IPF in Bihać Founded on This Day: 28 Years in the Mission of Quality Upbringing and Education

The Faculty of Islamic Pedagogy (IPF) in Bihać was founded by the decision of the Assembly of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina on (Patria) - this day, December 23, 1995.
This significant anniversary was marked yesterday with the promotion of 24 new graduates and
three master's students, who successfully completed their studies in the past year.

As recalled by Prof. Dr. Hajrudin Hodžić, Dean of IPF, in an interview with MINA Agency, the precursor to the Faculty was the Islamic Pedagogical Academy as a higher education institution, and the primary task of its establishment was the education of staff for teaching the subject of Islamic Religious Education in primary and secondary schools.

By signing an agreement on association with the University of Bihać on June 20, 1997, which was confirmed by the Assembly of the Una-Sana Canton with its consent on August 15, 1997, the Islamic Pedagogical Academy in Bihać became a member of the University of Bihać with the rights and obligations of other members.

"From the beginning of its operation, the Faculty was located in the Mufti's building in Bihać, and since September 2002, it has been in its own building with a total usable area of approximately 5,000 square meters. In addition to lecture halls, offices, an amphitheater, halls, and offices, the Faculty building houses a student dormitory with a capacity of 100 beds, as well as a student restaurant," the dean stated.

By the decision of the Assembly of the Islamic Community made on September 25, 2004, the Academy was renamed the Faculty of Islamic Pedagogy in Bihać.

"On September 14, 2005, the Faculty was transformed from a two-year to a three-year study program. With that reform, the study program was harmonized according to the Bologna principles of 3+2+3, with the introduction of ECTS credits. Since the academic year 2015/16, the first cycle of studies lasts four years or eight semesters (4+1+3)," he explained.

The faculty has two departments - the Department of Islamic Religious Education and the Department of Social Pedagogy and Spiritual Care, and master's studies are organized in both departments.

"The Faculty has published dozens of books and collections of papers so far, and has organized a large number of round tables, symposia, forums, lectures, and scientific conferences. During the past 28 years of operation at the Faculty of Islamic Pedagogy, through 19 promotions of graduates and master's students, a total of 834 graduates and 37 master's students have been promoted," Hodžić emphasized.

As he points out, "The Faculty has excellent spatial capacities, which greatly facilitates the realization of the mission for which the Faculty was founded".

"Thanks to the Government of USK and the Riyaset of IZ, the Faculty has secured material and technical resources for normal development and progress. In the realization of the teaching process, the Faculty relies on its own capacities, and external associates from other public universities in Tuzla, Zenica, Sarajevo, and Mostar, with whom the Faculty has quality cooperation, play a significant role in the quality profiling of students," the dean told MINA Agency.

The Faculty is actively working on revising and innovating teaching plans and programs to improve the quality of teaching, but also to offer attractive study programs in both cycles of study.

"The revision of two study programs is currently underway, while a new study program is in the final stage of approval. We believe that this will round off the quality offer of study programs for which the Faculty will be recognizable in our environment. In the field of scientific research, the Faculty of Islamic Pedagogy is making significant efforts, which have resulted in the publication of dozens of collections of papers, university textbooks, professional literature, as well as the organization of international conferences and scientific gatherings," he stated.

As he stated, in terms of international cooperation, they strive to utilize the opportunities offered by student and staff exchange programs, through visits to various universities outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina and participation in world scientific conferences.

"Through numerous activities, we strive to improve student standards, among which should be highlighted the reconstruction of the Faculty's student dormitory, which was realized with funds from Kuwait with the help of the Vakuf Directorate, numerous scholarships that we provide for our students through the Faculty's friends, as well as the KfW project 'Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings', which should be realized soon thanks to the understanding and help of the Government of USK and the relevant federal ministry," said Hodžić.

He concludes that "all of the above indicates that the Faculty of Islamic Pedagogy continues to realize its mission for which it was founded, which is quality upbringing and education, with quality study conditions, all in accordance with the needs of the place and time in which we live".