University of Sarajevo Round Table on Drafting Enrolment Plan

Within the enrolment promotion project, the University of Sarajevo organized a round table on Wednesday, 20 March 2019 on the topic “Creating an enrollment plan” with the aim of opening a dialogue on the enrollment policy issues at our University.

This year, the University of Sarajevo marks 70 years of existence and 15 years of implementation of the Bologna Studies Reform. This significant jubilee will be marked by a series of events, out of which one is enrollment promotion at the University of Sarajevo under the slogan “Be what you are, study what you want.” As part of the campaign, today's meeting was dedicated to enrollment policies.

Round table was opened by University of Sarajevo Rector, Prof. Rifat Škrijelj, reminding that according to the latest census in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2013, data show that in Bosnia and Herzegovina from the group of age of 30 to 34 only 16% of people completed higher education, This percentage is very low; only 8% of Bosnia and Herzegovina has completed higher education. When it comes to employment, aged 25 to 64, only 46% of the population is employed.
“It is therefore easy to conclude that the level of education is at an unsatisfactory level, as well as the employment rate. The opening of the dialogue on the links between higher education and the labor market is certainly of great importance, so I want the debate to open the way for constructive cooperation between all actors who shape the landscape of higher education, education in Bosnia and Herzegovina” said Rector Škrijelj.

Lejla Halkić, Director of the Center for Education and Informatics (Chamber of Commerce of Sarajevo Canton), spoke about the role of the Chamber in creating the enrollment policy, said Mahir Lokvančić, Head of Employment Promotion and IT Affairs Sector (Employment Service of Sarajevo Canton) and Vedran Zubić, professor at Dobrinja Lyceum, spoke about the topic: Demographic dynamics as a predisposition of education and economic policy in Canton Sarajevo. Lamija Husić, Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton and Safudin Čengić, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Employers of Sarajevo Canton and General Director of Centrotrans-Eurolines, discussed the issues of registration policy.

The organization of this roundtable, the University of Sarajevo, has sparked a ubiquitous debate about the scarce and enormous jobs in the labor market in BiH, which are often criticized by overproduction of staff and the production of low-income staff. This Roundtable was an opportunity for all stakeholders to express their views on the issue of enrollment policy in order to arrive at a closer look at the perception of the role of all key actors.

In a discussion opened by Prof. Dr. Aida Hodžić, UNSA Vice-Rector for Teaching and Student Affairs, to the representatives of the University of Sarajevo, secondary schools in Sarajevo Canton, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth, Sarajevo Canton Employment Service, Sarajevo Canton Chamber of Commerce and Employers Association of Canton Sarajevo participated.

Round table “Creating an enrollment plan” conclusions:

• Input quotas must be created based on available resources, standards and standards, as well as interest in studies and labor market needs.
• The quality of the teaching process needs to be strengthened, as well as the inclusion of the labor market in the creation of synergies, the realization of the teaching process and joint research.
• At all levels of government, it is necessary to create an atmosphere for creating new jobs, exercising the right to tax relief, encouraging and stimulating excellence through scholarships.
• Investors should be hired to create new jobs, since the University of Sarajevo forms working staff.
• It is necessary to have a long-term planning and development strategy, as well as more investments in joint reform of all levels of education and to maintain continuity in these activities.