Are private faculties paying the KCUS for their students' practical training?

By: A. Aljović

There are dozens of private companies and individuals exploiting state resources under suspicious circumstances in the Sarajevo Canton.

Students of the attractive Faculty of Medicine at the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology (SSST) complete their practical training at the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, but it is not possible to obtain information on whether SSST pays KCUS for the practical training services of its students. KCUS is a public institution financed by taxpayer money.

The cooperation between SSST and KCUS is public. SSST uses this cooperation as a reference when presenting the faculty to new students.

The largest healthcare institution in Sarajevo does not wish to comment on this topic. Neither did this university wish to speak about the circumstances under which SSST students use the knowledge and resources of the state-owned KCUS.

- Unfortunately, we are unable to answer your questions this time due to the already planned business trip and commitments of Prof. Ejup Ganić, it was confirmed for the Patria agency from the office of the SSST rector.

The Sarajevo School of Science and Technology University was opened in October 2004 as the first private university in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The school was founded by Professor, academician Ejup Ganić, a former high-ranking BiH politician. The Faculty of Medicine at this university began its work in the 2014/2015 academic year.

Public-private partnership is a well-known model worldwide. Experts agree that cooperation between institutions should develop, but it must not be at the expense of public institutions and public interest, and to the benefit of private business. Can we, in the case of SSST and KCUS cooperation, be talking about enriching private business at the expense of society? What benefit does the community have from the cooperation of these two institutions?

On the official website KCUS.ba Dr. Faris Fočo is mentioned as a doctor at the Clinic for Ear, Nose, and Throat Diseases, Dr. Haris Vranić as a doctor at the Emergency Medicine Clinic, Dr. Jasminka Krehić is the Head of Clinical Pharmacology at KCUS, Dr. Ljubica Todorović is, according to this website, at the Clinic for Neuroradiology, Dr. Nurija Bilalović is the Head of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Dr. Sandra Vegar-Zubović is mentioned as the Director of Diagnostic Disciplines and Head of the Radiology Clinic at KCUS. Dr. Zulejha Merhemić is a neuroradiologist at KCUS.

The names of respected doctors are also mentioned as lecturers at SSST's Faculty of Medicine!

The Director of KCUS, Dr. Sebija Izetbegović, previously banned doctors from working outside this institution, but the ban does not apply to lecturers at SSST. Such a stance by Dr. Izetbegović may have deep political and personal background. Can we talk about an abuse of position by Dr. Izetbegović if she allowed some KCUS doctors additional engagement?

Professor Ganić justified the cooperation by exchanging knowledge within the two institutions, although the public does not know what kind of exchange it is exactly.

The Dean of the SSST Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Semira Galijašević, after returning from the USA, where she was a lecturer at the most reputable American universities, also works at the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry (Chemistry Department) at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Sarajevo.

Dr. Sena Softić-Taljanović, director of the Sarajevo Canton Emergency Medical Service Institute, is also one of the lecturers at the SSST Faculty of Medicine. SSST students also do their practical training at the Emergency Medical Service.

The cooperation model that Professor Ganić has devised with the Clinical Center in Sarajevo and several doctors, as well as individuals from other public institutions, can ensure him enormous economic benefit.

SSST medical students pay 14,000 KM annually. If a generation has about 30 students, and the study lasts six years, that is about 2.5 million KM for one generation! There are already three generations of students at SSST, which is approximately 7.5 million KM that Professor Ganić will collect from students or their parents. According to the Law on Public-Private Partnership of Sarajevo Canton, care is taken to ensure that this relationship is equally beneficial to both sides. The question is whether this is the case here.

If SSST does not pay KCUS for its students' practical training, and pays professors fees, because KCUS or other institutions where they are employed pay their contributions or a larger part of their contributions, can we talk about millions in revenue and minimal expenses for the SSST Faculty of Medicine?

SSST does not have accreditation for the Buckingham University Faculty of Medicine, which it has for some other faculties at the University, as confirmed for Patria by Professor Frances Robinson from Buckingham University in London, so SSST's Faculty of Medicine has no financial obligations to this partner either.

At the same time, there are talks of multi-million debts at KCUS, a lack of basic services for patients, and the departure of the best staff from this healthcare institution.