Students who “lack” in practical skills are not going to be a problem for employers in Montenegro anymore. One of the main complaints in higher education was that students leave studies with only theoretical knowledge.
Chief of Directorate for higher education in Ministry of Education Biljana Misovic said that the amendments to Law on Higher Education, currently in public discussion, entail mandatory practical classes or internships.
Studies and research clearly point to the fact that practical skills must be better developed in institutions of higher learning.
“Amendments entail 25% of total fund of classes to be allocated to practical classes”, Misovic said.
Funding model to be changed
“Many countries are transitioning to a model of funding based on parameters of quality of graduated students, the number of published scientific works, patents, international projects, reputation in academia, etc. Creating of efficient system of funding demands that the state makes a balanced relation between the autonomy of an institution and supervision of its work, meaning that the institution is responsible to those who fund it”, Misovic said.
Financial responsibility does not mean that the financier can be involved in the work of the institution, but it grants him the right to demand that the business is lead in a transparent manner with periodic reports.
There is a plan to establish Agency for enforcing quality of higher education, that will implement procedure of estimating the quality of program of the institution, accreditation, five-year evaluations, etc.
Advantages of the new model
Misovic said that 3+2+3 system of free undergraduate studies is standard in Europe. The aim is to improve the recognizability of graduated students on the labour market and intensify the mobility of Montenegrin students.
“The exception will be study programs that grant qualifications from regulated vocations. These models are in compliance with EU Directive 2005/36 EC and EU Directive 2013/55 EC”, Misovic added.
Free undergraduate studies put Montenegro shoulder to shoulder with the states that consider equal approach to higher education a basis for higher education policies.
