strew tempus project/international conference: towards joint regional roadmap in higher education...

STREW TEMPUS Project/International Conference:Towards Joint Regional Roadmap in Higher Education Structural Reform

Petrovac, Montenegro, 23-26 May 2012

“St Kliment Ohridski”

University – Bitola

www.uklo.edu.mk

http://www.uklo.edu.mk/

- UKLO - second largest and oldest state University in the Republic of Macedonia

- UKLO - the most significant HEI in the Southeastern region of Macedonia

- UKLO - seated in Bitola, but its HE and scientific-research units, with a wide range of specific, heterogeneous academic offer, are located in several centers: Bitola, Prilep, Ohrid, Skopje, Veles, Kichevo

UKLO I.D.

www.uklo.edu.mk




• Over 12000 students currently

• Around 3000 newly registered students per academic year

• 50 first-cycle study programs – academic 2011/2012 (1 in English)

• 49 second-cycle study programs – academic 2011/2012 (2 in English)

• Accredited 8 third-cycle (doctoral) programs – academic 2011/2012

• 12 higher education units and 4 accompanying members

UKLO Facts and Figures

www.uklo.edu.mk




• Over 28000 graduated students since foundation

• More than 300 masters

• 130 PhD’s

• 211 academic, 97 non-academic, 53 research staff,

• More than 200 administrative staff

UKLO Facts and Figures/2

www.uklo.edu.mk




• FACULTY OF TECHNICAL SCIENCES – BITOLA

• FACULTY OF ECONOMICS – PRILEP

• FACULTY OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY – OHRID

• FACULTY OF EDUCATION – BITOLA

• FACULTY OF ADMINITSRATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

MANAGEMENT– BITOLA

• FACULTY OF BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES – BITOLA

• HIGHER MEDICAL SCHOOL – BITOLA

• FACULTY OF SECURITY – SKOPJE

• FACULTY OF LAW – KICHEVO

• FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNICAL SCIENCES – VELES

• FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE – BITOLA

• SCIENTIFIC TOBACCO INSTITUTE – PRILEP

UKLO UNITS

www.uklo.edu.mk




Accompanying membership:

• Hydro-biological Scientific Institute - Ohrid• Ancient Slav Culture Scientific Institute –

Prilep• National Institution University Library “St

Kliment Ohridski” – Bitola • Students’ residence “Kocho Racin” – Bitola

UKLO UNITS/2

www.uklo.edu.mk




In the past 30 years, the organizational structure of UKLO was in accordance with the overall socio-economic setting and following the characteristics of a decentralized system where the university units managed their own autonomy and developed their own policies.

The very first steps towards integrated university were made at the time when the first activities deriving from the Bologna Process were implemented. Nowadays, UKLO coordinates and implements, at central level, the following European standards:

UKLO background before implementing reforms

www.uklo.edu.mk




• Restructuring study programs in view of introducing a three-cycle system

• Quality assurance by means of self-evaluation and external assessment

• Introduction of ECTS and Diploma Supplement in view of improving the international cooperation & exchange

• University management (governance of development processes)

All the above activities are in an advanced stage of implementation, however, a certain number of barriers still remain due to both external and internal conditions

www.uklo.edu.mk




• The Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia protects the academic institutional and individual freedom: university autonomy.

• UKLO, in the course of its almost three decade of existence, was organized in a decentralized manner and the university units shaped their policy in an independent way.

• With the new Law on Higher Education (adopted in the beginning of 2008), the final responsibility and accountability regarding the activity of the units, lies with the University at central level

• This new Law determines the general frames for an integrated university in the Republic of Macedonia and provides solutions for numerous dilemmas

• Its application implied an obligation of the University to redefine the internal statute and acts and to reform the university governing bodies.

Implementation of reforms (Bologna….)

www.uklo.edu.mk




• The existing legislation clearly addresses the relations between the central level and the units (faculties, departments).

• A considerable period of time was needed to consider all possible legal consequences and to find an optimal model of integrated university for UKLO

The process entailed the following reforms

• Changing the Statute of UKLO

• Preparing rulebooks and other relevant documents (programs, resolutions etc)

• Establishing a new organizational arrangement, with a focus on establishing new administrative sectors, services…

• Developing new strategies

• Designing an integrative financial policy

• Modernizing and developing the IT system.

Implementation of reforms/2

www.uklo.edu.mk




• Providing permanent flow of financial investments on the part of the State for increasing the university infrastructure demands

• Establishing new financial mechanisms needed to strengthen accountability and to improve effectiveness

• The emphasis is not only on the financial resources, but there is also a need for changes in culture to lead to optimal allocation of resources and efficient management, clear and concise planning, secure finances and rational decision-making

Implementation of reforms /3

www.uklo.edu.mk




Implementation of reforms /4

www.uklo.edu.mk



• When speaking about integrated functions we had to take into account the harmonization with the existing regulation

• A number of acts and bylaws/rulebooks have been adopted in order to regulate in a single manner the rights and responsibilities of students at every study cycle

• The second cycle studies with all the changes which took place in this direction, after gradually growing into regular studies, today represent the integral part of overall education , in its widest sense

