Dissatisfied because professors cannot present problems at the University before the Senate

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – A session of the Senate of the University of Sarajevo will be held today, at which several agenda items will be discussed, including the new Statute of UNSA.

Also, the session will discuss the non-election of Almira Hadžović-Džuvo to the position of full professor. This has jeopardized her position at the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo. The UNSA Commission, consisting of Jasminko Huskić, Hrvoje Banfić, and Svjetlana Loga-Zec, concluded that "Hadžović-Džuvo formally meets the conditions for election to the position of full professor for the scientific field of Human Physiology," but the same Commission proposed to the Teaching-Scientific Council that Hadžović-Džuvo should not be elected to the position of full professor?! In the decision sent to the Teaching-Scientific Council, they stated that Hadžović-Džuvo, while serving as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, committed a series of "extremely unacademic and unethical actions" and other acts between 01.05.2017 and 01.12.2017 which are "incompatible with the conduct and work of a professor, thereby damaging the reputation of all colleagues, the Faculty of Medicine, and the University of Sarajevo, for which she was dismissed from the position of Dean." The Commission was referring to Hadžović-Džuvo's media appearances in which she presented information about her dismissal from the Faculty of Medicine. Such a decision by the Commission was also accepted by the Teaching-Scientific Council. The Senate of the University has the option to reject such a decision by the Commission.

The Senate session is closed to the public. The session is attended by members of the Senate: the Rector of UNSA, pro-rectors, deans of faculties and institutes, and directors of affiliated members of UNSA. Representatives of the Student Parliament are also attending the session.

Dissatisfied professors criticize that it is unacceptable that UNSA professors who wish to attend the Senate session and present problems cannot exercise this right. There is talk of unprecedented political pressure on the University of Sarajevo. Domestic and foreign media and non-governmental organizations report on the pressure from the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), which, with the help of Dr. Sebija Izetbegović and Rector Rifet Škrulj, wants to take complete control of the University.

According to the Rules of Procedure of the Senate, the Rector of UNSA is still given the option to invite other University officials who are not members of the Senate to the Senate session.

The Senate is the highest professional and academic body of the University, responsible for deciding on all academic matters. The Senate is chaired by the Rector of the University.