Private And State Education by CorD Magazine

PRIVATE AND STATE EDUCATION

GUIDE

Vladimir Bumbaširević, MD, Ph.D., Rector of the University of Belgrade ∎ Dragan Soleša Ph.D., Chancellor of the University Business Academy in Novi Sad (FIMEK) ∎ Dr Rob Risch, Director of the International School of Belgrade (ISB) ∎ Violeta Jovanović Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Education in Jagodina, University of Kragujevac ∎ Professor Hristos Aleksopulos, Principal of the College of Applied Health Sciences Ćuprija ∎ Enver Gicić Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies ∎ Professor Mića Jovanović, Ph.D., Rector of Megatrend University ∎ Msc.oec. Bratislav Filipović, Founder and Instructor-Coordinator at Academy "Filipović" ∎ Dušan Cogoljević, Founder, Faculty of Business Economy and Entrepreneurship

CONTENT

GUIDE

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER CHALLENGES

PRIVATE AND STATE EDUCATION

Violeta Jovanović Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Education in Jagodina, University of Kragujevac

Vladimir Bumbaširević, MD, Ph.D., Rector of the University of Belgrade

WE’RE RAISING THE BAR FOR EDUCATION

Dragan Soleša Ph.D., Chancellor of the University Business Academy in Novi Sad (FIMEK)

NURTURING DIVERSITY Dr Rob Risch, Director of the International School of Belgrade (ISB)

SYNERGY OF INNOVATIONS AND TRADITIONAL LEARNING Dušan Cogoljević, founder of the Faculty of Business Economy and Entrepreneurship

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NO BETTER TEACHERS THAN OURS

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHTFOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

The French School in Belgrade

ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE OTHERS

Enver Gicić Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies

SYSTEM FOR 21ST CENTURY SCHOOLS Msc.oec. Bratislav Filipović, founder and instructor-coordinator at Academy "Filipović"

Professor Mića Jovanović, Ph.D., Rector of Megatrend University

20 GUARDIAN OF TRADITION AND TRUE VALUES

THE MOST MODERN CAMBRIDGE SECONDARY SCHOOL IN SERBIA Savremena International School

Professor Hristos Aleksopulos, Principal of the College of Applied Health Sciences Ćuprija

ADVENTURE OF LEARNING IN FRENCH

NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADVANCING EDUCATION AGE of MEDIS

DIGITAL EDUCATION ACTION PLAN European Parliament

EDUCATION

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INTERVIEW

Information Technology And Other Challenges VLADIMIR BUMBAŠIREVIĆ MD, Ph.D., Rector of the University of Belgrade

Technological development, especially in the field of information technology, has imposed new challenges on education policy in our country, as well as the need for an institutional framework that would enable us to cope with those challenges

espite the difficulties we’ve faced over the last almost three decades, thanks to the maintaining of the quality of higher education – and even its improvement in the last decade, which is reflected in the respectable position of the University of Belgrade (UB) on prominent ranking lists – Serbia has managed to keep pace with modern global trends to an extent.

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The Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development recognised the need for an appropriate institutional framework that would enable a higher quality education policy, adopted a Strategy that places an emphasis on the creation of a highly educated workforce and implemented appropriate legislative changes which, unfortunately, are not optimal in all segments. However, without greater financial investment in all levels of education and in scientific research, even the best institutional framework and education policy cannot ensure inclusion in European and global trends. • The Law on Higher Education prompted a barrage of comments from the academic community, students and other experts. What would you highlight in the context of contemporary educational trends as challenges related to the spirit and application of this law? - The spirit of this law, unfortunately, is largely contrary to the spirit of university education that has been nurtured in Serbia since the emergence of our oldest and most prestigious Belgrade University: the autonomy of the university as a prerequisite for the harmonious fusion of teaching and scientific research. Despite numerous complaints from the National Council for Higher Education and the academic community, certain legal solutions have been adopted that considerably limit this autonomy. The academic community is rightly expected to monitor modern educational and scientific trends, but in that it should not be disturbed

