About project

Consortium

P9 University of Montenegro – COORDINATOR

The University of Montenegro (UoM) is the oldest and the largest higher education, scientific and artistic institution in Montenegro. UoM was founded on April 2nd, 1974, in Podgorica. Today, the University is comprised of 19 faculties and 2 scientific institutes, with more than 20,000 students. The headquarters and main campus of the University is in Podgorica, with other campuses located in eight other Montenegrin cities – Nikšić, Cetinje, Kotor, Herceg Novi (Igalo), Bar, Bijelo Polje and Berane.

The University of Montenegro is an integrated public university, organized according to the principles of the Bologna Declaration, with curricula harmonized with those at the most respectable European universities. This, as well as numerous agreements and programs in which the University takes part, enables mobility without barriers in the European Higher Education Area for students, teachers and administrative staff. The University of Montenegro has signed 132 bilateral agreements on cooperation with universities from 35 countries worldwide.

Studies at the University of Montenegro are organized at the level of Undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral studies. The University is continuously engaged in the restructuring and modernizing of all study programs and their harmonization with modern achievements and the labor market needs.

For years the University of Montenegro has participated in the EU funded projects, either in the capacity of a partner or the coordinating institution – over 50 projects funded under the Tempus program, over 15 Erasmus Mundus Action 2 projects for student mobility, a number of projects under FP7 funding scheme or IPA supported projects, Erasmus + capacity building and International credit mobility projects and other. The projects tackled various issues related to higher education reform and harmonization of our higher education system with the EHEA – be it through curricula reform or introduction of new study programs, but also through capacity building and structural reforms introducing new instruments, procedures and systems pertaining to lifelong learning. Learning outcomes, cooperation with the society at large and the business community, information literacy, development of research capacities, development of services for students with disabilities and other.

 

P1 Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education – ACQAHE

The Agency for Control and Auality Assurance of Higher Education was established by the Government of Montenegro on November 2, 2017.

The Agency's responsibility is to implement Standard and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) in process of external evaluation and self assessment; to conduct study programme accreditation procedure and issue a certificate on accreditation of the study programmes (Bachelor, Master, PhD, Distance learning, English); to conduct reaccreditation of higher education institutions and issue a certificate on reaccreditation; to conduct a periodic assessment of quality of licensed higher education institutions’ work, following the request of an authorized body of institution or the Ministry; to establish the list of experts for accreditation of study programmes, or reaccreditation of institutions based on a public call; to cooperate with higher education institutions with regard to matters of quality assurance and quality improvement; to analyse self-evaluation and external evaluation reports of institutions; to propose measures for quality improvement of higher education based on recommendations put forward in re-accreditation reports of higher education institutions and present them to the Ministry and the Government; and to keep a register of accredited study programmes and reaccredited institutions; to cooperate with European institutions in field of HE; to implement research and analysis; to propose measures to Government for improvement of HE system.

The Agency currently has 14 permanent employees and it is envisaged that the number of employees will be 20.

Throughout this project role of Agency could be in improving internationalization using strategic approach and implementing relevant strategic measures, that are missing at Montenegrin HEIs. This could improve their international standing and cooperation prospects.

 

P2 University Côte d'Azur – UCA_F

University Cote d'Azur (UCA), located on the French Riviera, was founded in 2015 and groups together the major institutions of higher education and research of the Nice area (France), including the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis (UNS), SKEMA Business School and 11 other members. The UNS was officially founded in 1965. It is one of the best multidisciplinary universities in France and ranked 1st for Life Science. Currently, about 30 000 students, including 20% foreign students, are enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and doctorate programs offered by UCA members. Researchers are hosted in one of the 45 UCA laboratories.

