towards the european higher education area bologna process TEMPLATE FOR NATIONAL REPORTS 2004 – 2005 Country: MONTENEGRO Date: 080105 Responsible member of the BFUG (one name only): Prof.Dr Djordje Jovanovic Official position: Member BFUG Email address: [email protected] Contributors to the report: MSc. Slobodanka Koprivica, Viceminister for Higher Education and Science of Montenegro 1. Main achievements since Berlin 1.1. Give a brief description of important developments, including legislative reforms In October 22 , 2003 Assembly of Montenegro adopted the new Law on Higher Education, which was created in accordance with Bologna Declaration objectives. The Government of Montenegro had entrusted the University of Montenegro with the realization of structural reforms in the field of higher education and the adoption of a primary reformed legislative framework was logically the first stage of this process. After several versions and thanks to the help of Europe Council’s expert analysis of the Draft Law on University of Montenegro (2000) by authors Prof. Dr Jurgen Kohler (Germany) and Denis Farrington (Great Britain), and Prof. Dr Vera Stastna and Prof. Dr Virgilio Meira Soares (2003) final version was adopted by the Government of Montenegro and submitted to the Assembly of Montenegro for adoption. The overall goal of the Law is to enable to higher education institutions in Montenegro maximal autonomy in activities, particularly in academic field with minimal mediation of the state, except when so is requested for the purpose of protecting public interest. Also, the aim is to enable that the mission of the University becomes to educate young people to be qualified citizens in democratic society and qualified workforce in European labor market and that this is delivered in compliance with new European standards. The Law also prescribed adoption of University Statute within maximum three months after adoption the Law, what was done in January 2004. The Statute, contrary to the Law, needs to clarify, specify more thoroughly organization of University, structure of Board, Senate, etc.. The new Statute and other by-law acts and regulations for implementation have already been approved. All these documents were made in line with Bologna process. The first generation of students have been enrolled in academic year 2004/2005 according to the new rules in accordance with the objectives of Bologna Declaration. 2. National organisation 2.1. Give a short description of the structure of public authorities responsible for higher education, the main agencies/bodies in higher education and their competencies (For example, do higher education institutions report to different ministries?) Ministry of Education and Science of Montenegro is responsible for overall education policy in Montenegro. Higher Education Council shall be responsible for achieving high quality higher education in the Republic of Montenegro. 2.2. Give a short description of the institutional structure (For example, number of public/private universities/other HE institutions or numbers/percentage of students in public/private sector. To what extent are private and State higher education institutions covered by the same regulations?) Structure University of Montenegro is the only university in Montenegro. It exists as public university. It was officially founded in 1974 to become an umbrella for what is now: -14 Faculties, 1 polytechnics college , 4 scientific research institutes, 4 centers, 1 university library, Rectorate Figures Today, the University of Montenegro has 12 200 students, 914 teaching staff and 520 administrative staff. About 3000 people from Montenegro are studying outside Montenegro. There are 500 students from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina studying at the University of Montenegro. There are graduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies. Higher education may be provided by the universities and higher education institutions, which are licensed and accreditted in accordance with this law. A university or some other institution is founded as a public or private institution and has the capacity of a legal person acquired after being entered into an adequate register. Based on this fact, the first private Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management started from September in Bar, Montenegro, enrolling 50 students. For the time being, Bachelor studies (3 years) and Master studies (2 years). Public and private HE institutions are covered by the same Law on Higher Education. Ministry of Education and Science issues a license to an institution, changes it and divests an institution of it. 2.3. Give a brief description of the structure which oversees the implementation of the Bologna Process in your country (National Bologna group, thematic working groups, composition and activities, stakeholder involvement) Ministry of Education and Science received Tempus-Socrates grant Project "Creation of Montenegro Team of Bologna Promoters" for 2004-2005. Partners are LaSapienza University of Rome and Finland Ministry of Education. One of the activities proposed is to help set up National Teams of Bologna Promoters. National Teams of Bologna Promoters is already set-up and includes Senior Academics, (Vice-)Rectors, Ministry Representative and Student Representatives, who are successful in introducing the Bologna principles in their institutions. They will be invited to advise colleagues in their country and occasionally from abroad. Some of the Bologna Promoters will also function as ECTS/DS Counsellors. In the frame of the Team are set-up Working Groups aimed to provide counselling to higher education institutions on the three Bologna priorities as defined by Ministers in Berlin: • Quality Assurance (Internal and External) • The Three Cycle System (Curricular Reform, Qualification Frameworks, Tuning) • Recognition (ECTS, Diploma Supplement, EUROPASS, Lisbon Recognition 2 Convention) In addition, the Promoters should be able to present and explain the other Bologna Action lines. National Bologna Committee was set-up, with the aim overseeing the implementation of the Bologna Process in Montenegro. Montenegro Ministry of Education and Science already enabled involvement of stakeholder in the implementation of Bologna Process. 3. Quality assurance The following questions have been included in the template at the request of the Working Group on Stocktaking. 3.1. National quality assurance systems should include a definition of the responsibilities of the bodies and institutions involved. Please specify the responsibilities of the bodies and institutions involved. The national body responsible for QA is Council for Higher Education. Council for Higher Education is nominated by the Government. The Council analyses the state and achievements in higher education, gives professional proposals to the Government for the improvement of higher education area, and in this regard has the following special authorities: (a) to prepare the starting points for shaping the proposal of national higher education strategy; (b) to define the basic standards and norms for granting licenses and give opinion to the Ministry on awarding, altering or revoking of a license; (c) to give opinion for measures for appointment of academic staff; (d) to give opinion in the procedure for determining norms for higher education financing; (e) determines measures for the assessment of study programmes from the view of their international comparability and duration of studies; (f) undertakes periodical controls of licensed institutions quality and issues certificate on accreditation and reaccreditation; (g) undertakes periodical assessment of the quality of courses and programmes delivered by accredited institutions; (h) gives professional opinion and makes proposals to the Government depending on quality assessment, for financing of higher education institutions and assistance to students attending courses or programmes with institutions; (f) performs other activities prescribed by this law and foundation enactment. The Council is particularly responsible for promotion of higher education quality in Montenegro. Through the processes of licensing, quality assessment and accreditation, in accordance with professional and transparent methods, the Council assists higher education institutions in developing their possibilities and improving and maintaining the quality of their activities. The Council shall form special commissions for evaluation and accreditation of institutions, and study programmes, and for certain fields of its activities, the Council may form the working entities, commissions and independent expert groups. Foreign experts may be appointed as the members of the special commissions for evaluation and accreditation, and study programmes. The Council comprises of 11 members appointed by the Government for a period of six years.The Council is made up of eight representatives who are prominent experts in the field of higher education, science and technology, proposed by the University and Academy of sciences and arts, and three representatives of economy and social activities, who are proposed by the Association of Employers of the Republic and the civil sector. Organization and the manner of operation of the Council are more closely regulated by Rules of Procedure. Financial resources for the work of the Council are provided from the Budget 3 of the Republic. 3.2. National quality assurance systems should include a system of accreditation, certification or comparable procedures. Describe the system of accreditation,