"Currently, I have a work contract for a certain period of time, until the return of a colleague who is on maternity leave, in the position of administrative assistant, which requires 180 credits. I finished my bachelor studies. The position I currently cover does not require 180 credits. However, considering that my current contract is about to end, the company tried to find a new position for me to transfer to. Unfortunately, all available jobs require 240 credits," says the interlocutor Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG), who wished to remain anonymous.
She is just one of those who have a problem because of the work system, which is not adapted to the new education system. Thus, today bachelor's graduates cannot easily get a job, because many systematizations of state enterprises do not recognize this degree.
According to the data of the Employment Agency of Montenegro (ZZCG), there are currently over 34 unemployed people. Of these, there are over 3.500 university graduates, and slightly more than 1.000 bachelor's degree holders.
The first generations enrolled under the new study model, who completed the three-year basic studies on their personal example, felt the consequences of the mismatch between the higher education system and the labor market, he tells CIN-CG Andrej Vukcevic the recent president of the Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro (SPUCG).
"With completed basic studies, they are insufficiently qualified for the largest number of jobs, and with completed master's studies, they are overqualified for those same jobs," said Vukčević.
Montenegro adopted the new Law on Higher Education in 2017, which includes a study program: three years of basic, two years of master's and three years of doctoral studies.
"By applying the 3+2+3 model, the system of higher education in Montenegro is harmonized with the valid model defined by the Bologna process and established in the Bologna Declaration and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)", it is stated in the draft Strategy for the Development of Higher Education 2024-2027 (Strategy ).
This means that at the end of basic three-year studies, the student receives a bachelor's degree, which includes 180 credits and acquires the VI level of qualification, and at the end of the two-year master's program of 120 credits, they acquire the VII-2 level of qualification.
In the largest number of countries that belong to the European Education Area, this model is dominant. However, in the systematization of Montenegrin companies, a qualification level of 180 credits is rarely required, so it is practically impossible to get a job if you do not have a master's degree.
The old system of education meant four years of study and 240 credits, which was adapted to the systematization of many Montenegrin companies.
"Students are forced to enroll in master's studies in order to be able to compete on the labor market, because the majority of jobs require a diploma of 240 credits, which students at the only state university, according to the current study model, cannot obtain at any time", they say for CIN-CG from SPUCG.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MPNI) confirms that the problem exists and that they will take measures to improve the situation, but they do not specify what exactly they will do.
"It is evident that the bachelor's level of education is not sufficiently recognized in our labor market, especially when it comes to state administration, so the line ministry will propose a series of measures to initiate a solution to this problem," they told CIN-CG from MPNI.
As they say from that department, they are also working on amendments to the Law on Higher Education, which should additionally define issues in the field of higher education in Montenegro.
CIN-CG's research, as well as experts' statements, confirm that it is easier for Montenegrin students who have a bachelor's degree to find a job abroad.
Employers rarely look for bachelor's degrees
The total number of job vacancies that employers reported to ZZZCG, from January to July 2024, was over 15. Of these, over 000 job vacancies were announced for the employment of university graduates, and of that number for those with a bachelor's degree. there are only 4 vacancies.
The systematization of workplaces and many state enterprises is not aligned with the new study model. For example, the systematization of Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG) from 2017 mostly prescribes jobs for 240 credits or four years of basic studies, which no longer exist.
The systematization of the Montenegrin National Theater (CNP) from 2020 prescribes positions where in most cases 240 credits are required as a qualification level for actors, directors, executive producers, costume designers, painters... A bachelor's degree in the CNP is required for program coordinators, prompters, light and sound designers and others.
According to the systematization from 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) prescribes 240 credits for the positions of independent advisor I, chief, chief, police officer of supervision for operational tasks, independent advisor and for analytical and planning tasks, inspector, senior advisor I - counter clerk.
According to the systematization of the Police Administration (UP) from the year 2021, a degree higher than a bachelor's degree, a four-year study , that is, grade VII-1.
Hotel Group Budvanska Riviera (HGBR) according to the 2021 systematization, prescribes positions for qualification level VII-1, i.e. the same 240 credits, such as: company secretary, deputy executive director.
The systematization of the Post of Montenegro (PCG) from 2022 prescribes most jobs with a university degree for the VII-1 qualification level, so this degree is required for development and innovation managers, internal auditors, senior project management associates, human resources managers and numerous others.
However, unlike some other state systems, the PCG systematized positions for those with a bachelor's degree, so they can apply for the positions of coordinator for the development and management of business procedures and standards, professional associate for the management of corporate procedures and standards, and others.
The systematization of the Public Enterprise for the Management of Marine Assets (JPMD) harmonized the level of qualifications with the new education system by predicting a VI or VII level of qualification for a certain number of jobs. In the systematization of this company, a bachelor's degree is equally qualified with previous studies of four years.
"The analysis of the most in-demand occupations was done according to the regular monthly reports of the Employment Agency. In these statistics, not a single advertisement was found for persons who completed bachelor's studies or master's studies in law, so it can be concluded that there were no advertisements for vacancies with level VII-2, nor with level VI", he told CIN-CG Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Montenegro (UCG) Aneta Spaić.
Of the 430 advertisements for lawyers that were advertised from September 2022 to September 2023, 28 were for legal specialists VII-1 level, and 402 were for lawyers with 240 credits, again VII-1 level, Spaić points out.
"It is logical to assume that it is difficult to influence systematization changes, because employers are looking for a lawyer who can also pass the bar exam, and according to the current Law on traineeships in courts and the state prosecutor's office, it is still VII-1 level," Spaić told CIN-CG.
