Bosnia and Herzegovina Terra Incognita in the Academia of Europe

Abstract

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a "terra incognita" for the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), but it is especially unknown to European agencies, organizations and networks. Regardless of the signing of the Bologna Declaration in 2003, most standards and documents have never been fully implemented or it is more suitable to say that they were never implemented at all. The lack of a ministry at the state level (in addition there are 13 lower ministries of education at different levels, from cantons to entities) created a problem because there are no strategic documents or a clear educational policy that would give direction to development. Ethnic and political authorities are not very interested in the modernization of universities and colleges, and they could even say that higher education institutions are in some form of scientific and teaching "hibernation". Failure in this area has brought academic staff and students into a state of struggle for survival, which is why most of the employees and students are thinking of leaving the country. In addition, the "university mafia" was formed, which is now controlled by most of the public and private universities. Quality education deals mainly with only a few institutions that have direct links with similar universities abroad. The higher education curriculum is at its peak, the fetal thought is completely suppressed. Solutions can only be carried out with the help of European universities and European organizations and agencies, but in a different way. The article proposes solutions relating to the creation of a unified system for the development of science and higher education.