UCA has been granted by the French government a competitive Excellence Programme (IDEX). In the field of Life Science, UCA has brought up a dynamic network of research laboratories in Nice and Sophia Antipolis, including the University Hospital Center (CHU). With state of the art research in pharmacology, signalling, membrane transport, psychiatric disorders, adaptation, evolution, and development, this work directly involves important questions related to public health (cancer, pathologies, metabolic inflammatory disorders, biocontrol, plant resistance, ecological management of agrosystems). Half of the researchers are located in best ranked laboratories (A+/A), which hosts renowned personalities (2 gold medals, 20 silver medals and 41 bronze medals from the CNRS; 12 members of the Academy of Sciences; 19 ERC-granted PIs; 19 members of the IUF in 2015; ranking second after Paris in the Academy of Sciences Prizes in 2013 and 2014)

 

P3 Ministry of Science – MoS-ME

Ministry of Science (MoS-ME) is the main body for scientific research policy in the system of public administration of Montenegro. Together with the Ministry of Economy, it also creates the innovation policy in the country. The Ministry acts as the implementation agent for research and innovation funding programmes, since there are no specific agencies for this purpose in the country.

The main sectors of activity of the Ministry are: National policies and funding programmes, Multilateral and bilateral cooperation agreements and implementation, Pre-accession programming and implementation, Internationalisation programmes of inclusion of Montenegro in large international collaborations, EU Framework Programme implementation, Innovation and technological development, Infrastructure development, Policy monitoring and analysis.

The Ministry is in charge of the EU integration process of Montenegro in the Chapter 25 (Science & Research) and therefore reports about implementation of EU recommendations in the field of university research policies, as well as the national ones.

 

P4 Ministry of Education – MoE

Ministry of Education of Montenegro is responsible for creation of the overall education policy. The Ministry coordinates all laws and by-laws in the field of education and plays a coordinating role in implementing the legislation. It is also in charge of the recognition of foreign education diplomas for the purposes of employment, as well as for the development of the related legislation. Total number of employees at the Ministry is 77.

Creation of strategic documents in the field of education in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders is our responsibility. The Strategy for Development of Higher Education 2016-2020 adopted by the Government of Montenegro in July 2016 has the following six strategic goals: Improving the quality of higher education and creating competitive human resources; Harmonising education with labour market needs; Improving research work and increasing the level of participation in EU projects; Internationalization of higher education; Lifelong Learning; Establishing a sustainable funding model. 

 

P5 University of Cadiz - UCA_E

With the constitution of its first Senate, the 30th of October 1979 marks the birth of the University of Cadiz (UCA_E). However, their College of Medicine dates back to the XVII Century and the School of Engineering is among the oldest in Spain. UCA_E is located in the south of Spain, in a key geostrategic area connecting Europe and Africa through the Gibraltar Straight, and Europe and Latin America though its historical and commercial links. More recently, UCA_E has become the University of Spain with more ties with Universities in Russia and Russian-speaking countries. Committed to the highest intellectual, moral and cultural standards, UCA_E strives to produce principled and competent graduates. It nurtures a service-oriented and environment-conscious community which seeks to contribute to the advancement of the global society.

UCA_E has developed a strong internationalisation planning and activity that is framed within the II Strategic Plan 2015-20. Internationalisation policy and strategies are planned in advance according to the SWOT analysis made previously. Among the Strengths and opportunities are the strong ties with Latin America, North Africa and post-soviet union countries, conducted through its 3 International Centres (one per area). They are key factors for strategic planning and have shown their potential allowing UCA_E to rank 2nd in Spain for four years in a row in the 4 Erasmus+ KA107 ICM calls. The II Strategic Plan also allowed UCA_E to obtain the global 500+ EFQM Quality Assurance Seal.

Its 4 campuses serve the academic offer of UCA_E. BsC, MsC and Ph.D. degrees are offered in all branches of knowledge: Arts and Humanities, Business, Sciences, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Social and Legal Sciences with a total of 47 Degrees; 52 Official Master Programs (2 EMJD) and 16 Doctorate Programs.