by the excessive influence of external factors. The legislative framework that hinders the autonomy of the university makes it more difficult to successfully create and implement educational policies, and thus to keep pace with global trends in education. • In your opinion, will the application of the law and the general treatment of the academic community have an impact on changes in the ranking of universities? - I don’t expect such an impact in the short term, but I’m afraid that poor legal solutions and insufficient budget funding will already be reflected in a decline in the quality of teaching and scientific research in just a few years, which will inevitably threaten the position on prominent world ranking lists. • Along with the introduction of dual education, the debate on the harmonisation of the education framework with the needs of the market is very current in the context of higher education. How much does the academic sphere need markets and practise, and how can the right balance be made? - Creating an educational policy should take into account the needs of the market, just as it is also important that teaching includes, besides theoretical elements, the opportunity for as many practical elements as possible, because it is only in that way at all levels of education that high-quality personnel can be formed, capable of successfully engaging in work processes and practically apply their acquired knowledge and skills. Cooperation

with companies has existed for years (via contracts with the Chamber of Commerce, NIS and EPS) and needs to be nurtured and developed. An important role in that is played by the UB Career Development Centre. Educational systems tend to be inert, so their best possible harmonisation with the needs of times requires the continuous monitoring of market parameters, which provides the basis to form the most reliable long-term projections. • Innovations are simultaneously encouraged via numerous programmes, especially innovations that can also gain value on the market. In that way we gained the option to support faculties in more easily marketing the products of their scientific-research projects on the market, in cooperation with the Innovation Fund and through the Technology Transfer Programme. Can these initiatives connect science and the economy in a qualitative way? - Both the state and universities are aware of the importance of connecting education, science and the economy. Since its inception in 2011, the Innovation Fund has played an important role in this respect. In cooperation with the World Bank, it successfully completed the Innovation Support Project in 2016, which was funded through EU pre-accession funds totalling €8.4 million, and last year saw the launch of the Project for Support to Research, Innovation and Technology, the financing of which includes, in addition to the EU, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the domestic private sector. The aim is to improve cooperation between the scientificresearch sector and the economy through the commercialisation of the results of scientific research and technology transfers. As in the previous project, this one also includes some faculties and institutes, while the University of Belgrade’s Centre for Technology Transfer is also included. Such initiatives and projects are certainly invaluable to the high-quality linking of science and business. • The law also envisages the introduction of short study programmes and studies that enable the acquiring of practical knowhow and skills in accordance with the needs of the labour market. Something like that already exists through higher vocational schools and in the form of vocational studies. How do they differ?

- Short study programmes are intended to equip students to perform a specific job in an appropriate workplace. They are significantly shorter than vocational studies and are intended, in accordance with our Law on Higher Education, for people who’ve already acquired higher education diplomas. • One of the possibilities for financing the activities of the University of Belgrade is to rely on the revenues of many endowments/ foundations, but in that you are not helped by either the law or the government's. How important are foundations for financing universities that can be considered our equivalent? - The financial position of the University of Bel-

the university now generates revenue from seven endowments that is used for granting scholarships and financial assistance to students, rewarding the best scientific works and to finance UB’s general needs. The current Restitution Law represents a legal obstacle to the restitution of endowment property, but we are still hopeful that the competent authorities, who have to date responded with silence to all of our appeals, will understand the significance of this issue and find a solution that would benefit not only the academic community, but also society as a whole. Although they have a long tradition, endowments have almost completely disappeared in our region, while in many other developed countries they play an important role in improving the material position of universities. For example, renowned investor Bill Miller recently donated $75 million just to the Department of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University (the U.S.’s first research university), with the aim of encouraging research and assisting students! • Many universities in Eastern Europe make money by enticing foreign students to enrol in their programmes. This process is barely evident in our country, despite the University of Belgrade being ranked favourably in relation to most Eastern European universities. Why don’t we take advantage of this kind of opportunity?

