Zorica Korac, Regional Environmental Center 25 th October 2007, Zagreb

1. Zorica Korac, Regional Environmental Center 25th October 2007, Zagreb WEB MOB Development of Researchers Mobility PolicyGuidelines for the Region of Western BalkansMobility in Serbia

2. Overview • Current situation • Factors influencing mobility; more about: • employment • recognition of degrees • reform of educational system • Funding • Focal points • Research and academic Institutions

3. http://www.web-mob.eu/ Serbia mobility guide • Brief Overview • Moving to the new country • Overview of the education system • Working conditions • Living conditions • Social issues • Regarding the researchers • Information resources

4. “Brain drain” in Serbia is high, estimations vary; Around 8% of the top university students leave Serbia; A poll conducted among 3,200 young people between the ages of 16 and 35 found that as many as 43% are ready to leave if they find the opportunity to do so. No official data available on the number of researchers coming to Serbia, however, there is a general agreement that the number is low. Mobility of Researchers in Serbia

5. Incoming mobility of researchers in Serbia is influenced by a number of factors: • administrative obstacles (the process of obtaining residence and work permits, recognition of degrees), • ongoing reform of educational system (unresolved issues remain), • lack of attractive research opportunities due to the low researchers’ salaries and the lack of English language courses at Universities, • low awareness about the importance of foreign researchers’ inflow.

6. The Employment of Foreigners Prerequisites: residencepermit (RP) and workpermit (WP). • National Employment Office issues WP to the foreigner on his request (if he has permanent RP), or on employer’s request (if the foreigner has temporary RP). • Work permit can be issued for the period that is specified on residence permit. • If the Employment Office has unemployed local residents on its waiting list, that have the same qualifications as the foreigner who applied for the specific job position, then local residents have the priority in this employment process. • In order to continue working after the WP expires, foreigner needs to extend RP and obtain new WP. http://www.kombeg.org.yu/poslovanjebg/zaposljavanje_stranac.htm

7. Recognition of Academic Degrees • Complicated procedures. • The recognition of foreign higher education qualifications is done by Council of the faculty competent for specific education area. • If an institution competent for specific area doesn’t exist then University recognizes foreign higher education qualifications. • Procedure should take up to 30 days, but in some cases it takes 60-75 days. • Usually Faculty receives the documents, forms a Commission that writes a report for the Council; Council makes the decision; this decision is then forwarded to, and has to be approved by University.

8. Reform of educational system - unresolved issues • The May 2002 Law on Higher Education - positive developments. • However, it did not integrate each individual university, which is still no more than a weak conglomerate of highly autonomous faculties and other bodies, fragmented structures (improvement must come from a top-down legislative decision). • Lack of interdisciplinary studies.

9. The existing academic degree granted with a diploma was transformed into a bachelor and some programs were shortened from 4 to 3 years. • The degree granted with a ‘magistratura’ was mostly transformed into a master degree, achieved after 5 years of study (3+2 or 4+1). PhD degree remained. • Although The Law on Higher Education says that universities have to recognize the equivalency of diplomas and titles, faculties want students to enroll in the fifth year - new master program, and pay for it (around one thousand euros each), in order to get the diploma.

10. Students who are already enrolled in the program of old Master studies (Magistarske studije), which last two years, and are more complex than the new Master studies. It is not clear yet if these students will just have to write the final PhD theses, (because they have already finished all the exams) or they will go directly to the second or third year of a new PhD program. • Many universities lack effective management information systems for the collection and use of data; • Very high tuition fees

11. State funding • The overall percentage levels of state funding for education (3.2% in 1999) and research (0.32% in 2004,) are very low in European terms (5.7% OECD average and 1.9% EU average in 2001 respectively); although research funding grew from 0.1%in 2000 to 0.32% in 2004. • R&D public spending in Serbia is set to increase to 1.4% in 2010. • The link between the university, its students and current and potential employers needs to be strengthened, more strategic links should be established with these external partners. • The S&T policy was based on the “push” technology model. European University Association, Institutional evaluations of Universities in Serbia

13. Focal Points • Serbian Government http://www.srbija.sr.gov.yu/pages/intro.php?id=5 (basic facts, statistics, districts, constitution) • Ministry of Science http://www.mntr.sr.gov.yu/eng/ Department of International Scientific and Technological Cooperation • Ministry of Education http://www.mps.sr.gov.yu/code/navigate.php?Id=306 • Ministry of Foreign Affairs http://www.mfa.gov.yu/index.html -Consular Affaires (Visas Regime, List of Border Crossings, Travel Documents, Customs Formalities) http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Consularaffairs.htm -International bilateral treaties in the field of cultural, educational and scientific cooperation http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Culture_Education.htm

14. National ENIC/NARIC office for recognition of academic and professional qualification -National Information Centre, National Education Bodies, System of Education, University Education, Post-secondary Non-university Education, Recognized Higher Education Institutions, Policies and Procedures for the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications, Diploma Supplement Information URL: http://www.enic-naric.net/members.asp?country=Serbia

15. Ministry of Science Department of International Scientific and Technological Cooperation is in charge with following issues: • International, scientific, technological, bilateral and multilateral cooperation. • Projects and programs of European Community in domains of scientific and technological researches. • Cooperation with organizations and agencies from United Nations system. • Cooperation with foreign scientific, government and non government organizations and associations. • Cooperation with our scientists and experts in Diaspora. • Preparations of programs for scientific and technical cooperation. • Making of the contracts, agreements, conventions and the other general acts with regard to the international scientific cooperation. • Other affairs in the Department’s competency http://www.mntr.sr.gov.yu/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=9&id=41&Itemid=45

16. Bilateral Cooperation Ministry of Science funds projects of scientific and technological cooperation between Serbian and foreign scientific and research organizations based on bilateral agreements. http://www.mntr.sr.gov.yu/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104&Itemid=45 Multilateral Cooperation http://www.mntr.sr.gov.yu/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=45 -France-Greece-India-Israel-China-Macedonia-Germany-Slovakia-Slovenia-Suisse

17. University of Belgrade (established in 1838) 31 faculties, 61 research centers, 86 institutes, 190 laboratories, 78000 students University of Novi Sad (established in 1960) 13 faculties, 41500 students University of Niš (established in 1965) 13 faculties, 11 faculties are located in Nis, the Faculty of Technology is in Leskovac and the Teacher-Training Faculty inVranje, 26.300 students University of Kragujevac (established in 1976) 11 faculties, 14000 students University of Priština (established in 1970) Two separate institutions recognized by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), around 30000 students University Novi Pazar (established in 2002) 4 faculties Research and academic institutions

18. Research institutions Institute for Nuclear Sciences Vinča http://www.vin.bg.ac.yu/ • Scientific program on molecular biology and endocrinology • Sustainable energy development, clean coal technologies, solar energy, etc. Center for Multidisciplinary Studies http://www.cms.bg.ac.yu/ School of Medicine (in English) http://www.med.bg.ac.yu/?newlang=english

19. THANK YOU