for studying, capacity building and raising awareness of freshmen.

This is by no means all that can be done.

However, it is a lot compared to what was possible before the seminar was organised.

A lot compared to nothing.