The UNSA Senate held its thematic session with the UNSA Steering Committee on Wednesday, 22 April 2015. At the joint session of these University’s decision-making bodes, were present the Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister, Mr. Elmedin Konakovic and the Cantonal Minister for Education, Science and Youth, Prof. Dr. Elvir Kazazovic. Rector of the University of Sarajevo, Prof. Dr. Muharem Avdispahic, HonDSc presided over the thematic session. In addition to Senators, Steering Committee Chairman - Dr. Mevludin Mekic and the Board members, Deans and president of the UNSA Union - Prof. Dr. Berko Zecevic attended the session.
They placement of the University of Sarajevo within the European Higher education Area and activities related to the amplifying University of Sarajevo’s implementation were discussed at this thematic session.
Rector Avdispahic opened the thematic session by pointing out the symbolic of the moment when it was taking place - the day after the decision to activate the Stabilization and Association Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Having emphasized the fundamental principles of the European higher education, Rector Avdispahic said “For the 2012-2016 period, the UNSA Senate has adopted a work and development program for the University which have opened two chapters in the Bologna Process implementation that were have been out of sight during the previous period: autonomous university governance and funding.” The University of Sarajevo is the most powerful development institution in this society. Despite the disproportionately large funding problems, the University of Sarajevo, as Rector Avdispahic said, showed a high level of business responsibility. According to the Financial Report for 2014’s summary, no University of Sarajevo member institution was in deficit. “The Activity Report for 2014 shows our achievements in a situation when according to the adopted standards, we are short of nearly 1000 teachers and assistants” said Rector Avdispahic. He ended with the following words “We have gathered here today to re-harmonize actions that will enable releasing of the University’s potential for strong contributing to the rapid development of society.”
Prime Minister Konakovic pointed out that the Government he leads highlights the importance and role of the academic community in the Sarajevo Canton. “We expect you to propose concrete solution for all problems, because you are the intellectual part of our society. The area of education will be a number one priority in our future work, and we are sorry for not having enough financial assets to invest in education, because our goal is to improve your work conditions and to improve the education process for new generations “said Prime Minister Konakovic. He stressed that the government he leads must in future, due to the complexity of the financial situation in the SC, continuously create preconditions for saving resources wherever possible, and that taking similar actions is expected from the University. “All the saved financial assets will be directed to the improvement of the general situation in this area” explained Prime Minister Konakovic. “The academic community should actively participate in coordinating the real needs for human resources currently demanded by the labor market, in order to halt the overproduction of staff that usually ends up registering at the cantonal Unemployment Benefits Biros. These activities will start in September this year” said Prime Minister Konakovic and asked all academic community members to initiate changes to existing legislation that hampers the implementation of any significant process.
The Sarajevo Canton Minister for Education, Science and Youth, Prof. Dr. Elvir Kazazovic pointed out at two important issues that need to be addressed - what the Ministry expects from UNSA and what UNSA expects from the Ministry.
“Our common goals are the acceleration of the University of Sarajevo’s integrative process, the definition of common courses of action in the future and adopting very important implementation acts that UNSA doesn’t have – rulebooks on salaries and rulebooks on the allocation of its own revenues which will establish procedures for their transparent distribution” said minister Kazazovic.
Steering Committee Chairman, Dr. Mevludin Mekic pointed out that the University of Sarajevo is the most important pillar of our country and asked the students from all Faculties to actively participate in the ongoing process that aim at improving the student standards.
Prof. Dr. Berko Zecevic, University of Sarajevo’s Union President said that this organization wanted to establish a dialogue with the Sarajevo Canton executive authorities in order to resolve the problems of all institution’s employees. There he also said that there were 1,000 employees not participating in the teaching thus being "invisible", yet running important processes at UNSA. He pointed out that the Union request that prevents the disproportionate shifting of the financial crisis burden to the UNSA employees when compared to other institutions that are using budgetary resources.