For civil servants and employees, as well as all employees in the state administration, when it comes to highly educated staff, the level of professional education corresponding to four-year studies is a condition for establishing an employment relationship in a position that implies academic education, he points out. David Vukicevic President of the Network for Youth Activism of Montenegro (MOACG). He explains that for this reason, today's students often decide to attend master's studies, not driven by the desire for further academic improvement in terms of scientific and research activities, but with the aim of achieving formal prerequisites for work in the public sector.
"A person with a bachelor's degree can work in the public sector, but in places systematized for the IV level of professional education, i.e. secondary schools, which is not suitable for all those who have completed basic bachelor's studies," Vukićević points out.
Who are questions about the labor market for?
According to the answers received by CIN-CG, it is unclear who is responsible for dealing with this problem and the position of graduates with a bachelor's degree in the labor market.
From the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MRSS), when asked to what extent bachelor's degrees are represented in the labor market, they say that they are not responsible, but rather the Ministry of Public Administration (MJU) or the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MPNI). However, MJU also answered that these are not questions for them, but for MRSS or MPNI. MPNI is aware of the problem, but not enough has been done to solve it.
In the Strategy for the Development of Higher Education 2024-2027, it is written that since the beginning of the studies, distrust has been created that the three-year cycle can provide adequate competencies for the needs of the labor market. The previous four-year education and its identification with four-year studies in the new model relegated basic studies to the background. One year for specialist studies was acceptable for both supply and demand, and funding from the budget provided students with the opportunity for their smooth completion.
The proposal of the National Employment Strategy 2021-2025 envisages improving the quality of education and matching it with the needs of the labor market. "The labor market is characterized by spatial and qualification mismatch, so there is unemployment and unfilled demand for workers at the same time. This means that there is room and reason to improve the operation of the labor market", the proposal of that Strategy states.
"It seems that the new study model, based on what time has shown, did not meet expectations, especially in terms of the competitiveness of the bachelor's degree on the labor market, and does not suit the largest number of students. From this perspective, we can say that over the last few years, this model of study has proven to be very inadequate, unfair and inappropriate for Montenegrin society", they told CIN-CG from SPUCG.
Bachelor studies should have gained importance. However, since the implementation of this study model, there has been no adequate evaluation of three-year diplomas.
"Students are somehow forced to enroll in two-year master's studies, which, in addition to three semesters of exams, include writing a defense of the master's thesis," said SPUCG.
Young people aged 15 to 29 in the total number of registered unemployed persons in May 2023 were almost 20 percent, according to the report of the European Commission on the progress of Montenegro for 2023.
Different education systems in the countries of the region
Unlike our labor market, Italian state-owned firms support bachelor's degrees for jobs such as administrative and accounting management instructors, information security workers, speech therapists, project managers, information services instructors, economic and financial instructors, and many other positions.
"In European countries, a lot of attention is paid to the fact that young people, immediately after leaving the higher education system, get the opportunity to do an internship, training, a job offer or, if they want, to continue their education," says SPUCG.
In Western Europe, a bachelor's degree is much more powerful in terms of employment opportunities, that is, young people who have obtained a higher education diploma in the amount of 180 credits are much more competitive on the labor market, explains Vukčević.
He points out that comparative experiences show that studies lasting three years were sufficient for acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills for most professions, and that young people were enabled to enter the labor market very early.
In Croatia, the Bologna system was accepted in 2007. The field of higher education in Croatia is regulated by the Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education from 2003.
The Croatian education system includes undergraduate studies leading to a bachelor's degree. There are also exceptions, so some university undergraduate study programs, such as economics studies at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Zagreb, last eight semesters and upon completion, 240 credits are earned.
The education system in Serbia is different from other countries. "Basic academic studies have from 180 to 240 credits. Basic vocational studies have 180 credits. Specialist vocational studies have at least 60 credits", it is stated in the Law on Higher Education of Serbia. Master's vocational studies have at least 120 credits when the volume of the first degree of academic or professional studies of at least 180 credits has been previously achieved.
It is similar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, higher education is organized in three cycles. At the end of the first cycle, the student receives a bachelor's degree obtained after a minimum of three and a maximum of four years of regular study, which is valued at a minimum of 180 or 240 credits. The second cycle leads to the academic title of master, obtained after the completion of undergraduate studies, which lasts one or two years, and is valued at 60 or 120 credits, so that in total with the first cycle it carries 30.
In some of these countries as well, the work system is not fully aligned with the reforms in the education system, especially after the transition to the Bologna rules, but harmonization is still being done more intensively in most countries in the region than in Montenegro, whose decision-makers have yet to to tackle this problem.
Bologna declaration and bachelor's degree
The Bologna education system was created when the education ministers of 29 European countries signed the Bologna Declaration in Bologna on June 19, 1999. At the following meetings in Prague 2001, Berlin 2003, Bergen 2005, London 2007 and Leuven 2009, the list of members expanded so that today almost all European countries and Russia participate in this process.
In addition to structuring the system of higher education, the idea of the Bologna Declaration is to unite students from all European countries, to remove the borders between countries and to foster unity among students, a collective spirit and solidarity. He advocates for the strengthening of European universities so that they can compete with the prestigious world faculties.
One of the main goals of the Bologna Declaration is the mobility of students, i.e. the free movement of students, professors and scientific researchers. Faculty employees should develop knowledge about other signatory countries, and the ultimate goal would be to integrate different cultures and foster tolerance.
"Montenegro has been participating in the Bologna Process since 2003, and in 2007, at the Ministerial Conference held in London, Montenegro's membership and status in that process as an independent and internationally recognized state was confirmed. By participating in the Bologna Process, Montenegro confirms its activity within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)," reads the website of the Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education (AKOKVO).
Through the Erasmus and other student exchange systems, thousands of young people from Montenegrin universities got the opportunity to study at some of the universities in Europe, which significantly improved their knowledge.
Bonus video:
