Professor Damir Marjanović: The most valuable commodity in today's market is the idea

Professor Damir Marjanović is the newly appointed rector of Burch University in Sarajevo. He is a long-time professor in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad, and a former Minister of Education in the Government of Sarajevo Canton.

In an interview with Patria, he talks about the quality of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, private and public faculties in the country, the attitude of young people towards science, and the attitude of the authorities towards education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

You have dedicated your life to education, both your own and that of others. And you are successful in it. How difficult is it to work in education in Bosnia and Herzegovina? How much do authorities allocate to science compared to neighboring countries, or compared to the European average?

MARJANOVIĆ: Being a professor in any country means having a great deal of passion, energy, a desire for communication, and the transfer of knowledge.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to the above, it seems that a certain dose of adventurism and additional "extra-professional" engagement is needed, because professors, assistants, teachers, and all employees in educational institutions, in addition to their work tasks, face challenges every day posed by these illogical Bosnian-Herzegovinian educational systems, the 13.1 we have on the scene today.

Certainly, one of the biggest challenges is the insufficient, uneven, and often illogical investment in science and education in this region. We are far below the desired 3% of GDP for research activities. Official estimates from a few years ago suggested that investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina are even below 0.1% of GDP, and I fear that this percentage has further decreased in the last few "crisis years." As long as we stick to this trend and this model, in which even such minor investments in science are considered "expenditure" in the budget and in public perception, we cannot expect progress as a country and as a society in science, but also in education and other spheres.

Authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina constantly talk about progress in the country, reforms, and momentum that should drive society forward... Recently, there was talk about how citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina will, in a relatively short time, live at least like the average citizens of the European Union? Is it really possible to achieve progress in society without huge investments in science?

MARJANOVIĆ: No, and without that segment, it will not happen. The most valuable commodity in today's market is the idea, and the most important and sought-after employees are those who have it and can implement it and deliver the final result.

On the one hand, we can be happy because, relative to the total population and the percentage of (non)investment in science, we can boast that one of our strongest resources is still young people with brilliant ideas. And, unfortunately, that's where we stop. As always, we wait for someone else to turn these ideas into reality. As in many other areas, we rarely move from words to deeds!

Indeed, we so easily give up on precisely what is most valuable, and we so easily allow other countries, with wiser leaders, to literally steal these young people by offering them excellent conditions for developing and realizing these ideas, which they will later sell to us as expensive products.

Therefore, in addition to the lack of financial investment, we have been trying for years not to develop a clear and implementable strategy for the development of scientific research work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To be clear, strategies and documents exist, but I have a feeling that our leaders have not even honestly read this list of beautiful thoughts and wishes, let alone thought about starting to implement them.

On the other hand, existing economic capacities are mostly not directed and stimulated by the state to direct part of their investments towards research activities, and the impression is that we have given up on what was once clearly and precisely developed in large Bosnian-Herzegovinian companies. In other words, I have the feeling that we have so easily decided to buy the final results of Bosnian-Herzegovinian intellect and innovation at much higher prices from others who were willing to invest in it.

You were the Minister of Education in the KS Government for a time. In a short period, you gained great popularity among citizens. The opinion is often heard that students are burdened with material that will not serve them much in life? Is there room for such comments?

MARJANOVIĆ: Today's model of Bosnian-Herzegovinian education, if such a unique thing even exists on the ground, is burdened by political intrigues, insufficient investment, outdated methodology, and spontaneous "so-called reforms" that are continuously initiated and never completed.

Unfortunately, our boys and girls, at any age, in most cases, except for a small number of positive incidents, do not receive a sufficient quantity and quality of information through official educational institutions to prepare them for integration into the modern EU and global trends of the 21st century.

However, this should not be surprising, education is a mirror of the state of a society in all its aspects, but it is also a generator of all good and bad in that society. Education, as well as upbringing, were the first to be attacked by our political "elites" because in the currently dominant concept, the desired citizen, resident, and especially voter is one who does not process information but accepts it as it is served to them. Therefore, it is not surprising that our long-term leaders are quite content with this educational system and do not want to change it seriously, because as long as it is like this, they do not have to worry about their positions!

How interested are young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina in science at all? The impression is that many study only for a diploma. And for the sake of neighbors. After school, even students with good grades are often not qualified to work in their field?

MARJANOVIĆ: I have already partially answered this question, but allow me to point out that you cannot expect young people to be interested in something if you do not try to show them the beauty, significance, and all the benefits that science brings. In the past decades, we have built a completely wrong value system for our young people and created an image of idols who are anything but scientists and educators. To emphasize, they did not create this image themselves, but rather generations of parents, both those who raised us and those who are raising their children now. We need to talk about science, invest in science, promote science.

We need to provide opportunities for young people to understand and see that there are also other professors and scientists at our universities who work diligently, who publish, who achieve great things in the world of science, not just those who are mostly written about for plagiarizing, taking bribes, or who, with their attitude towards students, lower the honorable profession of professor, mentor, and supervisor to a low level.

We must change the public perception and visual identity of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian professor or scientist, and this is best done by promoting all the good things we have in science, and believe me, we have many such examples, they just can't get to the front pages of web portals and other media. It seems we don't have time for them because of our political reality stars.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is common for parents to take out loans to educate their children. Some parents go so far as to check exam periods for their children at student services. The rate of students going on student exchanges in Europe from Bosnia and Herzegovina is very low, while students from other countries change several faculties and even countries during their studies. Should we change these habits?

