Minister of the Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republic of Srpska, Srdjan Rajcevic and Minister of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, Mladen Sarcevic signed today in Banja Luka an Agreement on joint activities of Republic of Srpska and Serbia in the field of quality assurance and recognition of accreditation in higher education, that shall make republic higher education institutions internationally visible.
Minister Rajcevic emphasized that this document, based on the Agreement on Special and Parallel Relations between Srpska and Serbia, opens the door for better international visibility and accreditation of our higher education institutions and study programs and mutual recognition of academic qualifications in Srpska and Serbia, and therefore within the European Higher Education Area.
- The Agreement specifies that in Srpska and Serbia the status of accredited higher education institutions will be mutually recognized, not automatically but on request, i.e in accordance with common registers and records. If, for example, the Higher Education Accreditation Agency of Republic of Srpska issues a decision on accreditation for one republican higher education institution, along with study programs, then that status shall be recognized in Serbia and vice versa - Rajcevic explained.
Noting that higher education institutions from Srpska will become internationally visible as of today, Rajcevic emphasized that this will bridge the time period until the formation of a new Council of Ministers that will address the issue of the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance rejecting to enlist two public universities from Srpska into the Register of accredited higher education institutions in BiH, for months.
He stated that, according to his information, this agency does not have full capacity to function in accordance with jurisdictions regulated by the Framework Law on Higher Education in BiH due to the fact that chairman of the Steering Board has resigned, and representatives of Serbs do not participate in the work of the Steering Board, except for accreditation issues.
- We cannot be held hostages of a single body at the BiH level, and we have opted for this Agreement, which is in line with all European standards and practices, and its signing should be understood as an expression of the goodwill of Srpska and Serbian institutions to recognize our students and higher education institutions internationally and overcome the mentioned crisis - Rajcevic explained, noting that the document is not directed against, nor does it undermine any activity and procedure at the BiH level.
Rajcevic told the students and the academic community of Srpska to commit themselves to the acquisition of knowledge, because in accordance with the Agreement, new and better solutions will be reached in higher education and quality assurance in the higher education institutions.
He thanked the Minister of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia, Mladen Sarcevic, as well as the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic and the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH, Milorad Dodik, for recognizing the importance of this issue in Srpska.
Sarcevic said that the signing of the Agreement should contribute to the accreditation agencies of higher education institutions of Srpska and Serbia in cooperating on establishing standards and quality in this area of education and it should also be of benefit to students.
- Education should connect nations, especially those with the same alphabet, language and culture. We will expand cooperation in the field of science in other fields as it is our obligation to new generations. In addition, we will soon sign an agreement in the field of pre-university education - Sarcevic announced.
Source: Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republic of Srpska
