Webinar: “Individual Welfare in Education and Science: Health, Safety, Happiness and Prosperity in Higher Education”

The webinar “Individual Welfare in Education and Science: Health, Safety, Happiness and Prosperity in Higher Education” was held online on Wednesday, 23 September . it was organized by the University of Sarajevo, in cooperation with public universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina: University of Banja Luka, University of Bihać, University “Džemal Bijedić” of Mostar, University of East Sarajevo, University of Mostar, University of Tuzla and University of Zenica.

The webinar was opened by Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, University of Sarajevo Rector and Dr. Stefan Schäfers, King Baudouin Foundation of Belgium director.

Rector Škrijelj stated that the appearance of the coronavirus at the end of December 2019 changed the lives of all of us, putting our health, economy and education to the test. He also emphasized that very important things have been done through the Train programs, from which we will benefit for many years, and that is why it is important to support this very well-conceived concept.

Director Schäfers emphasized that the University of Sarajevo not only implemented the TRAIN program during the three-year duration of the project, but also continuously worked on its improvement, and most importantly on its integration into the university system.

The webinar was organized to support the capacity building of the academic staff of all public universities in BiH, taking into account the importance of the well-being of university teachers and associates as an important phenomenon for the realization of professional and personal roles of employees in higher education.

The topic “Psychological capital of teachers in higher education” was presented by Doz. Dr. Ivona Čarapina Zovko, University of Mostar, while on the topic “Communication in university teaching as a factor of health, safety, happiness and prosperity in higher education” spoke Prof. Dr. Branka Kovačević, University of East Sarajevo. The third topic of the webinar was “Indicators of the quality of higher education institutions and/or programs through the dimensions of inclusiveness”, which was discussed by Doz. Dr. Šejla Bjelopoljak, University of Bihać, while the discussion on the central topic of the webinar was led by Prof. Dr. Mirjana Mavrak, University of Sarajevo.

The webinar was organized within the joint activities of the Commission for the Development of Professional Development Framework for University Teachers and Associates (“TRAIN +” Program) appointed by the Bosnian Rectors' Conference. The project was based on the need to systematically design the concept of continuing professional development of university staff at universities in BiH and thus contribute to strengthening the quality of integration processes in Bosnian higher education.