Laureates of the Engineering Ring met President Gordana Siljanovska‑Davkova; winner Ognen Pendarovski among them

President Gordana Siljanovska‑Davkova hosted the 2026 Engineering Ring laureates at Villa Biljana in Ohrid, meeting the newly awarded graduates to discuss their plans and the state of the engineering profession in the country.

During the conversation the young engineers outlined their professional intentions and shared critical assessments of higher education and the broader conditions for engineering practice. They emphasized the need for improved working conditions and clearer prospects for career development as prerequisites for keeping top talent in North Macedonia.

The group proposed changes to the legal framework governing higher education to better recognise and reward exceptional achievements in academic selection and hiring processes at universities. They also warned against a looming generational gap and urged timely measures to secure younger staff and appropriate career pipelines.

Participants raised a series of sectoral concerns, including public architecture as a component of quality living environments, the planning and placement of data centres, unfinished but budgeted projects, the location of photovoltaic installations on productive agricultural land, and the accelerating emigration of highly skilled Macedonian engineers to neighbouring countries.

Laureates and the award

Siljanovska‑Davkova presented the Engineering Ring awards for 2026 to 14 of the best graduating engineers yesterday. The laureates attending the Ohrid meeting included the following:

• Marta Miteva — Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Arbana Kasami — Faculty of Applied Sciences (Architecture), University of Tetovo
• Antonio Tomeski — Faculty of Civil Engineering, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Jane Koceski — Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Mila Sazdova — Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Ognen Pendarovski — Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Marija Simonovska — Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Nikola Petrovski — Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Mihail Trajkov — Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Mila Cholakoska — Faculty of Design and Technology of Furniture and Interior, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM)
• Stefana Dimitrieska — Technical Faculty, University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' (UKLO)
• Simeon Nalovski — Faculty of Information and Computer Technologies, University 'St. Kliment Ohridski' (UKLO)
• Stefan Spasov — Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences, Goce Delčev University (UGD)
• Tamara Atanasova — Faculty of Informatics, Goce Delčev University (UGD)

Among the laureates is Ognen Pendarovski, the son of former president Stevo Pendarovski, who graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies at UKIM. The attendees expressed willingness to accept professional roles inside North Macedonia and to take responsibility for the country’s technological progress.

Photo: Кабинет на претседател на РСМ