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30 07 2009 This Thursday, Life in Kosovo discussed the accreditation process for higher education institutions in Kosovo.
How did the accreditation process work? Was political pressure brought to bear or compromises made in the accreditation process? Why did the government of Kosovo recognise private universities as colleges, despite the fact there was no legal basis for the establishment of colleges?
To discuss these issues, and others concerning the accreditation process for higher education institutions in Kosovo, the following joined Betim Musliu in the studio:
Avdullah Alija, head of the Higher Education Department at the Ministry of Education
Ferdije Zhushi, head of the National Council of Quality
Ramush Mavriqi, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Prishtina
Rrahman Paçarizi, vice-rector of the former AAB University, now AAB-RIINVEST College
Jonuz Salihaj, education expert
The accreditation process started on October 1, 2008 and was completed on July 6, 2009.
The debate started with Zhushi’s remarks on the accreditation process that took place on July 6, 2009. Speaking about the process that just took place, Zhushi stressed that the procedure for evaluating institutions was “very transparent” and that around 70 international experts were involved.
“These experts were also asked to evaluate our agency, since it is a new body,” said Zhushi, adding that experts were satisfied with the work that was done by the National Council of Quality.
Pacarizi described the process as very good and transparent in its early stages. However, he believes that by the end of the process, “all of this changed”.
“It's true that the international experts have done a good job, but their evaluations were not taken into consideration as far as AAB-RIINVEST University is concerned,” claimed Pacarizi. He argues that international experts found that nine of 11 majors that the institution offers should be accredited.
Salihaj expressed his concern regarding the accreditation process, arguing there was a failure to respect the law.
“There was interference during the process,” he claimed, alluding to some institutions which were part of the process but were later left out.
Talking about the decision to close down the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Prishtina, Ramush Mavriqi said that this faculty was no less professional than others.
“It was intentionally initiated by certain groups to close down or not accredit the faculties of Psychology, Ethnology and Political Sciences,” Mavriqi alleged.
Alija expressed support for the decision, saying there was no incompatibility between the recommendations and decisions of the board.
Countering, Mavriqi, expressed his grave concern for future students who will not be able to register in the Psychology Department. He also said that experts should have evaluated Kosovo's institutions in the context of the wider quality of regional tertiary education.
“We cannot be compared to Oxford, but we can be compared to regional universities and their curricula,” he said.
At the beginning of 2010 BIRN network published Digging Deeper - A Guide for Investigative Journalists in the Balkans, written in cooperation with Sheila Coronel, Director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism and professor of professional practice at Columbia University, New York.
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