Despite numerous complaints from the National Council for Higher Education and the academic community, certain legal solutions have been adopted that considerably limit the autonomy of the University of Belgrade grade would doubtless improve considerably if the state corrected the injustice committed with the violating of the will of many endowments by returning the assets seized in the years after World War II, which had made the University of Belgrade one of Europe’s three richest universities in the interwar period. In the mid-1990s, the legal framework was created to restore the work of 11 of 35 university endowments and, thanks to the understanding of the city municipalities of Stari Grad and Vračar, which enabled UB to use properties belonging to endowments on their territory,

- A relatively high position on ranking lists, regardless of how much it is an indicator of quality, is not sufficient to attract foreign students. It is essential to work more on conceiving and accrediting the highest quality study programmes taught in English. Over the past few years, 47 such programmes have been accredited, but efforts should be exerted to achieve better results in this area. Alongside programmes, it is necessary to increase accommodation capacities in dormitories for foreign students, as well as easing the acquiring of residence permits or student visas. ■ EDUCATION

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CORPORATE

DRAGAN SOLEŠA Ph.D., CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY BUSINESS ACADEMY IN NOVI SAD (FIMEK)

We’re Raising The Bar For Education

One of the most difficult problems that the contemporary education system will have to solve is the issue of equipping students for lifelong learning, because solving problems quickly, as well as swiftly and efficiently managing information, is already being imposed as one of the basic tasks in the educating and nurturing of contemporary figures

IMEK students, alongside high-quality theoretical knowledge , are also provided with practical experience during their studies, thanks to which many of them gained employment even before they obtained their diploma • How many undergraduate bachelors, masters and doctoral study programmes are offered at FIMEK? - Our university has 16 accredited study programmes, eight in basic/bachelor’s academic studies, five in master’s academic studies and three programmes for doctoral studies. Apart from that, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development has accredited FIMEK to conduct scientific and research work in two scientific fields: social and technicaltechnological. Therefore, the Faculty is ranked among a small number of faculties in Serbia that have accreditation for two scientific fields. In this way, FIMEK raised its general and specific competence and among fierce competitors has secured a

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prestigious place among the best scientific research and higher education institutions. • All of your study programmes are harmonised with those of the best European universities that produce the best experts. Is this among the reasons why ever more young people are choosing to study at FIMEK? - The researches show that the learnig and knowledge are the vision of 21st century society.

learning, the selecting and adopting of the right information, the applying of acquired knowledge, the development of curiosity, critical awareness, creativity, communicativeness, independence, social competences and the like. The right to education is becoming a fundamental right, while the availability of education is considered a key precondition for building a society. In such an environment it is essential for young people to be able to

My message to young people is for them to invest in their own education, because that is an investment that has far-reaching positive effects, which has been realised by many individuals and societies before us Knowledge is the basic currency of the 21st century, which implies that in the knowledge society the former ideal of education and the understanding of the education process, its goals, place and the way in which it unfolds is changing. Priorities in the knowledge society are: the willingness of an individual for lifelong

identify, define and create new solutions to problems; to be capable of communicating and cooperating; that they are open to change and to new opportunities; that they are capable of making their own decisions independently and are ready to take on the responsibility for their own education and for managing their own lives.

• How have you organised teaching? What is expected by high school graduates who are eager for knowledge and ready to learn and improve themselves? - The FIMEK teaching staff prepare students for life in the century of knowledge and learning, rendering them capable of conveying ideas, solving complex problems and finding their way in unclear situations. Our students are trained to solve real problems in the areas they study at FIMEK, which has been recognised by many companies that hire our graduates. Today’s educational paradigm at FIMEK consists of three mutually-conditioned and connected principles: small groups, conversation and practical work, which enables us to provide students with knowledge that we see as information in its original context. Such

acquire the knowledge and skills essential for them to be successful in their work, and for which national borders no longer represent a barrier to employment. The demand for IT experts is really high both in our country and elsewhere in the world. My message to young people is that nobody can know with certainty what the job market will look like in five or ten years, but, as an expert in this field, I want to help them to “arm” themselves with the skills they need to succeed, regardless of where life takes them. • FIMEK cooperates with numerous international educational institutions. Does this mean that your students can spend a year or a semester studying at some of the best European universities?

