You are on page: International Relations > Conference 'Student Mobility and Recognition of Study Periods Abroad (Western Balkans - EU)'

Conference 'Student Mobility and Recognition of Study Periods Abroad (Western Balkans - EU)'

More than 200 participants from 33 out of 35 public universities in Western Balkans as well as representatives from EU universities and policy makers from the region were gathered in Ljubljana/Slovenia from 10-12 October 2010 to discuss problems and solutions regarding the recognition of study periods abroad. The conference was organised under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council by the King Baudouin Foundation in close cooperation with Ghent University, University of Graz, University of Ljubljana and SPARK and was supported by the European Commission, the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research and the City of Ljubljana.

With the new “Erasmus Mundus External Co-operation Window" initiative which was launched in December 2006 by the European Commission mobility of students, researchers and university staff between the Western Balkans and the EU has been considerably increased.

Along with this opportunity, which can be seen as a preparatory phase before the countries of the Western Balkans can enter the Erasmus program, came some practical problems. One of the challenges is the academic recognition of study periods spent abroad: what happens once a student returns with his results obtained abroad? Many students and academics from the region are facing problems related to academic recognition, although it is one of the key points of this program – and for mobility in general.

The conference in Ljubljana put the topic of recognition of study periods on the agenda of all Western Balkan countries and presented challenges and best practices regarding tools, procedures and responsibilities to improve academic recognition.

The 200 rectors, deans, professors and ECTS coordinators from universities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo , Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia discussed over two days this important issue which is an obstacle to a further increase of mobility. At the end of the conference, recommendations for an improved academic recognition were presented and debated by key policy makers from the region, among them Prof. Myquerem Tafaj, Albanian Minister for Education and Science and Prof. Slobodan Jaukovic, Serbian Deputy Minister for Higher Education.