This important regional event for the Western Balkan countries, brigding the impact of Tempus programme and a topic of relevance for the higher education reform process Europewide, took place at the premises of the Rectorate of University of Montenegro on April 26-27, 2010.
The seminar was chaired by Mr. Klaus Haupt, Head of Tempus/Mundus Erasmus Unit in the Executive Agency for Audiovisuel, Education and Media (EACEA), Brussels.
Welcome speeches were given by Prof. Predrag Miranovic, Rector of the University of Montenegro, Mr. Nicola Bertolioni, Head of Operations Sector in the EU Delegation to Montenegro and Ms Biljana Misovic from the Ministry of Education and Science of Montenegro.
Montengro participates in Tempus programmes as of 2001, and takes the Programme as a very important mechanism for improving the higher education in Montenegro, through structural and joint projects, said rector of University of Montenegro, prof. Predrag Miranovic.
Mr Bertolino stressed the importance of the topic of university governance in the field of higher education and crutial role that universities take in the process of Western Balkan accession to the EU. In this respect, Tempus programme is perceived as a remarkable tool providing support to the modernization of higher education for already 20 years now.
Mrs. Biljana Misovic, coordinator of Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education and Science highlighted that the issue of university governance cannot be considered just as a question of university being the legal body but a question of achieving a real functional integration of higher education institutions which will reflect itself positively on producing high quality results in education of young people and achieving remarkable research results. She added that in the period when more and more private HEIs are being opened, the issue of university governance became even more important, and the questions of diversifying sources of financing in higher education was posed more often.
This is the situation that all of countries from the Region are faced with, and the function and role of the ministry, which is responsible for the creation of overall education policy is of particular importance.