MARJANOVIĆ: You see, I don't agree with you there. I have the feeling that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are ready to invest in everything except our education. It is common practice worldwide to take out student loans that are only paid off in one's late 30s or 40s. Inquire in the banking sector and you will see that people here take out loans much more easily to buy a car, a mobile phone, or go on vacation than to provide themselves with further education. And, I must admit, I am not surprised by this, because according to general opinion, as well as employment office statistics, further education today does not guarantee that you will find a job and that your investment in it will pay off.

Here we encounter the basic problem of overproduction of unnecessarily educated staff or the production of professions that are disappearing or have already disappeared from the labor market. Only when we modify enrollment policies through clear market analyses and clear societal strategies can we expect the habits of the ordinary citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina to change. Until then, we will continue to spend more time choosing the engine of our future car than choosing the faculty our children will attend. Sad, but it seems true!

You taught at the state, University of Sarajevo. For some time now, you have been the rector of the International Burch University, also in Sarajevo. Is there a difference between public and private faculties in the country in terms of the quality of education? Sometimes it is heard that Bosnia and Herzegovina has too many private faculties, whose diplomas are questionable?

MARJANOVIĆ: I would make just a small correction to your last statement and say that Bosnia and Herzegovina has too many faculties (not just private ones) whose diplomas are of questionable quality. As you said, I have been teaching for many years both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad, at both private and state institutions.

It is precisely this experience that gives me the right to clearly classify all higher education institutions in the region into two basic categories: quality and non-quality. Both produce diplomas, but behind the diplomas of quality ones, there is knowledge and skills acquired during studies, while behind the diplomas of non-quality ones, there is nothing special, except for the paper that, in this somewhat perverse employment system in state institutions, can serve to fulfill the requirements of a competition.

I know many will not believe me, but the problem of the quality of higher education institutions is extremely easy to solve. Through a successful accreditation process, you set very high standards that an institution must meet to be accredited, and you do not lower these standards at all costs.

After that, make a clear distinction between diplomas from accredited and non-accredited institutions when hiring, especially in state institutions, and that's it. Then, no one will rush to places where diplomas are simply printed, but will look for a place to study where that diploma is backed by everything necessary for further professional advancement.

The current model of accrediting institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet achieved this, but I hope and believe that the people in responsible agencies will find enough courage and professional and political independence (which is constantly denied to them) to finally establish such a system. I am sure that sincere and professional members of the academic community can and want to, but must, help them!

Regardless of the general assessment of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are still talented students in the country. This is evident in various international competitions where they win prestigious awards. Why doesn't the state have a fund to finance such students? When going to international competitions, students often have to collect donations themselves.

MARJANOVIĆ: As I said, due to daily political intrigues, most of our leaders do not have time and have more important priorities than young and smart people. Moreover, the impression is that through their political actions and leadership of this country for decades, they have been supporting young people in their pursuit of achieving their best results far outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, precisely far enough not to pose an immediate threat to the existing political establishment. As long as we have and elect such leaders, we cannot expect a different situation. But, that can also be easily changed, can't it?

The Federal Ministry of Education avoided giving annual awards to the best students of Bosna Sema schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The reason is political. The minister from SDA is settling scores with schools that the Turkish government associates with Fethullah Gülen. How much can such moves by the authorities harm Bosnia and Herzegovina?

MARJANOVIĆ: I have already commented on this and said that I want to believe that it is some administrative, bureaucratic mistake, because I do not want to accept and will never accept the fact that it is normal for certain political options to transfer their political quarrels from parliamentary and party benches to school benches, and over the backs of successful young people. Any involvement of these young people in any political or personal disputes is unacceptable to me.

There are models and institutions where political ambitions are "settled" and official party, cantonal, entity, and state policies are created. Schools are not the place for that. And I start from myself. Namely, I consider myself a person who is extremely interested and involved in political events in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but every morning when I pass through the university gate or enter a classroom, I leave politics outside the door, because schools and faculties should represent a temple of knowledge and the creation of capable young people, not a "hunting ground" for future "suitable cadres.".

So, I have nothing new to say on this matter.

What did you most often clash with as minister in the KS Government? Would you return to work as a minister again?

MARJANOVIĆ: There were no major conflicts or grudges, but some differences in the way of acting with the then leading figures of the political scene in KS were too great, and it was not possible to continue working together.

These differences and disagreements also led to me being unable to fulfill my expectations in that project, so it was logical for me that if I could not give my best, I should bear the responsibility and withdraw from that position. Would I do the same job again? Well, if conditions were created where my actions could contribute to some positive changes in that or some other position, and if a team of responsible and sufficiently competent people willing to take responsibility in every segment of their work were formed, then I would have no choice but to accept the invitation and participate in it. However, at this moment, such an option is not foreseeable.

How do you comment on the current political situation?

MARJANOVIĆ: It seems that there are more developments on the ground, from which we should definitely highlight the attempts at reconsolidation of left-oriented parties, i.e., a part of them. I hope that this process will not remain only at personnel solutions for future election lists or that it will not focus only on the currently politically present actors who have largely led the political left to its current position.

Within these parties, as well as outside them, there is enough strength and will for positive changes, but it will be interesting to see whether this will come to the fore or be suppressed by the actions of exclusively currently visible actors. If this process does not break out of this vicious circle, then some more serious results that will give the left a chance to shape this society will be missing. But, we will see in which direction it will go. And on the right side, in short, nothing new, at least not for now, if we exclude the regrouping of forces in terms of personnel in order to occupy the best possible starting positions for election lists, both intra-party and the upcoming general ones.