FOUNDER OF AU IN BiH Work permit will be revoked from the American School of Economics in Sarajevo as well

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of Sarajevo Canton will officially request from the Ministry of Tuzla Canton the Decision to revoke the work permit of the American University in BiH, which is the founder of the American School of Economics in Sarajevo Canton. 

“In accordance with the information received and the circumstances already established in Sarajevo Canton, we will make a decision regarding the revocation of the work permit for the American School of Economics,” the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of KS responded to Patria’s inquiry about the status of the American School of Economics Higher Education Institution. 

The Minister of Education of TK, Ahmed Omerović, confirmed to Klix yesterday that the work permit for AU in BiH has been revoked, without specifying when it happened. AU in BiH is not on the list of accredited higher education institutions of the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance of BiH, but the American School of Economics Higher Education Institution is still on the list, with its accreditation expiring in February 2023. However, considering that this institution no longer meets any conditions, nor is it operational, it is unclear why the work permit revocation was delayed. 

The Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of KS, i.e., Minister Anis Krivić, issued a decision in November 2020, ordering the Higher Education Institution "American School of Economics", founded by the American University in BiH, to provide the address of its headquarters and to submit all study agreements concluded between this institution and students for the 2018/2019, 2020/2021 academic years.

The responsible person at AU in BiH is Denis Prcić, who is the founder.

Prcić was given a deadline of eight days to submit all requested data, and the public was never informed whether he complied with Minister Krivić’s decision.

The case was not resolved even during the tenure of Minister Melika Husić-Mehmedović, and for a certain period, the American University in BiH was listed among the higher education institutions in KS on the Ministry's website in 2021, even though it never had a work permit in KS.

Hundreds of affected students were left without money and diplomas, and were defrauded because AU in BiH abruptly ceased operations during the pandemic. A group of students reported Prcić for extortion of money in both Sarajevo and Tuzla. Affected students also organized protests in front of the US Embassy in Sarajevo, demanding that Prcić's US passport be revoked.

The TK Prosecutor's Office is handling one case, and the State Prosecutor's Office is handling another related to the malversations of AU in BiH and the fraudulent issuance of diplomas, including that of the director of OSA, Osman Mehmedagić.

The KS Prosecutor's Office had knowledge of illegal activities in KS for years, including the conduct of classes, but never took concrete action.

The TK Prosecutor's Office will soon make a prosecutorial decision in this case against Prcić, while there has been no news about the announced indictment from the State Prosecutor's Office and prosecutor Oleg Čavka for over a year, even though Prcić was arrested and spent some time in custody.

The new Law on Higher Education of KS has precisely stipulated stricter conditions for the establishment of higher education institutions in KS. Likewise, if an applicant is rejected, they will not be eligible to reapply for five years.