UCA_E has more than 22.000 students, near to 1700 Staff/professors, 700 non-academic staff, and around 1800 scientists distributed in more than 130 Research Groups.

 

P6 University of Ljubljana – UL

The University of Ljubljana is an internationally renowned institution of higher education active in the fields of science and research, as well as the arts. University of Ljubljana was established in the year 1919 and is the oldest higher education and scientific research institution in Slovenia, with 23 faculties and 3 art academies. Each year around 40,000 students upgrade and develop their knowledge and skills at the comprehensive and country’s largest educational institution, famous for top-quality achievements in social science, natural science, humanities, medicine, technology and engineering, as well as for artistic achievements by the three academies. Furthermore, the University has been most successful in research and is therefore the central and largest research institution in Slovenia, with 30% of all registered researchers. The University fosters outstanding teachers, critically thinking scientists, ingenious artists and experts in various fields, who achieve superb results in Slovenia and world-wide. The University of Ljubljana encourages interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies, shares its achievements in science and the arts with other universities and science and research institutions, contributes to the Slovenian and global store of knowledge, and passes this on to students and others. It collaborates with organisations from the private and public sectors, with state authorities, local communities and civil society, and thus contributes to the development of the broader social environment. By actively responding to the events taking place in its surroundings and considering humanism and human rights, it serves as society’s critical conscience.

Facts and figures: a comprehensive, traditional, research-oriented University; 26 full Members: 3 academies and 23 faculties; 3 associated Members: National University Library, University of Ljubljana Central Technical Library, University of Ljubljana Innovation-Development Institute; around 40,000 students (among this app. 10% of international students) and 6000 employees; among the top Erasmus exchange destinations; cross-border, inter-regional, transnational cooperation; developing market activity.

 

P7 University Donja Gorica – UDG

University of Donja Gorica is a unique interdisciplinary institution, located in suburban of Podgorica, capital of Montenegro. It was founded in 2007. It offers courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level of education, including Bachelor, Specialist, Master’s and PhD level of studies. Currently, it has around 2500 students, and 305 professors and teaching staff. The administration includes 20 staff and is completely centralized in the Rectorate. Today, UDG includes 13 faculties and 18 departments. 6 of these faculties are registered scientific research institutions. 5 faculties offer the Master’s degree and 3, the doctoral degree. Also, UDG has two sisters' institutions: Institute for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development and Institute for Strategic Studies and Prognosis. UDG participates in many different national and international projects as Erasmus + KA2, Tempus, IPA Adriatic, Erasmus Mundus and other. All programs at UDG are designed according to the principles of the Bologna Declaration, which ensures students’ mobility, international recognition of diplomas, as well as the possibility of partial independent profiling of the programs through a wide range of elective courses, in accordance with personal affinities and interests.

University actively communicates with companies and business sector so that it can adjust its study programs to market and labor market demand. Complete accomplishment of principles of Bologna declaration is enabled by the policy of limited number of enrolled students, work in small groups, individual and mentoring work. UDG's practice has shown that this policy works very well and gives good results.

 

P8 University Mediterranean – UNIM

University Mediterranean is the first private university in Montenegro which provides academic degrees in the field of tourism, hotel management, information technologies, economy and business studies, visual arts, law and foreign languages. Since its foundation on 30th of May, 2006, it functions as a single legal entity in accordance with the Bologna Declaration. The University is undoubtedly and fully committed to enhancing the quality of studies in a systematic and organized manner in order to be modern, flexible, comparable, competitive and efficient. In that sense and in compliance with the Bologna process, there is a continuous work on increasing the quality level of all activities at the University - teaching, study programs, grading system based on the introduction of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System - ECTS, textbooks and literature, equipment of study rooms and other areas, information system, scientific research, publishing, selection of teaching and administration staff, library, lifelong learning, international cooperation and other standards. The UNIM conducted external evaluation by EUA in 2013 as well as follow-up evaluation in 2018.

Associate Partner: Ghent University