• Your students carry out professional work placement practise in banks, insurance companies and numerous firms with which FIMEK collaborates. How important are the practical skills that are gained in that way? - Every higher education institution should develop in the direction of quality, by ensuring it educates top experts. That’s why It’s essential to harmonise curricular with the real needs of the economy, whilst respecting the fact that the modern labour market demands highly qualified professionals and that it is, thus, essential for students to acquire, in addition to theoretical knowledge, practical skills that ensure they are able to apply their knowledge as graduates. Alongside high quality theoretical knowledge, we ensure that our students also acquire practical experience during their studies. We have a significant number of signed contracts with many companies, institutions, organisations in both the private and public sectors, and students are in this way provided with an opportunity to carry out their professional work placement practise in precisely those institutions that are related to the fields they are studying at FIMEK. • One gets the impression that FIMEK educates experts who have no problems securing employment even after they’ve only completed basic academic studies at the bachelor level, never mind after complet-

knowledge is indeed power – the ability to understand phenomena in their surroundings, or to induce or shape different phenomena in the real world. Such knowledge also means freedom of spirit. It responds to both what and how. • Is FIMEK experiencing an increase in the number of students interested in studying within the Informatics Department? - During this time of transition and the rapid transition to an information society, the Informatics Department has special significance and a special role in educating the experts who are essential and highly required for the further development and expansion of achievements in IT, but also for economic development. The Informatics Department implements bachelor and master-level academic studies, via which it educates informatics graduates and masters. During their studies, our IT students

Students at FIMEK are prepared to manage their personal careers, with the aim of developing professionally and personally, in accordance with labour market demands and changes - FIMEK cooperates with more than 30 foreign educational institutions and we are working continuously to intensify and expand cooperation with both existing partners and new ones. International cooperation gives our students the opportunity to spend a semester abroad, but also to continue their masters and doctoral studies at universities abroad. Additionally, FIMEK also organises summer schools for foreign students. However, the most intensive cooperation with foreign universities is reflected primarily through project activities, which show and prove that our cooperation was built on stable and long-term foundations.

ing master’s and doctoral studies. Is that really the case? - According to our experiences to date, that really is the case. Most of our students find employment in their chosen field and we are very pleased that we can boast of individuals who have achieved enviable results in their careers. Likewise, we can also boast that some of our students gained employment already during their studies. We have such examples not only with students of the informatics study programme, where this is to an extent expected, but also in other study programmes, such as business economics and engineering management in agribusiness. ■ EDUCATION

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CORPORATE

DR ROB RISCH, DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BELGRADE (ISB)

Nurturing Diversity

The foundations of our school comprise a curriculum taught in English, an internationally recognised and accredited curriculum programme and the nurturing of pupils’ individuality. We note with pride that all of our pupils, thanks to the knowledge and skills they have acquired, have successfully enrolled in their desired colleges

he International School of Belgrade is a full-day educational institution with a tradition dating back seven decades and a teaching programme intended for pupils aged from three to 18. Primarily enrolling in ISB are foreign children and youngsters living in Belgrade, but also local pupils from Serbia who want to learn in English and obtain internationally recognised diplomas. • The International School of Belgrade this year commemorates 70 years of work. In your opinion, what are these seven decades of success mostly based on, and which principles form the foundations of your work? What would you point out as achievements of which you are particularly proud? - At the end of World War II, a growing number of diplomatic missions and foreign businesses began relocating to Belgrade, and therefore the need emerged for a school to educate the children of these families, which could cater to the transient nature of this section of the population. The foundations of our school are therefore the use of English as the language of instruction, following an internationally recognised and accredited curriculum, and celebrating the diversity of students. ISB has always focused on strong academics, while at the same time embracing teaching methodologies that enable students to gain the required skills, apply their knowledge and critically analyse issues from various perspectives.

