More than 240 former and current students of the Faculty of Political Sciences filed an appeal against the termination of study programs at the Faculty of Political Sciences Podgorica.
The University of Montenegro (UCG) intends to restructures study programs at the Faculty of Political Sciences (FPN). According to the FPN reform guidelines, three study programs are foreseen - political science, communication science and social policy and social work.
"After years of bad management of university units, numerous scandals and the systematic collapse of the credibility of UCG, we see the Rector's latest move as the final blow to the weakened University and individual faculties, which in Montenegro are no longer a priority for those who, according to their description, should be their first-line guardians". it is stated in the appeal, which is signed by 246 former and current students of FPN.
Students state that two of the three subject study programs have existed since the faculty itself existed - since 2003, when the FPN was organized at the Faculty of Law in Podgorica, and in 2006, it became an independent university unit.
"The first generation of political science students were greeted by promises of high quality teaching with constant investment, a strict enrollment policy and high criteria by which knowledge will be evaluated - knowledge that will enable them to become experts in their field, the first to be educated in Montenegro. Criteria for enrollment was strict, and the University's support really made them feel privileged as political science students... Thirteen years later, graduates of three study programs at the Faculty are facing the possibility that in the near future they will have a diploma of non-existent majors, and it seems to us will soon become a non-existent faculty," the appeal states.
FPN students believe that "for years, they have been working on the systematic collapse of teaching quality, restrictions are being imposed on the engagement of professional teaching staff, there are no efforts to improve student standards".
"That's why, if the plan of the Rectorate comes true, young people who want to study international relations will be able to do so, at twice the price - at a private faculty. In the meantime, at the same private faculty, through student scholarships, subsidies from the state will be made possible of the budget for study programs "of public interest". From this it can be concluded that the closure of these study programs at the state university, and their financing at the private university, are matters of purely private interest. This decision of the UCG, and the performance of the Rectorate, which is working on the demolition of the FPN, clearly is that every "public interest" is being lost. Does the Rectorate, without any shame and in front of the Montenegrin public, demolish the UCG in the name of the UCG", the appeal states.
Former and current students of FPN ask for it to be clearly announced on whose proposal and for what reasons the study programs are being canceled and appeal to the Rectorate, the Board of Directors and the Ministry of Education to put aside party and personal interests and to start a "discussion about real problems of higher education in Montenegro".
"We demand from the Rectorate to show that, just like us, they want to preserve and upgrade a credible and stable university, with graduates who are competitive in all labor markets. We call on Montenegrin student organizations not to allow the Rectorate under the pretext of quality of teaching or availability of finances (for which are directly responsible) are amputating the University part by part, claiming that they are ridding themselves of "diseased tissue", while at the same time giving strong support to private universities. A state that consciously undermines its public institutions, including educational ones, has no future," the appeal states.
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