Republika e Kosovës Republika Kosova - Republic of Kosovo Agjencia e Kosovës për Akreditim Agencija Kosova za Akreditaciju Kosovo Accreditation Agency UNIVERSITY OF MITROVICA ”ISA BOLETINI” INSTITUTIONAL EVALUATION REPORT OF THE EXPERT TEAM April 2019, Pristina 1 AKA | Qendra e Studentëve, kati 2-të, 10000 Prishtinë, Kosovë Tel. +381 38 213722 | Fax +381 38 213087 | www.akreditimi-ks.org Republika e Kosovës Republika Kosova - Republic of Kosovo Agjencia e Kosovës për Akreditim Agencija Kosova za Akreditaciju Kosovo Accreditation Agency TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... 2 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 3 1.1. Context ....................................................................................................................... 3 1.2. Site visit schedule ...................................................................................................... 4 1.3. A brief overview of the institution under evaluation ................................................. 5 2. INSTITUTIONAL EVALUATION ................................................................................... 5 2.1. Public mission and institutional objectives ................................................................ 5 2.2. Strategic planning, governance and administration ................................................... 8 2.3. Financial planning and management ....................................................................... 16 2.4. Academic integrity, responsibility and public accountability.................................. 17 2.5. Quality management ................................................................................................ 20 2.6. Learning and teaching .............................................................................................. 25 2.7. Research ................................................................................................................... 29 2.8. Staff, employment processes and professional development .................................. 32 2.9. Student administration and support services............................................................ 36 2.10. Learning resources and facilities ............................................................................. 39 2.11. Institutional cooperation .......................................................................................... 42 3. OVERALL EVALUATION AND JUDGEMENTS OF THE ET ................................... 46 4. APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 47 AKA | Qendra e Studentëve, kati 2-të, 10000 Prishtinë, Kosovë Tel. +381 38 213722 | Fax +381 38 213087 | www.akreditimi-ks.org 2 Republika e Kosovës Republika Kosova - Republic of Kosovo Agjencia e Kosovës për Akreditim Agencija Kosova za Akreditaciju Kosovo Accreditation Agency 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Context Date of site visit: 9th – 10th April 2019 Expert Team (ET) members: • Dr. Anca Prisacariu, Senior Quality Assurance Expert • Ms. Oana Sarbu, PhD student, University of Bucharest Coordinators from Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA): • Avni Gashi, Acting Director of KAA • Shkelzen Gerxhaliu, Senior Officer for Evaluation and Monitoring • Arianit Krasniqi, Senior Officer for Evaluation and Accreditation Sources of information for the Report: ● Self-Evaluation Report (SER) submitted by University of Mitrovica „Isa Boletini”; ● Information obtained during the site visit; ● Meetings conducted with the management of the institution, teaching and administrative staff, students, graduates, external stakeholders and employers of graduates; ● Supplementary documents requested by the ET (Appendix 1). Criteria used for the institutional evaluation: • KAA Accreditation Manual AKA | Qendra e Studentëve, kati 2-të, 10000 Prishtinë, Kosovë Tel. +381 38 213722 | Fax +381 38 213087 | www.akreditimi-ks.org 3 Republika e Kosovës Republika Kosova - Republic of Kosovo Agjencia e Kosovës për Akreditim Agencija Kosova za Akreditaciju Kosovo Accreditation Agency 1.2. Site visit schedule 9th April 2019 17.45 Meeting at the reception of the hotel 18.00 Working dinner 10th April 2019 07.50 Meeting at the reception of the hotel 09.00 – 10.30 Meeting with the management of the institution 10.40 – 11.50 Meeting with quality assurance representatives and administrative services 12.00 – 13.00 Meeting with the heads of study programs 13.00 – 13.50 Lunch break 13.50 – 14.50 Visiting tour of the facilities 14.50 – 15.40 Meeting with teaching staff 15.50 – 16.40 Meeting with students 16.50 – 17.40 Meeting with graduates 17.50 – 18.40 Meeting with