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ISB is proud that it remained open throughout the period of the 1990s, when most expats (and many locals) left the region. Another milestone was the opening of a second campus in 2003, which enabled the school to expand further. Finally, gaining authorisation to implement the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme was a natural and important expansion of the ISB commitment to educating globally-minded citizens who contribute positively to society.

on the basis of academic excellence, financial need and extra-curricular activities, or voluntary service in the local community. The scholarship programme reinforces ISB’s commitment to the themes of our mission statement - to inspire, equip and empower our students to succeed and contribute positively to society. It is designed to make ISB a more integrated part of our host country and promotes the acquisition of knowledge as a key component of the human experience. We have had three successful graduates so far, and our application process for the next scholar will open on 19th February. • What is the importance of the 'Open Days' events, which ISB organises regularly, and how are those events designed? How much interest did the last ‘Open Day’ attract? - We have had three successful Open Days since 2015. On these occasions our staff and

Through its programme of scholarships, the International School of Belgrade each year offers one student from Serbia an opportunity to complete all four years of secondary school free of charge • ISB has long since recognised the importance of promoting diversity, and in accordance with this you also provide support in the form of scholarships. Could you tell us more about this? - The ISB scholarship programme was established in 2013 with the purpose of promoting diversity, as well as being a way in which ISB could ‘give’ back to our host country by offering an opportunity to earn an ISB Diploma and an International Baccalaureate Diploma to one local student each year. Students are chosen

students present our programmes and provide opportunities for prospective families to tour our facilities and visit classes. As a direct result of previous Open Days, several families have decided to join ISB each year. This year we are planning to hold an Open Day in mid-May, which will be followed by an invitation to attend our Spring Fair on 19th May – as a more informal opportunity for families to gain a sense of our multi-cultural community, with celebrations including a ‘Parade of Nations’ music, games and food from all over the world. ■

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CORPORATE

DUŠAN COGOLJEVIĆ, FOUNDER OF THE FACULTY OF BUSINESS ECONOMICS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Synergy Of Innovations And Traditional Learning The emphasis is on a synergy of traditional learning, modern innovation, the quality of the curriculum and speed of adoption of new skills and capabilities in the area of activity

he formula of the Faculty of Business Economics and Entrepreneurship is slightly different to other higher education institutions, simply because in its curriculum the Faculty placees an emphasis on practical education and apprenticeships. • In just under 10 years, you have become a respectable scientific institution. What are your experiences after the first decade of work? - Initially we only had departments for business economics and entrepreneurship. During these past years, working in education, I’ve gained a certain degree of experience, of course, new friends, new colleagues, and through all this I managed fit myself into all these trends regarding education. It was very difficult in this market between 2008 and today, because there is a lot of unfair competition. Unfortunately, our state recognizes this, but does not react, therefore all those schools and educational institutions that work in accordance with the law have very big problems. These others are trying other, easier ways to find students and - you will agree - all students prefer to learn less and get a faculty diploma faster. We do things completely differently, but regardless of everything, we keep to our enrolment policy and are happy with the way we work. • What programmes do you offer your students and where do you place an emphasis: diploma, knowledge, skills and ability to run one’s own business, large and small companies...?

