9th International Conference Balkan Political Club

“Bosnia& Herzegovina: Crossing from Dayton’s to Brussel’s phase and the Role of the International

Community”6 – 7 May 2006, Sarajevo

Education in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Prof. Lamija TANOVIĆUniversity of Sarajevo

Mistakes

Many mistakes have been made in BiH in the reconstruction period from Dayton to today.

The greatest mistake was a permanent neglect of the education sector. The consequences of this are still not fully known as the effects will take many years to be fully apparent.

Structure of B&H

Extravagant structure of the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina:

Main reason of problems in educational sector too

Apartheid in B&H schools

The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina has no authority in the educational sector.

This fact has had dire consequences. One of the most appalling consequences has been the institution of apartheid in Bosnian elementary schools – the infamous “two schools under one roof” system.

Educating generations for the future

In the totally segregated schools we are educating new generations that do not know their country and who do not lowe their country.

And what about Higher Education?

Bologna Proccess – Inspiration for Reforms

• For many countries, “Bologna” has been an inspiration and a recipe for much needed reforms.

• This is also true for the SEE countries and for our country – Bosnia and Herzegovina too.

Members of the Bologna Process- EHEA

Ministerial Conference in Bergen 19-20 Maj 2005

Ministerial Conference in Bergen 19-20 Maj 2005

Assesment of the important areas of reform for all 40 Members of the Bologna Process was made

What was assessed in these three fields?

• Quality Assurance:1.1 Stage of development of quality assurance system1.2 Key elements of evaluation systems1.3 Level of participation of students1.4 Level of international participation, co-operation

and networking• Two cycle system: 2.1 Stage of implementation of two-cycle system2.2 Level of student enrolment in two-cycle system2.3 Access from first cycle to second cycle• Recognition:3.1 Stage of implementation of Diploma Supplement3.2 Ratification of Lisbon Recognition Convention3.3 Stage of implementation of ECTS

Assesment Scale

Green Excellent performance

Light Green Very good performance

Yellow Good performance

Orange Some progress has been made

Red Little progress has been made yet

COMPARATIVE ASSESMENT CHART

Average Scores for the Three Priority Action

Lines Number of countries in each colour

category

GreenLight green

YellowOrang

eRed

Quality assurance

15 13 7 8 0

2-cycle degree

18 13 4 6 2

Recognition

14 20 9 0 0

Score for all

10 19 11 3 0

Good news: Bologna is working

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Albania

Bosnia andHerzegovina

France

Norway

Quality Assurance

2-cycle Recognition

But Bologna is not working equally well everywhere (examples of national scorecards)

What about our region -The Balkans

What if we compare BiH with the countries from the region or just countries from former Yugoslavia?

SEE Countries Score Cards Country QA 2cycle syst. Recognitio

nTotal Score

Albania

B&H

Bulgaria

Croatia

Greece

Macedonia

Montenegro

Romania

Serbia

Turkey

In order to join to “European Area of Higher Education” we have to create “Bosnian Higher Education Area”.

The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina has almost no

competence in the area of higher education. There is no Ministry of Education at the State level.

There is no law on higher education at the state

level.

Acreditation and Standards

• Universities and faculties do not undergo the process of accreditation, since the current laws do not envisage such a possibility.

• The new Law will have to regulate this issue as well.

• In the area of higher education the appropriate standards and norms that apply to a diverse set of issues (dealing with education, teaching and other staff and personnel, space requirements, etc.) have not been passed and implemented.

Universities in B&H

There are currently eight Universities in the country:

University of Bihać, University of Banja Luka, University of Tuzla, University of Sarajevo, University East Sarajevo, University“Džemal

Bijedić” Mostar (East), University Mostar (West)

and University Zenica.

Universities in B&H

• Despite the large number of universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, only 15% of young people go on to attend one.

• We are living in a world in which higher education is becoming a “public good” and in which growing numbers of young people attend university. In Europe 52%, in Japan 49%, in Canada 59% and in the USA an amazing 81%[1] of young people attend university.

[1] Jan Figel (member of European Commission responsible for Education, Training, Culture and Multilinguism „Strong Universities for Europe“, EUA Convention of European Higher Education Institutions, Glasgow, 31 March 2005

Higher Education Budget

The annual budget for higher education in B&H is 56,75 million € i.e. approximately 550 € per student. This amounts to the following per student:

USA: 14.851 € Canada: 10.934 € Sweden: 9.918 € Scotland 9.101 € The budget for higher education are 20 to 40

times less in BiH than in Europe, and the rest of teh world.

Comparison with the countries in the region

KM/Student/Year (1Euro=2KM)

0 5000 10000 15000

Ljubljana

Beograd

Zagreb

Sarajevo

Universities in B&H: KM/Student/Year

0 500 1000 1500

BihacZenicaTuzlaBanja LukaE MostarW MostarE SarajevoSarajevo

Bologna Reform and financing the HE

• There is no reform of HE without new investments.

• For instance: In 2005, while Croatia invested approximately 18 million KM for the implementation of the Bologna Proccess, B&H did not invest a single mark.

Generally, public investment in higher education in B&H amount to about 30KM per inhabitant which makes them less than 6% of the European average.

We have our excuses: war, devastation, brain-drain

But this is not good enough any more

• Not ten years after the war.• Not after extensive financial

assistance that B&H received in the post-war period.

In order to establish positive mobility and prevent the brain drain it is necessary to do the following:

• to reconstruct the research infrastructure destroyed by the war or is outdated

The reconstruction of research infrastructure is sine qua non for the revitalization of the research sector. Without this reconstruction we cannot even approach the other priorities of this process.

• to reform higher education in the spirit of the Bologna Process making it possible for undergraduates to spend some time studying abroad

• to reform the visa regime imposed on the countries in the region

Instead of Conclusion

• Apartheit has to be urgentla and energetically expelled from our schools!!

• Higher education has the potential to play a significant role in supporting economic regeneration in Bosnia and Herzegovina while, at the same time, enhancing an understanding and practice of democracy.

• Deep-rooted changes in higher education are needed to ensure democratic development in both higher education institutions and within BiH society itself, reforms that should, at the same time, improve the economic well-being of the country.

THE END