• The parallel process of third-cycle modernization is in constant development and University has created conditions for the new system of doctoral studies, which means corresponding regulations and clearly set criteria with the main focus on scientific research


A New Context: Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages

• Opportunity to develop a centralized organization model based on common, previously defined objectives in order to achieve higher productiveness in function of coordinating, monitoring and realizing all the university activities

• Higher degree of centralization needed to manage the integration process

• Increased usage of all resources at the disposal of the University (human, material, technical)

• Opportunities for joint approaches, common standards and cooperation both, at university and unit level, bearing in mind that a certain level of autonomy for the university units is an essential prerequisite for motivating and achieving better results

• Promotion of internal and external mobility of students, academic and administrative staff

• Encouragement of international cooperative projects and joint study programmes



A New Context: Advantages & DisadvantagesDisadvantages

• Certain degree of resistance, on the part of the University units, regarding the centralization and integration process

• Conflict of interests that might arise among the University units resulting from the centralization of the financial resources

• Time constraints in relation to the total implementation

• Challenges in defining and developing the common objectives, due to the complex process of decision-making

• Certain ambivalence in the legal entity status which decreases the efficiency of University governance



The Decision Making Process: Role of the Stakeholders/1• One major benefit from the integration process is definitely

the unique approach towards establishing partnership relations and towards providing openness and accountability in the overall functioning of the University

• The University strategy, pursuant to the Law on Higher Education, is particularly sensitive and emphasizes the relations with the stakeholders, within the defined area of activity, such as the local self-government, the local business community as well as that with the non-governmental sector

• The University intends to establish a permanent dialogue with its partners from the immediate context: business community, industry, civil society, local and regional communities, NGO…especially a closer linkage among the academic and socio-economic factors in order to enhance his new entrepreneurial status



The Decision Making Process: Role of the Stakeholders/2• Students undoubtedly, develop and play a very significant role

in the implementation of the modernization agenda at UKLO bodies

• Students take part in all forms of university management through the Student’s union, at both faculty and University level

• They are members of the managing bodies of the University (University Senate and Rector’s board) and of the faculties, as well as in all UKLO commissions. Five representatives are elected to the University Senate, by the Students parliament for a mandate of one year (renewable)

• The President of the Students parliament is a member of Rector’s board

• The institution Students’ attorney is also established

Allocation Models: Relations between Faculties, Departments and Central LevelSome significant aspects in the Integration process at

UKLO

• Level of integration : Centralized-decentralized management

• Legal and organizational aspects of integration as a precondition for financial coordination

• Development of an IT system for financial management

• Design of financial plans for the units both at central and decentralized level

• Management financial flows and salary calculation

• Accounting, reporting, controlling and auditing



Governance Structures Today we can speak about a university organizational

structure actualizing all its activities as a harmonious functional sequence that incorporates units-faculties, joint programmes, centers, institutes, laboratories, student services and all the remaining units supposed to offer logistic functions

• Senate

• Rector

• Rector’s Board

• University commissions

• University Council



Strategic Planning In the respect of the latest changes, the University

works out its four-year Development Plan, as stipulated by Law, and also the segments of it in the form of annual plans of University activities, serving as an instrument for strategic planning.

The drafts of both types of plans are discussed at the Rector’s Board meetings and then adopted by the University Senate.

Sub-programs derived from the above deal with the curriculum development and possibilities for joint study programs, increasing the student and staff mobility opportunities, providing grounds for spreading up activities by incorporating new units that are expected to approach the matters in a responsible manner, in combination with the environment-imposed requirements.



Centralized University Professional and Administrative services: Methods and Models• UKLO changed the previous model of functioning to enable

an infrastructure – corresponding services, that assisted the transition to full integration

• The University, in compliance with the integrating functions, has undertaken activities to introduce a common university software managing every single University segment. The part pertaining to students, correspondingly takes into account record keeping, starting with the registration and involving all the elements relevant to the teaching process.

• The integrated professional and administrative service of the University shall be organized in terms of departments, centers, offices at central and faculty level. Regarding certain specific issues, the University establishes networks of contact points/persons at every faculty that function in coordination with the respective sector/service at University level.



Centralized University Professional and Administrative services: Methods and Models• The Professional and Administrative Services shall

be governed by the University Secretary General, whereas the Professional and Administrative Services of the University units shall be governed by the Secretary of the unit.

• The Secretary General of the University shall be elected by the Rector’s Board members, upon an announcement, and upon Rector’s proposal.

• The Secretary General shall be obliged to respond for her/his work to the Rector and to the Rector’s Board.



Centralized University Professional and Administrative services: Methods and Models• The implementation of both standards has

brought about an improvement in the functioning of the central professional and administrative services of UKLO that can be proved through the following:

• all processes going on in the central and administrative service have been worked out in harmony with the specific standard

• the daily tasks have by and large been simplified, and

• the quality of performance have increased.



Thank you for your attention



strew tempus project/international conference: towards joint regional roadmap in higher education...

Documents

higher education units

joint regional roadmap

uklo facts

uklo background

uklo coordinates

university units

academic year50

cycle study programs