The UNSA Law Faculty held a ceremonial Teaching and Scientific Council session at the University of Sarajevo’s Conference Hall on Wednesday, 6 April 2016 to mark the 70th Anniversary.
As the oldest Faculty of Law the country – established in 1946, the UNSA Faculty of Law has been universally supporting the establishment and development of other higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo develops and strengthens international scientific cooperation. Founders of the Faculty of Law were academician Dr. Mehmed Begovic, professor at the Faculty of Law in Belgrade, academician Gorazd Kusej, professor at the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana and Prof. Dr. Paul Rastovcan, professor at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb.
A speech by UNSA Faculty of Law Dean, Prof. Dr. Borislav Petrovic opened the ceremonial session.
“From the first school year of in 1946/47 when 334 students enrolled to date 14,863 students, 225 master's degree students have graduated, 323 students completed the second cycle studies, and 120 candidates doctoral degrees“. In his address Dean Petrovic presented the development of the Faculty, student activities and student associations, the work of teaching and non-teaching staff and achieved international cooperation and spoke about the commitment of the various legal disciplines, international cooperation, publishing activities, cooperation with the judiciary and other institutions.
On the occasion of the jubilee - 70 years of the Law Faculty turned to Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, delivered an address upon marking the UNSA Faculty of Law’s 70th Anniversary pointing out that during its fruitful history, the Faculty of Law contributed significantly to the further expansion of legal knowledge and the establishment of the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“It is worth mentioning that the University of Sarajevo Faculty of Law did not act only in the service of education, but largely educated young people in the spirit of our tradition dictating the respect for our history, origin and diversity of our cultural and religious space. It is particularly important that future generations continue following this spirit, and follow the spirit of statesmen and scientists – alumni of this institution, like Alexander Solovyov, Hamdija Cemerlic, Alija Izetbegovic, Sulejman Tihic, Kasim Begic, Vlado Jokanovic, Samuel Kamhi and other” said Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic. It also pointed out that after the restoration of the statehood of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faculty of Law continued its rich scientific and educational activity, which is now of great importance given the primary role and active involvement of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration.
“All important processes and relationships in the modern state are regulated by laws. Only well-trained lawyers can enact good laws. Only quality and good laws can build a stable and prosperous country” "said Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic.
On behalf of the UNSA academic community Prof. Dr. Muharem Avdispahic HonDSc, Rector of the University of Sarajevo addressed the audience was addressed.
“When in 1537 Sarajevo entered the list of academic centers in this part of the continent, one of the five areas were basic law studies. The first institution of post-secondary education in the Austro-Hungarian period was the Higher Sharia Law School in 1887. The establishment of the Faculty of Law a year after the end of World War II was a pledge of the renewed statehood of Bosnia and Herzegovina” said Rector Avdispahic.
On Wednesday, 6 April 2016, a round table entitled "The Bologna Process: the Reform of the Reformed Law Studies?“ was organized, while on Thursday, 7 April , in cooperation with the Law Faculty of Istanbul University and the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, an international conference “The Fifth Days of Bosnian, Turkish and Croatian law.”
