Agency for Development of Higher Education without new leadership: Šiško and Škrbić get a third term as deputies, who will be the director?

(Patria) - The mandate of the director and two deputies of the Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of BiH expired in February this year.

Although calls for the director and two deputies were published during 2024, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, which has jurisdiction over this Agency, has not yet proposed the appointment of new leadership to the Council of Ministers of BiH.

This issue was discussed at a session of the Council of Ministers of BiH on November 4, when the Ministry presented the Report on the Public Advertisement for the Selection and Appointment of the Director and Two Deputy Directors of the Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Council of Ministers of BiH concluded that due to the simultaneous appointment of the director and two deputy directors of the Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina is tasked with publishing a public advertisement for the selection and appointment of the Director of the Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the Law on Ministerial Appointments, Appointments by the Council of Ministers and Other Appointments, and the Statute of the Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As Patria learns, the procedure for the selection of two deputies has been completed, while the competition for the director of the Agency for Higher Education will be re-announced because the previous one was canceled.

According to the Statute of the Agency, the number of terms for the director and deputy director is not specified, as is the case in some other institutions, for example, a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Thus, Irena Šiško, who has been a deputy since 2016 representing the Croatian people, and Stevo Škrbić, representing the Serb people, have been proposed again as deputies.

The current director, Enes Hašić, met the conditions for retirement during this year.

However, they will remain in their positions until a new director and two deputies are appointed.

Otherwise, Irena Šiško is from Livno and is close to the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Borjana Krišto, while Škrbić is on friendly terms with Sredoje Nović.

Given that the field of higher education is extremely important, especially due to the accreditation of study programs and universities, the parties of the Trojka should offer the best candidate for this position. However, they did not distinguish themselves the first time when the candidate was Ibrahim Obhođaš from ZNG, who was arrested this year in connection with the "Envelope" case. The competition was canceled due to procedural reasons and incomplete documentation.