employers of graduates and external stakeholders 18.45 – 19.00 Internal meeting – Expert Team and KAA 19.00 – 19.15 Closing meeting with the management of the institution AKA | Qendra e Studentëve, kati 2-të, 10000 Prishtinë, Kosovë Tel. +381 38 213722 | Fax +381 38 213087 | www.akreditimi-ks.org 4 Republika e Kosovës Republika Kosova - Republic of Kosovo Agjencia e Kosovës për Akreditim Agencija Kosova za Akreditaciju Kosovo Accreditation Agency 1.3. A brief overview of the institution under evaluation The Foundation of Higher Education Studies in Mitrovica were set up in 1961 by opening the Technical High School. In 1970, the Mining, Technology and Metallurgy branches were opened within the Technical Faculty, initially in Mitrovica (1970/71 academic year), then in Pristina. According to the the Law of the Assembly of Kosovo, the Faculty of Mining and Metallurgy in Mitrovica was established on July 22, 1974. As a result, the studies were organized in Mining, Technology and Metallurgy areas, whereas the Geology area was opened in the 1980/81 academic year. Based on the tradition in higher education in Mitrovica and the faculties’ achievements, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo established the Public University of Mitrovica (hereafter also referred to as „UMIB”, „the university” or „the institution”) on March 6, 2013 and the Kosovo Assembly ratified the decision on 31 May 2013. The University of Mitrovica organizes its activity at a campus spread out over 17.67.75 hectares. The faculties are accommodated in one building with a total surface of 15386 m2, while the staff of the rectorate and the central administration are hosted in one building with a surface of 2197 m2. Within the university campus there are one amphitheatre, labs, classrooms, library spaces, reading rooms and academic staff cabinets. According to the Provisional Statute approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), there are six faculties within UMIB - Faculty of Geosciences, Faculty of Food Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Education – where the students can pursue one of the 18 study programs in the first and second cycle of higher education studies, bachelor and masters. 2. INSTITUTIONAL EVALUATION The institutional evaluation consists of 11 sub headings through which the administration, organisation and management of the institution, as well as teaching and research are assessed. 2.1. Public mission and institutional objectives According to the SER, the mission statement of the institution is as follows: • To act as a leading center for the advancement of knowledge, ideas and science in Kosovo’ s higher education system; AKA | Qendra e Studentëve, kati 2-të, 10000 Prishtinë, Kosovë Tel. +381 38 213722 | Fax +381 38 213087 | www.akreditimi-ks.org 5 Republika e Kosovës Republika Kosova - Republic of Kosovo Agjencia e Kosovës për Akreditim Agencija Kosova za Akreditaciju Kosovo Accreditation Agency • To play the leading role in the enhancement of education, science, culture, society and the economy of Kosovo; • To assist in the process of promoting civic democracy; • To seek to create and support the highest standards in teaching and learning, scientific research and artistic work; • To utilize its resources in the most efficient way; • To fully cooperate and participate in all higher educational activities at the regional, national, and international levels; • To adjust European standards; • To fully integrate into the European Area of Higher Education (in line with the Bologna Declaration, the Lisbon Recognition Convention and the European Research Area) and to take the appropriate reform steps necessary to achieve this objective; • To create and transmit knowledge, and to develop and protect it through teaching, research and innovation, as well as through other services in the fields of educational sciences. The mission statement of UMIB is 53% identical (copied and pasted, according to Microsoft word version comparison tool) with the mission statement of another public university in Kosovo, while the large majority of the remaining words are synonyms. The ET is unsure which institution got inspired from the other one, but is aware of the national context of the 6 branches of University of Pristina that were established as autonomous public universities in the past years, which could have influenced this similarity. However, the ET still considers this practice as being unethical and is surprised to find this at a university level, and with something as important as the mission statement. Moreover, considering the tradition and the specifics of UMIB programs, the ET