Back Back

From Serbia to Safari

23/10/2025
WLV Life magazine alumna Ljubica Butkovic - Studied BSc Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation

WLV LIFE MAGAZINE: Read the story of BSc Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation alumna and winner of Professional Excellence Award. 

When Ljubica Butkovic, a business development proposal manager for the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), accepted the Professional Excellence Award at the 2024 University of Wolverhampton Alumni Awards, it was a world away from her family’s origins over 30 years ago.

Born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1990, Ljubica’s early years were shaped by the turbulence of the Balkan War and the breakup of Yugoslavia. There were heavy Western sanctions, and many families were fleeing to Europe and North America. With pre-school-aged children, Ljubica’s parents chose a different path.

In a bold move, her father – a civil engineer who didn’t speak a word of English or Luganda – relocated to Uganda in 1993. It was a leap into the unknown, but soon enough, the rest of the family joined him, and by 1994, they had fully settled in East Africa.

Read the full story on WLV Life 

For more information please contact the Corporate Communications Team.