Hašić: Students from BiH have no problem continuing their education in Croatia, only when seeking employment

(Patria) - In the last few months, Slovenia has halted the process of recognizing diplomas from higher education institutions from BiH, and Croatia, by changing its law, has introduced a practice where the Agency for Science and Higher Education provides opinions that negatively assess diplomas from higher education institutions from BiH, even accredited ones.

Rector of the University of Sarajevo, Rifat Škrijelj, stated at a press conference this week that this problem has emerged in these two countries, while diplomas are recognized in Germany, Austria, and numerous other countries. He also criticized the "easy accreditation" of some private universities that lack even a tenth of the equipment and capacity of the University of Sarajevo.

Slovenia has halted the recognition of diplomas from BiH, while Croatia has been issuing certain opinions since the summer, which in a way discriminates against diplomas and students from BiH.

Director of the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance, Enes Hašić, explained to the Patria News Agency that there are certain problems but believes they will be resolved quickly.

"The Slovenians found themselves in a dilemma, asking whether a higher education institution that issued a diploma was even authorized to issue diplomas in BiH. They have temporarily suspended the recognition of diplomas.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH has sent a response to the competent ministry of Slovenia, clarifying the situation. The key point is that the Slovenians want a clear overview of which higher education institutions operate in BiH. According to our law, we only register accredited institutions and do not register those that have been established but have not gone through the accreditation process," says Hašić.

He explains that Croatia does not conduct a standard diploma recognition process, but rather its Agency for Higher Education provides an opinion.

"In Croatia, the problem arose because a large number of, I assume, Croatian citizens studied at some universities and higher education institutions in BiH, and the pressure on the Croatian employment or advancement system is quite high. Croatia also sought a solution, at least temporarily, so in some cases we have received that they currently issue opinions that are not binding for employers. According to their own law, an employer can hire any of their students from BiH or another country, and this opinion is important in the public sector," he says.

He explains that in this opinion, the Agency writes that BiH has not adopted a qualification framework, which is not true because the Council of Ministers of BiH adopted this document.

"This is not correct or true because it exists; it was not adopted in the form of a law but in the form of a decision by the Council of Ministers of BiH from 2011. Secondly, the accreditation procedures are not sufficiently transparent; it is true that we are not a member of ENQA, we are an associate member, not a full member. But when we received associate member status, the international association of agencies assessed our accreditation procedures positively. This opinion is a bit 'stretched,' I can freely say, to find some reason to justify a negative opinion about the education system."

Hašić stated that he is not in favor of escalating relations with Croatia.

"The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH is responsible for coordinating with the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education, or for them to sit down and agree at the government level. This issue also has political and legal connotations," he believes.

Regarding the diplomas from the University of Mostar, which are recognized and not questioned, even though the University of Mostar is accredited in BiH, Hašić said that the University of Mostar also underwent an accreditation process by an agency from the Republic of Croatia. During the recent visit of the Croatian Minister of Science and Education, Radovan Fuchs, to the University of Mostar, it was emphasized that diplomas of the University of Mostar students are valid in Croatia and thus in the entire EU.

"When I reflect on the statement of the Croatian Minister of Science, there are many inconsistencies in that statement. He said that the diploma is valid immediately. That is not true; it must pass their accreditation. All diplomas from all our faculties are valid throughout Europe, except for the temporary suspension in Slovenia. They are valid in Austria and Germany. We must strive to collectively raise the overall quality of education. This issue with Croatia will be resolved," said Hašić.

Director Hašić confirmed that students from BiH have no problem continuing their education in Croatia, only when seeking employment, and even then, it depends on the employer whether they will act according to the Agency's opinion.