Part of the amendments to the Law on Higher Education is a step in the right direction, which needs some refinement with the aim of quality implementation, it was said at today's round table at the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts (CANU). As announced by the Ministry of Education, it was announced at the round table that the head of the Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education will not be a political figure, but a professional. "One of the solutions in connection with which the Ministry will be open to suggestions is the one that proposed that a student with a completed four-year master's degree or according to the 3+1 model be equated with a master's degree in terms of the right to continue education and employment," it was announced. from the Ministry. Minister of Education Damir Šehović and CANU President Dragan Vukčević also participated in the work of the round table. During the discussion, there was a discussion about whether the proposed legal unification of the study model for all universities in Montenegro to 3+2+3 is a good solution. Šehović explained that the goal is to create a unique model that will be compatible with the European area of education. He emphasized that by leaving the institutions to choose the study model themselves, confusion would be created on the market regarding the value of diplomas produced by Montenegrin faculties. "Only students who enroll in a state university should be financed by the state, and I have no qualms about that," said Šehović after one of the suggestions related to considering the possibility of the state financing students under the same conditions, regardless of whether it is a state or private faculties (voucherization). When it comes to practical teaching, which is foreseen by the legal changes in the scope of 25 percent at all faculties, Šehović explained that the goal of the proposed legal norm was for it to really take root in practice. "This is especially considering the fact that in the current Law on Higher Education there is already a reference norm in the part of practical teaching, but precisely because it is not binding, it has not taken effect, and, as the minister concluded, we are in a situation where the faculty young people are coming out who are often not qualified for the labor market," the announcement says. He also said that it is clear that creating assumptions for practical teaching for all faculties will not be easy, but it is feasible, as well as that part of the practical teaching will be carried out at the institutions themselves where possible, or that contracts on practical for the training of faculty units, enter into agreements with external public and private entities. Special interest was also caused by the formation of the Agency for the Quality of Higher Education. "It was ordered that independence must be ensured in its work, as well as that it will be headed by a professional, not a political figure. The minister explained that the goal of proposing the Agency was to create an entity composed of a team of professionals whose only job will be to deal with quality in higher education," said the Ministry. As Šehović emphasized, the Council for Higher Education has been doing this until now, but not on a regular, systematic and professional basis, but in addition to other obligations that belong to it, which is not enough for quality in this area. Speaking about the financial resources that would accompany the implementation of the foreseen reforms, Šehović said that "we were not adventurers who would propose untested solutions, but serious financial analyzes were done". Responding to inquiries and comments, Šehović said that participation in the drafting of the law was open to all who showed interest, and that such - multi-ministerial working groups - came up with proposed solutions. "He said that some of the solutions proposed by the participants of today's round table will become an integral part of the Law on Higher Education, which is in favor of the fact that the Ministry took the discussion regarding the laws seriously and as a good way to hear opinions that may be can be incorporated into the final legal version," the statement said. In this sense, the Minister pointed out that the Ministry is ready to consider the proposal from the public debate to modify the provision that proposed that a student with a completed four-year master's degree or according to the 3+1 model be equated with a master's degree in terms of the right to continue education and employment.
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