Since the foundation of our Department of Chemistry in 1971, it became famous in Serbia and aboard because of the success and skills of its undergraduates, graduates, and PhD students. Besides teaching, fundamental and applied researches were carried out in various fields of chemistry. Such scientific activities were accomplished through many projects funded by the Republic of Serbia and international projects, and within the framework of the Institute of Chemistry.

The story started in the High Pedagogical School in Niš, which was founded in 1948-1949 in order to educate the teaching staff. Chemistry was first studied within the three-subject (Physics-Chemistry-Mathematics) group. A few years later, in 1954, the group was divided into three more focused groups: chemistry-physics, physics-chemistry, and mathematics.

The starting period wasn’t easy due to the lack of required instruments as well as teaching and technical staff. Despite all the obstacles that were standing in the way, two enthusiastic professors invested their efforts and gradually eliminated the difficulties in working within the chemistry-physics group. In 1954, the first chemical laboratory was established in the renovated premises, and it was one of the best in the country, back in the day.

The High Pedagogical School in Niš stopped working in 1971, and by then 146 students graduated from this institution.

Teaching chemistry at the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš

Chemistry at the Faculty of Philosophy began in November 1971 and was carried out in the premises and laboratories of the Higher Pedagogical School which stopped working. Since its founding, the Study group of chemistry consisted of three departments: the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, the Department of Analytical Chemistry and the Department of Organic Chemistry.

Seven years later, postgraduate studies were established for the academic title of Master of Science, and six years after that — in 1984 — the first doctoral dissertation in chemistry was defended. By the end of 1995, 119 postgraduates enrolled the studies of which 45 defended their master thesis, 11 people earned the academic title of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Also, 601 chemistry students graduated. In the next year, the Institute of Chemistry was founded and its mission is to organize the scientific research.

Teaching chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics in Niš

After the accreditation of the faculty with programmes according to Bologna declaration that was completed in 2008, education is organized in three levels: Bachelor (3 years or 180 ECTS), Master (2 years or 120 ECTS), and Doctoral level (3 years or 180 ECTS).

By the end of 2017, more than a thousand students graduated from our department becoming great teachers, researchers and applied chemists, whose knowledge and skills gave a major contribution to this country. Nonetheless, masters and PhDs of Chemistry are employed at many faculties and colleges in Serbia and aboard, and many of them authored a large number of scientific papers which got published in renowned world scientific journals.

The research activity of the Department of Chemistry in Nis, as well as the workspace, library and more details about the teaching staff, is written in the paper History of the Department of Chemistry, the University of Niš, Republic of Serbia published in the first issue of the first volume of the journal Chemia Naissensis.