Special Advisors to the Minister

Jovan Milić

Jovan Milić was born in Niš.

He graduated in 2019 from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Niš as one of the best students, top-ranked in his generation. He defended his master's thesis titled "Project for the Reorganization of the Office for Local Economic Development and Projects of the City of Niš", again as the first in his generation. He completed his Master studies with an average grade of 9.70 and earned an additional 8 ECTS credits. He further specialized in finance through the ICE program at the University of Cambridge. He is also a participant in the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Jovan Milić is the author of several novels. For his contributions in the field of public affairs, the President of the Republic of Serbia awarded him the Silver Medal of Merit. He received the highest recognition of the City of Niš, the "January 11th" award, as the only student in the history of the award to receive it, as well as the Hello! Magazine’s Personality of the Year award.. Also, he was the first high school student to participate in the Kopaonik Business Forum – Changing Serbia in a Changing Europe. He received the Award of the City Municipality "Crveni Krst" for his achievements in school and student entrepreneurship. He was honored with a certificate of recognition from HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević for outstanding success in secondary education. In January 2016, he was the only student that year to receive the highest recognition from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development—the Saint Sava Award—for his contribution to the development of education in the Republic of Serbia. In October 2016, he received the Dukat Medijane award from the Medijana City Municipality, and in December of the same year, he was honored with the Karić Brothers Award. In August 2017, he was declared an Honorary Citizen of the Municipality of Pantelej. The EXIT Foundation named him Serbia’s Young Hero. He was also a scholarship recipient of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.

Two documentary programs have been made about him: "The Good in People" and "Life Tells a Story".

His research papers in the fields of energy and process engineering have been presented at international conferences “DEMI” and “SIMTERM 2019.” He was a member of the organizing committee for the SIMTERM conference, organized by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Niš and the Society of Thermal Engineers of Serbia. Additionally, he was a member of the organizing committee for the ACAICS 2020 (Applied Classical and Constructial Semigroups) Conference, organized by the Center for Applied Mathematics of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš.

Jovan Milić the founder and global director of the humanitarian organization “Nađi Raula,” which focuses on promoting young talents, supporting vulnerable individuals, and advocating for fundamental human rights. He has founded numerous conferences, with the Forum of Young Scientists standing out in particular—an initiative he launched while still a high school student. Over time, the Forum has become a recognized brand of the City of Niš.

As a university student, he established a living endowment—the “Svetislav Milić – From the Heart to the Youth” Award, which is granted to outstanding young individuals for exceptional achievements in six official categories.

He began his professional career as an associate at Color Media Communications in Belgrade and later worked as a communications manager for the student organization “ESTIEM.” Since 2018, he has been the main organizer and associate of ITConnect. He completed his professional internship at the City Administration of Niš. In 2021, he became part of the team at the City Administration for Social Affairs of Niš. From 2021 to 2024, he served as a counselor in the Assembly of the City of Niš. In March 2022, he started his career at Infostud 3 in Subotica, working as a project manager. In December 2022, he joined the team of Minister Dr. Jelena Begović.

He is a participant in the international SIETLU project, funded by the European Union. He is the author of the article “Serbia Is My Country, It Is Worth Devoting Oneself to It,” published in the daily newspaper Večernje Novosti.

Jovan Milić is also the founder and global director of the nonprofit magazine “Novi Milenijum,” which aims to promote young talents and healthy lifestyles. As a passionate reader of literature in the fields of historiography and international relations, he holds Max Weber's work in high regard.

He speaks English fluently and is learning Spanish.

From April 2025, as a special adviser, he performs the duties of the head of the Cabinet of Minister Balint.