Overview of Higher Education System in Bosnia and Herzegovina

I Governance of the Higher Education in BIH

The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) has a complex political structure on
three levels: state, entity and canton. On the state level there is no single ministry
dealing with education. The authority over education is given to the two entities: the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBIH) and Republika Srpska (RS). In RS a
single ministry of education manages the educational sector, including higher
education. There are two Universities: University of Banja Luka and East Sarajevo. In
the FBIH, the Federal Ministry of Education has transferred the authority of
education to the ten cantons, so that each canton has its own ministry of education,
which is also in charge of Higher Education (HE). Out of 10 only 5 cantons have
Universities and these are: Sarajevo, Tuzla, Bihac, Zenica and two Universities of
Mostar (University “Dzemal Bijedic” Mostar and Sveuciliste Mostar). Most of the
eight BIH universities (exception is Tuzla) are loose associations of autonomous
faculties and other institutions, numbering over 90 in all. In addition, no legislation
or procedural mechanisms ensure the homogeneity of academic standards or allow
the comparative assessment of the performance of academic institutions. Such
situation creates that higher education in BIH faces unresolved issues of governance
at the levels both of coordination and the management of institutions.

II Universities in BIH

There are 8 Universities in BIH: University of Sarajevo with 23 faculties, University of

Tuzla with 13, University of Banja Luka - 13, University “Dzemal Bijedic” Mostar - 8,
Sveuciliste Mostar – 9, University of East Sarajevo - 16, University of Bihac – 5,
University of Zenica - 6. There are no private higher education institutions.
The faculties are treated as higher education establishments. University degrees are
acquired at the faculties and arts academies. The education lasts for 4 years
(undergraduate studies). Master’s programs are two years. For doctoral studies only
eligible students are those with master's degree. Universities consist of faculties and
academies. The faculties are treated as legally autonomous institutions, with financial
and academic autonomy. Currently around 60, 000 students are enrolled in BiH
universities. About 30% of them are part time students. In general the employment
situation of the university graduates is very poor. The industry is stagnating around
40 % of the pre-war level what makes the labour market demand very weak. The
total number of teaching staff (assistant professors, associate professors and full-time
professors) in BIH is 4498. In spite of this figures majority of the universities do not
have enough teachers and they depend on the teachers from others universities and
countries, namely Serbia and Monte Negro and Croatia. There are no unified
curriculum and teaching methods for the country. Most universities use either
Croatian or Serbian models. Buildings and universities infrastructure were badly
damaged during the war (especially Sarajevo and Mostar) but some progress has
been maid in recent years in terms of physical reconstruction. Still universities
require support such as in labs, computers and technology for teaching and research.

III Current situation

In the given situation it is difficult to speak about reform of HE for the entire country.
The decentralization of governance to entities and in the FBIH further to cantons, is
contributing negatively to the reform since there are no any agreements on general
principles of co-ordination. Any broader common policy framework at the country
level, common standards for the recognition or accreditation of the universities, or
the mechanisms for the mutual validation of the university diplomas in Bosnia and
Herzegovina do not exist so far. This has set back efforts to proceed with any reform
at country level.

In BIH there is no single law on HE. The State Framework Law on HE has been
presented before the parliament and it is still in process of discussion.
Cantonal parliaments in the FBIH are indeed establishing their own laws for higher
education. In 1999, Sarajevo, Bihac and Tuzla cantons adopted new laws on HE. For
the Mostar canton, there were discussions in the parliament sessions but so far no
law has been adopted. The two Universities in Mostar uses the law adopted in 1990.
The major change happened in the law of the Tuzla canton where legal personality of
faculties has been abolished and the position of the rector was strengthened. Other
Universities in FBIH still uses the same structure and management of the HE
institutions as it was before (ex-Yugoslavia) and that means that Universities are still
loose association of autonomous faculties with financial and academic autonomy. In
1994, RS adopted its own law on HE that is again repetition of the existing law from
ex-Yugoslavia. RS is currently discussing the adoption of the new law. Due to the
current legislation and diverse governance there is very limited coordination at any
level of education between the entities or among cantons in FBIH.

Subsequently the financing of the universities is not a country issue. The central
university leadership usually has little legal authority or power over resources. Each
faculty manages its own finances, which prohibits university-based planning and
management, and weakens the external relations of the institution.
It is a general view of many academics that a key to HE institutional development is
strategic management but in the same time still there is no real development of
universities strategic plans. Factors that limit such development are current
legislation and institutional autonomy of universities and faculties, where those at
universities who should have power and authority to shape the strategy are in fact
with out it. Recognising the need of reform in the HE in BIH, international
institutions, the EC, Council of Europe and World Bank have been working on the
establishment of body authorized to deal with HE problems at country wide level.
On May 2000, this forum took a decision for the establishment of a Higher Education
Coordinating Board (HECB), which, consists of 9 prominent academics. The HECB
has consultative and advisory role to the authorities responsible for HE in BIH. 3 sub-
committees were established within the Board to work on the major issues of the HE.
The first address the legal framework of the HE. The second deals with the World
Bank grant given to all Universities in BIH in order to develop their strategic plans.
The third deals with the issues of Bologna Process. This body has been recently
transformed into the Rectors Confernce.
BIH is signatory of the Bologna Process and the Lisbon Convention (recognition of
foreign qualifications).