On September 9, Cambridge Judge Business School Alumni Connect (CJBS connect) took place in Belgrade, Serbia.
The event was organized in Royal Palace thanks to the hospitality of the Crown Prince Alexander and the Crown Princess Catherine, and initiated by Professor Simon Stockley, Teaching Fellow in Entrepreneurship at Cambridge Judge Business School and Ms Jadranka Dervisevic-Kitaric, Executive Director of The British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
Cambridge Connect is organized with a goal of bringing together Judge Business School alumni and prospective students who may perceive Cambridge as their ideal place for the continuation of their postgraduate studies or mid-career professional development.
Cambridge Judge Business School Connects Alumni Event gathered members of the Royal Family, remarkable professors from The University of Belgrade and Cambridge, representatives of the business community and Serbian IT ecosystem, executive board of the British Serbian Chamber in Commerce, students from Belgrade and Oxford, as well as several Cambridge Judge Business School current students and alumni, many of whom were PEXIM Foundation scholars.
It was interesting for the audience to learn about Cambridge Judge Business School’s origins. CJBS was established in 1990 as the Judge Institute of Management Studies, thanks to the generous benefactor, late Sir Paul Judge, who had strong links with Serbia as a former Chairman of the BSCC. Thanks to Sir Paul’s philanthropy and the University infrastructure, the building of Old Addenbrooks Hospital from the mid-18th century was turned into the place of excellence and world-class innovation.
‘‘CJBS team claims to be in the business of transformation – of individuals, of organisations and society,’’ Professor Simon Stockley pointed out and shared insights about Cambridge educational ecosystem. Professor Stockley brought the event into reality together with CJBS Alumni Office and BSCC Executive Director Jadranka Dervisevic-Kitaric, while bearing in mind how receptive Belgrade academic and business ecosystems would be to Cambridge excellence.
His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Alexander, the distinguished host and Patron of CJBS Connect Event welcomed guests together with His Royal Highness, Crown Princess Catherine, after the audience had experienced the guided tour on the Royal Compound and all premises of the Royal Palace.
His Royal Highness’s shared their vision for better Serbia thanks to philanthropic work of their Foundation with a focus on healthcare, hospital renovation and providing scholarships for the best students, while bearing in mind the connections of the Serbian Royal Family to the UK establishment and the connections to the University of Nottingham.

Tijana Gajic, Executive Director of PEXIM Foundation, also addressed the audience and explained how Cambridge International Trust and PEXIM Foundation support extraordinary students from Serbia and North Macedonia and supporting social, economic and legal progress of these two countries.
Moreover, there was enough room and time for exquisite music so that knowledge, excellence and collaboration are celebrated in good rhythm. The audience had the opportunity to hear Art Link Young Talents perform 4 pieces.