The final conference of the international ERASMUS + project "Strengthening Internationalization in BiH Higher Education" (STINT) was held at the Faculty of Economics in Brcko, University of East Sarajevo (UIS) on 3rd and 4th April, 2019.
The meeting was attended by representatives of all public universities in BiH, representatives of the Ministry of Science and Technology Development, Higher Education and Information Society of Republika Srpska, Higher Education Accreditation Agency of Republic of Srpska, Federal Ministry of Education and Science, Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Center for Information and Recognition of Qualifications, as well as a large number of deans and vice deans from faculties of the University of East Sarajevo together with students.
Representatives of universities from the European Union, coordinator KU Leuven University and representatives of the Polytechnic University in Porto, representatives of the European Delegation to BiH, ERASMUS + National Office of BiH, Mayor of Brcko and the Head of Department for Education of Brcko District Government were also present.
The results of the three-year project, which in general contributed to better internationalization and increased awareness on the connection with regards to the recognition of qualifications in the field of higher education, were presented. All public universities conducted an analysis of the state of these sectors at all their faculties and academies, analysed detailed internationalization and recognition of qualifications, thus assessing their internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as analysing threats and opportunities from the external environment. All of this enabled the development of the Internationalization Strategy at every public university that was widely discussed, and ultimately adopted by the Senate of the University. A Model for Recognition of Qualifications has been developed in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention and the UNESCO recommendations for the recognition of qualifications, according to which all public universities have harmonized their institutional regulations. The project provided training of more than 230 professional staff members’ representatives dealing with the recognition of qualifications, at not only public but also private universities.
Through public procurement, each public university received equipment in computers and practical computer components installed at various faculties in order to strengthen the computerisation of staff and students’ activities.
The project has also developed a Guide for assessing the quality of internationalization during the accreditation process, in which all BiH criteria for accreditation are compared with the methodology of the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) in order to comply with European rules in this area.
Through various activities, the project contributed to the development of various missing regulations in the field of international cooperation, organization of round tables, discussions, international events, launch of language centres, opening of the Foundation for the Development of International Cooperation of Staff and Students in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, organising the conference-Internationalization Challenges in Higher Education in the area of Republic of Srpska, the organization of a staff week event, info days etc.
The project was also supported by the Rectors' Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina through the signing of a joint declaration on internationalization.
The project is generally rated as a very successful project that has implemented several structural measures that influence the reform of the higher education process in Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with the "Priorities for the Development of Higher Education in BiH 2016-2026", in particular including strategic documents in the field of higher education in the development strategy of the Republic of Srpska 2016-2021 and the strategic directions of the development of higher education in the Federation of BiH 2012-2022.
