UNMIK ON AIR

21st January 2004

MITROVICA UNIVERSITY

By Zoran CULAFIC

 

 

The Mitrovica University has been the thorn on Kosovo’s foot during the last years, a controversial issue that sparked many tense voices between K-Albanians and Serbs, but recent changes at the High education level brought up sharp confrontations between the different Serb political parties in north Kosovo.

 

Hello and welcome to this edition of UNMIK on Air.

 

Tensions amongst Serb political parties in north Kosovo arose after the recent announcement that the Mitrovica University is preparing a draft statute for joining the Bologna Declaration on high education.

 

Keeping in mind that the Mitrovica University’s rector Gojko Savic is a prominent member of Nebojsa Covic’s political party, such an announcement did provoke immediate and very sharp responses from the parties opposing Mr. Covic. The main objection that dominated in Belgrade’s media could be described as an alleged attempt by Nebojsa Covic to separate the Mitrovica University from Serbia’s Universities. Mr. Gojko Savic claims the stance as completely mistaken.

 

Gojko Savic: This is a long-term process and we started to prepare the draft statute of the University a long time ago. All we are doing at the University, we’re doing in a transparent way and there is nothing to be hidden. Every report we do we send both to the Coordination Center and to the Government of Serbia and we continue only when these reports are adopted on all the levels. We are waiting for the new Government to be formed and after that, the new Government will have the final word. If everything is agreed upon at the end, then we can further proceed.

 

These Strong accusations could be understood in view of the recent elections campaign and Gojko Savic believes that the Mitrovica University could only benefit from signing the Bologna Declaration, having in mind that this is a part of an overall process to adopt an educational system in accordance with European standards, says Savic.

 

Gojko Savic: The draft of the provisional statute of the University was made according to the highest European standards and in consultations with Serbia’s Ministry of sport and education. I’m sure that this draft would be of great help for other universities going through educational reforms in the country too. 

 

According to the agreement, every University in Serbia is obliged to adapt its program to European standards and Gojko Savic believes that the students would only benefit from this.

 

The process has only just began but the educational reforms should be expected to be completely finished by 2008 or 2010 and that means that then, the students would be able to study at any European University they choose.

 

Gojko Savic: What does this mean for students? It means a huge advantage. The educational system will be based on points and not on remarks and fulfillment of required point score, this means that certain students could continue the next year studies here or somewhere in Europe. More concretely, it means completely identical educational system throughout Europe, including us.

 

According to the Bologna Declaration, the Mitrovica University is obliged to enter step by step into the European educational system and to the reform educational process. The standards and the way of studying will change, but the University, as rector Gojko Savic claims, will remain completely autonomous when it comes to the program of studies.

 

However Kosovo’s Government has no influence in the the Mitrovica University now, and it will not have it in the future too, says Gojko Savic.

 

Gojko Savic: Kosovo Ministry has nothing to do with this, we never had any contacts with them nor we are interested in such contacts, and I think they are not interested too in contacts with us. As for UNMIK’s role, we cooperate with UNMIK only in that level that includes getting the accreditation for the work, as it was the case up to now.

 

The Mitrovica University is intending to achieve its European high educational standards by the end of 2010, which means also that politics should be completely excluded from the university halls. The vast majority of professors and students are focused on their studies and on improving the conditions for scientific work and whoever is planning to be politically active should join a political party and not attend the University, adds Gojko Savic.

 

Gojko Savic: There is no place at all for politics at the University. During these two years of work we have done an incredible job, the Government of Serbia has praised our job, as well as representatives of European Universities and the Council of Europe too. Our aim was and still is to establish a modern and completely autonomous university that would be able to function independently, that means to choose the teachers and professors completely independently, to open independent competition for new students, to change programs of studies completely independently, but to remain a part of the University of Serbia.

 

Kosovo’s education system is going through sever changes and in order to achieve it’s standards Kosovo will need a strong educational system allowing for an educated youth, prepared to deal with the demands of 21st century in Europe and The Mitrovica university is clearly pointing towards that path.

 

And that’s all for this edition of UNMIK on Air. Thanks for listening and stay tuned for more.