The Formula Student team “Road Arrow” and the company Mercedes-Benz – Emil Frey Group have signed a contract to continue their collaboration, reaffirming their long-term support for the work and dedication of young talented students gathered around the project of further development and improvement of the first electric formula in Serbia.
The contract was signed by the General Director of Mercedes-Benz Emil Frey, Mr. Štefan Voroš, and the President of the Students’ Technical Competitions Association (STT), Bogdan Čarapić, who also serves as the coordinator of the Students’ Center of Excellence.
The contract signing took place in the Ceremony Hall of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and was attended by: the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Popović; the Vice-Dean for Education, Prof. Dr. Marko Miloš; the Vice-Dean for Scientific Research, Prof. Dr. Dragoslava Stojiljković; the Vice-Dean for Finance, Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Grbović; the Sales and Marketing Director at Mercedes-Benz, Mr. Milorad Ostojić; the mentor of our team, Prof. Dr. Emil Veg; the leader of Road Arrow, Boško Bajić, as well as numerous representatives from our team and representatives of other student teams gathered at the Students’ Center of Excellence of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
In a solemn and friendly atmosphere, the signatories expressed their satisfaction with the current and future collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Emil Frey Company, which recognized the significance of the “Road Arrow” project and showed readiness to advance and elevate their successful collaboration to a higher level.
Before the formal contract signing ceremony, the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Popović, greeted those present. He had been the first mentor of our team. He expressed gratitude to the Emil Frey company for its years of support for the Formula Student team and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. “Your company has been collaborating with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in various segments for years, and I would especially like to highlight the cooperation with the CIAH Laboratory,” said Prof. Popović, emphasizing that the support of such a renowned company as Mercedes-Benz is of great importance for both the Formula Student team and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
The Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering congratulated our students on the successful management of the Formula Student project. He noted that students from other faculties of the University of Belgrade are also participating in this project. “Congratulations to everyone, and I wish you to continue building a brand with the same enthusiasm and energy as you have done so far, a brand that has somewhat transcended the boundaries of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. ‘Road Arrow’ has been recognized as a team of the University of Belgrade, and it is very important that it remains so in the future,” said Prof. Popović.
The General Director of Mercedes-Benz – Emil Frey, Mr. Stefan Voros, expressed his gratitude to the partners from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the members of “Road Arrow” for their ongoing cooperation and satisfaction with the opportunity to work on innovative projects together in the future.
“Your work and dedication to innovation are truly inspiring. Our years-long cooperation has contributed to achieving the motto of our company, which is reflected through support for the development of engineering and science in Serbia, especially through support for the development of young professionals,” said Mr. Voros. He added that Emil Frey has programs for talented students and real preparations for the challenges they will face in their future professional lives.
“Everything we saw at the solemn academy on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering confirms the importance of our decision to support the ‘Road Arrow’ project,” said Mr. Voros, and he wished the team a successful upcoming season. “I am confident that we will witness incredible achievements that can rival prestigious world-class faculties,” concluded the General Director of Mercedes-Benz – Emil Frey.
The attendees were also greeted by the President of the Association of Student Technical Competitions and the Coordinator of the Student Center of Excellence, Bogdan Čarapić. He emphasized the importance of student engagement in projects beyond the classroom.
“The ‘Road Arrow’ project, as well as other student projects within the Student Center of Excellence, represents much more than just student activities. It is a way to foster innovation, enhance skills, and develop knowledge beyond the standard curriculum. Through such projects, students not only acquire technical knowledge but also cultivate essential skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and a collaborative approach to solving engineering problems. All of this makes them more competitive in the job market and better prepared for new engineering challenges in the future,” stated the President of the STT association. He also highlighted the significance of cohesion and collaboration among teams within the Student Center of Excellence. “Teams like Beoavia, Robotoid, Confluence, and Road Arrow work together, exchange ideas, and support each other in achieving common goals. This cohesion and collaboration are essential elements of our future success,” concluded Bogdan Čarapić.
The leader of our team, Boško Bajić, emphasized that working on engineering challenges like the development and construction of electric race cars is a great honor and a strong motivation for young, talented individuals. “Knowledge and experience are what remains in the end. Being involved in such a project means giving young people the opportunity to tackle problems and challenges that would otherwise be inaccessible to them,” he said, expressing his gratitude to the representatives of Mercedes Benz Emil Frey for their longstanding support of the project.
“Thank you for enabling the members of the ‘Road Arrow’ team to learn and grow. I am confident that future generations, like us, will know how to recognize the true friends of the project and, through quality people and a vast knowledge base, give back what has been invested in the project,” Boško Bajić concluded at the end.