University of Sarajevo’s financial, legal and academic integration

Taking into regard the current activities in the University of Sarajevo’s integration process, a press conference was held on Monday, 8 July 2019 at which were presented results of the previous Law on Higher Education KS implementation stage, information on financial, legal and academic integration of the University of Sarajevo, as well as the students enrollment at University of Sarajevo in the academic year 2019/2020 year.

Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, University of Sarajevo Rector, reminded that the University of Sarajevo has implemented a higher education collective agreement since its transition to treasury operating. In this respect, the University’s founder - Sarajevo Canton Government has provided a significantly higher amount of funding for the University of Sarajevo in 2019.

“The University of Sarajevo successfully completed the financial plan in 2018. At the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, a report on the work with the financial report and the Internal Audit Report on the work of the UNSA for the year 2018 was adopted in June, so this management has two positive reports for 2017 and 2018 adopted by the Founder, which is the first time in the recent history that the UNSA, or the UNSA Steering Committee, submits these reports to the founder, and that those reports at the Assembly are referred to and represented by the UNSA Rector. In the year behind us, the University of Sarajevo rejuvenated our teaching staff by more than ten percent, receiving young assistants and expert associates, we received an excellence seal of approval by European Commission, a collective agreement was signed, and salaries were increased for academic staff by about 70 to 80 percent, which have not been increased for 15 years” stated Rector Škrijelj some of the successes of the University of Sarajevo in the past year.

Rector Škrijelj emphasized that the in the future University of Sarajevo will endeavor to improve the collective agreement and the Standards and norms in the higher education to solve some more doubts and inconsistencies in order to be as successful as possible. He also emphasized that strategic documents were adopted at the University of Sarajevo that will be basis for work, which among other things imply implementation of the new enrollment policy and new study programs, both in Bosnian and English.

“We have offered young people some new opportunities for education and getting closer to the labor market in BiH. I think we will have a solid student response this year. With the organizational units’ loss of legal entity status, the University of Sarajevo as an institution gets the opportunity to better managing of spatial capacities for the needs of individual organizational units. For example, the Faculty of Health Studies does not have its own building and so far has had the realization of teaching in eight places. We will try to rationalize this. I think that in terms of our international position in 2020, we will become a more recognizable University” said Rector Škrijelj.

Asked how to stop the departure of young people from BiH, Rector Škrijelj says that this is not only the problem of the University of Sarajevo, because Faculty graduates, those who are not, as well as entire families, leave BiH.

“The University of Sarajevo kept nearly 200 people through employment programs in the last few years in this country, gave them a chance and a first job. These people did not leave us. I wish if all the institutions in BiH would apply the same model and retained a certain number of young people” said Rector Škrijelj.

The press conference was preceded by a working-consultative meeting attended by the Chairman and members of the University Steering Committee, Rector, Vice-Rectors, Deans and Directors of organizational units, Vice-Deans and Secretaries of organizational units, Heads of finance and accounting units of the University of Sarajevo organizational units, Cantonal Education, Science and Youth Ministry representatives, and University of Sarajevo Trade Union Central Board members.

It was emphasized that University of Sarajevo is undergoing one of the most serious reforms in its 70 years, and that the meeting was organized with the aim and the need to present the achieved level of university integration so far - financial, legal and academic, and an agreement on directions for further action.

Student enrollment at the University of Sarajevo

The first student enrollment competition deadline in the first year of the first cycle of studies and the first year of the integrated studies (first and second cycles), specialist studies and expert studies at the University of Sarajevo for academic 2019/2020 was closed on Friday, 5 July 2019.

According to Prof. Dr. Aida Hodžić, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Student Affairs at the University of Sarajevo, this year was an excellent student response to the enrollment, as shown by the preliminary results.

“At 6457 places in the first cycle and integrated studies, as much as the University offered, we have registered approx. 6660 students, or approx. 103%, which is increase for 20% than last year. And when it comes to interest for studying, we have the greatest interest in Faculties from Medical and Technical sciences groups. For example, we have Faculties from a Medical Sciences group where the number of applicants excels 300 per cent,” said Vice-Rector Hodžić.