The Steering Board of the Agency for Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska unanimously adopted the Proposal of Standards for the Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programs of the First and Second Cycle (Standards), at the 38th regular session held on October 31, 2022. The standards for accreditation were prepared for more than a year, they passed a thorough public discussion in the academic community of Srpska, and received a positive opinion from the Council for Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska at the Council's session held on August 31, 2022.
The standards are harmonized with the Criteria for the accreditation of higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Criteria for the accreditation of study programs of first and second cycle in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as with the Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).
The standards are very detailed documents that define measurable indicators of quality in higher education, with the aim of continuously improving the quality of the higher education system of the Republic of Srpska.
In accordance with the provisions of the Law on Quality Assurance in Higher Education of the Republika Srpska, all the conditions have been met for the Director of the Agency to adopt the Standards, which officially enter into force. All higher education institutions that entered the procedure according to the previously valid regulations have the right to complete the accreditation procedure in accordance with the previous regulations.
The Steering Board, due to the departure of the previous president, prof. Dr. Nevenko Vranješ, as the new president unanimously elected Prof. Dr. Marijana Kapović Solomun, and also welcomed the newly appointed member Assoc. prof. Nina Sajić. In addition to Kapović Solomun and Sajić, a member of the The Steering Board from the academic community is also prof. Dr. Dejan Bokonjić, as well as Tamara Simić, representative of business and practice, and Marko Romić, representative of students.
The Steering Board adopted a regular amendment to the Agency's List of Reviewers and appointed a new member of the Agency's Accreditation Council from among students, since the mandate of the previous student representative in this body has expired.
The representatives of the Agency informed the The Steering Board about the ongoing accreditation procedures of higher education institutions and study programs in the Republic of Srpska.