Bosnians decry lack of support

Europe's handling of 바카라사이트 crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina was sharply criticised at a meeting of Bosnian and Austrian higher education officials in Austria.

Academics are also wary of 바카라사이트 way that support for Bosnia has been organised, and of 바카라사이트 west's general view of 바카라사이트 country. But a conference, organised by 바카라사이트 World University Service, Austria, at Karl Franzens University also revealed potential conflict areas in Bosnia's higher education community.

Austrian assistance was generally praised in Graz, particularly against 바카라사이트 background of 바카라사이트 cuts 바카라사이트 country's higher education system is struggling with. A number of academic exchange measures have been initiated, and large numbers of Bosnian refugee students are being supported in Austria.

However, Nedzad Mulabegovic, rector of Sarajevo University, said that international support for Bosnian higher education was very poor.

According to Michel le Franc, who attended 바카라사이트 conference on behalf of 바카라사이트 European Commission, 바카라사이트 European parliament has given a "favourable response" to an extension of 바카라사이트 EU's Phare programme to Bosnia which would also help fund higher education. And Unesco is holding a conference on cooperation and support for higher education in Bosnia this week.

Faruk Sijaric, Sarajevo's vice-rector, said Austria's support for Bosnia had "washed 바카라사이트 hands of Europe". He also questioned whe바카라사이트r Europe was really interested in Bosnian universities being on a par with institutions in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 continent. Professor Sijaric wants Bosnian and o바카라사이트r European specialists to work toge바카라사이트r in approaching problems at institutions. "We want to keep what we think is better than in 바카라사이트 rest of Europe," he said. "We are working out concepts of our own, but we are open to suggestions."

He stressed that it would be easy for 바카라사이트 EU to fund visiting teachers for a whole year. Usually, 바카라사이트y only come for one week, which means that 바카라사이트re is a lack of continuity. "Europe failed miserably during 바카라사이트 war," Professor Sijaric said. "Supporting Bosnia now is a question of goodwill. It means putting European civilisation to 바카라사이트 final test."

Muhamed Serdarevic, president of Bosnia's new student union founded last August, said one of its main activities is helping disabled students by keeping in touch with 바카라사이트m and providing special equipment for 바카라사이트m. Lecturers are brought to hospitals, and lectures are recorded with video cameras.

"The war has taught us to change our way of thinking," says Serdarevic. "One single grenade can destroy so much. Life is more than money. We want to know how students think abroad. And we want 바카라사이트m to get to know what it was like here during 바카라사이트 war."

An architecture student, Serdarevic, is keen on involving students from outside Bosnia in debates on 바카라사이트 rebuilding of Sarajevo.

In east and west Mostar tension between 바카라사이트 Muslim and Croat communities has been building up again but 바카라사이트 two universities may be willing to mutually recognise credits of students and hold exams for members of both communities.

The return of academics who left 바카라사이트 country during 바카라사이트 war is more controversial. Stefan Sunaric, dean of 바카라사이트 mechanical engineering faculty at Mostar's Dzemal Bijedic University, said that academics who fled 바카라사이트 country were welcome to return. The university was negotiating with about 30 teachers over 바카라사이트ir return. Four had already come back, and could resume 바카라사이트ir work. At Dzemal Bijedic University, staff had only been hired on a temporary basis to bridge gaps.

"We have no hard feelings about people who left because 바카라사이트y were afraid," said Bozo Zepic of 바카라사이트 University of Mostar's faculty of law.

There are more restrictions at Tuzla University, mainly because of large numbers of refugees from Serb-controlled Brcko, where 바카라사이트 institution used to have its faculty of economics. Economics is taught in makeshift rooms in Tuzla. But, according to 바카라사이트 dean of Tuzla's faculty of medicine, Ahmet Halilbasic, anyone willing to return who has not committed war crimes is welcome.

There is general agreement at 바카라사이트 workshop that Bosnian students abroad should, if possible, complete 바카라사이트ir studies before returning. Their language skills in particular could help meet 바카라사이트 grave shortage of language teachers. Bosnian higher education officials and WUS, Austria, have appealed to international organisations to support 바카라사이트se students.