Nikolić: Private universities are not funded from the KS budget, but can receive project support

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth of KS, Aleksandra Nikolić, stated that private universities can apply for public calls for scientific research projects, responding to questions from MP Jasmina Biščević-Tokić about whether private universities are being funded from the KS budget. 

"They are not funded from the budget, but they can receive support for projects," Nikolić said. 

She explained that the council of the organizational unit elects its dean, and the rector usually signs that decision, but the law defines when the rector can refuse to sign, after which the decision is sent to the Council, which decides on the next steps in the procedure.

Furthermore, the minister stated that she herself had previously advocated for separating the Law on Higher Education and the Law on UNSA, but that she no longer thinks so since she took office as minister. 

She clarified that the new law will enable vice-rectors (6 plus 1 student vice-rector) to vote in the UNSA Senate, which was not the case before. 

What is evident to all MPs today is the lack of interest in this important law, as only 13 MPs were present in the hall while the minister was answering questions from MPs. 

Neither MP Elmedin Konaković, nor Aljoša Čampara, nor Elvedin Okerić are attending the session because a press conference of Narod i Pravda will be held today at 2 PM in a Sarajevo hotel. 

Initially, there were 25 MPs present at the beginning of the session.