EUA Seminar
"Strengthening Higher Education and Research in South East Europe: Priorities for Regional and European Cooperation"In Cooperation with the University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria
2-3 March 2006
In an important period of post-war conflict, the regeneration of higher education in South East Europe remains a priority for EUA. All countries in the region are now official members of the Bologna Process (since 2003) and EUA has been actively working to support the implementation of the Bologna reforms in its institutions as well as to stimulate action to support the research role of universities and their vital function in providing a range of important services to society.
EUA and the Stability Pact
With the establishment of the Stability Pact for South East Europe in 1999, EUA played for five years a leading role as co-Chair of the Higher Education Working Group. This work was handed over in 2004 to the regionally-based Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe (ERISEE) to place a greater emphasis on ownership within and across the region. Since 2004, EUA has therefore been acting as a member of the consultative governing body of the ERISEE initiative.
EUA is also involved in the Novi Sad Initiative launched in 2005. The Initiative sets out to address issues crucial to the implementation of the European Higher Education and Research Areas, among which an effective regional cooperation and institutional autonomy have been identified as being instrumental to reach this goal.
To follow up on this initiative, a seminar on "Strengthening Higher Education and Research in South East Europe: Priorities for Regional and European Cooperation" was organised by EUA in partnership with the University of Vienna within the framework of the Austrian EU Presidency 2006. The event took place on 2-3 March 2006 in Vienna, Austria and the outcomes of the meeting were presented to the European Education Ministerial meeting on 16-17 March 2006.
Universities in Kosovo
Higher education in Kosovo remains in the spotlight as EUA continues to cooperate actively with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and other partners to promote positive developments. More specifically, EUA provided at the request of the Universities of Kosovska Mitrovica and Prishtina and the Ministry of Education and Science in Kosovo, in cooperation with the Magna Charta Observatory and the Council of Europe, advice and expertise regarding the drafting and revision of statutes for these two universities.
However, the universities in Kosovo are a focal point for tension and political interference. In May 2004, the Minister of Education in Serbia and Montenegro removed from office the Rector of the University of Kosovska Mitrovica, imposing a new rector in his place. As a result of the act, which violates both institutional autonomy and UN territorial authority, EUA issued a statement
to its members in June 2004 recommending that cooperation with the University be suspended until the decision of the Serbian Minister be annulled and the status of the University assured under UN legitimacy. EUA has since continued to work closely with all key partners to help resolve this issue.
Institutional Evaluations in the Region
During 2002, EUA conducted institutional reviews of all five universities of the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro. These reviews, funded jointly by the German Rectors' Conference and the Fund for an Open Society Yugoslavia, were designed to support the higher education reform process in Serbia. A final conference was organised by the Association of Serbian Universities in November 2002, where EUA presented an overview report of the process.
At the request of the universities, this was followed in 2003-2005 by a system-wide evaluation in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a special focus on the modernisation of governance and management. Findings of the system-wide evaluation were presented to participating universities and other stakeholders in a conference in Sarajevo on 23 September 2004 in cooperation with the Council of Europe and the European Commission. In addition to the individual university evaluation reports EUA has produced a cross cutting summary report
examining the main problems facing higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
One of the outcomes of this project was the establishment of the BiH Rectors' Conference in February 2005. EUA was directly involved in this initiative through its participation in various workshops to discuss the strategic development of the eventual Rectors' Conference. In addition to accelerating higher education reforms in the region, the now existing Rectors' Conference is able to empower BiH universities to participate fully in the decision-making of European higher education bodies, such as EUA.
EUA will remain closely involved in activities to support the implementation of the recommendations of the institutional evaluations, to be carried forward in the framework of an EC-funded Council of Europe project. Over the coming year the universities will be supported in revising their statutes in line with European trends and developments, in developing university information systems to monitor progress on key policy issues, and in management training.
Partners in the Process
Over the past years, EUA has worked closely with various organisations to improve and develop the higher education sector in South East Europe. It has worked alongside the Council of Europe and the European Commission on the sector-wide evaluations in the region; with UNESCO-CEPES on a regional project on university governance an management; with the Open Society Foundation and the Swiss Confederation in supporting the participation of universities in the region to take part in the EUA Quality Culture Project; as well as with ESIB to develop closer links with student organisations across the region.
EUA will continue to work with these various partners in supporting the continual development of the region's higher education system.