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- The emphasis is on a synergy of traditional learning, modern innovation, the quality of the curriculum and speed of adoption of new skills and capabilities in the area of activity. This is a school that teaches its students to run an independent business, solve problems and have a successful business. The curricula are in line with global trends, so that students can become competitive in the domestic and international labour market during the studies. Support for the implementation of this approach to education is provided by experienced highly educated teaching staff, small mentor groups, learning schedules that follow and respect the individuality and interests of each student to adopt the necessary knowledge in the best and most efficient way, as well as organized apprenticeships in leading banking and business organiza-

• In earlier times young people from the provinces had to enrol in faculties and schools in large cities. Today, a diploma from your school can be acquired by young people from Jagodina, Čačak and Loznica without incurring the cost of living outside the parental home. Is this a trend in education? - That’s right. We thought of young, promising people who want to continue their education, but are unable to move or travel daily to lectures. We have accredited centres in the above towns, and this certainly represents a considerable contribution, both to young people, as well as the towns that retain their youth. • Who are those who most frequently opt for distance learning? How is it different from regular attendance of lectures and what are its advantages?

We have contracts with a very large number of companies, so students completing our faculty have a very good success rate with finding jobs tions and institutions in the country and abroad. We have contracts with a very large number of companies, therefore students completing our faculty have a very good success rate with finding jobs. Thus, our formula is a bit different than other higher education institutions, simply because in our curriculum we place an emphasis on practical education (apprenticeships).

- With “distance studies” (online studies) we are on the road to providing an even greater influx of foreign students from certain countries, we are in contact with many countries regarding future cooperation and education with us. These studies are intended not only for foreign students, but also employed people in Serbia, because the online programme is very flexible and allows students to choose their own time of “attending” class. ■

VIOLETA JOVANOVIĆ Ph.D., DEAN OF THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION IN JAGODINA, UNIVERSITY OF KRAGUJEVAC

CORPORATE

No Better Teachers Than Ours The educators and teachers of the 21st century are highly educated, creative and free-thinking personalities trained not only to work in Serbia, but also throughout the world, thanks to their knowledge of foreign languages

he state has finally begun to recognise the enormous potential of teaching personnel and to include them in the educational process, thus as of this year teachers will be able, besides languages, to teach computer science in the higher grades of primary schools.

• Although the first association with your higher education institution is its rich tradition, you are managing to respond to the demands of the 21st century education system faster than others. Do you simply monitor those demands, or do you also create them? - The Faculty of Education in Jagodina represents an avant-garde higher education institution that has cooperated very actively with the most distinguished universities in Europe and around the world over the last two decades. Thanks to this fact, but also a tradition of education dating back 120 years, our faculty has created a unique curriculum that – over the course of bachelor’s and master’s studies – not only prepares students to be teachers, but also educators of a single subject in the higher grades of primary school. Accordingly, as of this academic year, following the decision of the Ministry of Education, teachers will be able to teach, apart from the English language, computer science in the higher grades of primary schools. We are glad that the state has begun to recognise the enormous potential of teaching personnel

and to involve them in the educational process at both levels of basic education. • Your college is one of the few that manages to fill all available places as early as the first enrolment period. How do you explain this fact? - We are convinced that students opt for our faculty due to its stimulating working atmosphere, excellent material-technical conditions for work, expertise and the level of pedagogical training of lecturers, as well as due to the large number of extracurricular activities that enable young people to discover and develop their talents and interests. A unique entrance exam, which selects the best candidates for work in education, a wide range of courses for foreign languages, IT, inclusive education and subjects conceived

• Thanks to your international cooperation programme, your students and professors have for years monitored the work of their colleagues from the region and the majority of Europe’s most developed countries. How important is that for advancing the education system in Serbia as a whole? - Thanks to international cooperation within the framework of our numerous development projects, our faculty has accredited several master’s programmes that should contribute to the professionalisation of education specialists. The master’s programmes of Educational Policy and Leadership in Education, as well as the master’s programme Education of Professors for Subject Teaching, were created in collaboration with the top European colleges. Thanks to the offer of 40 syllabuses in English, our Faculty

Also contributing to the popularity of the Faculty of Education is the fact that the local self-government of Jagodina, a small but dynamic provincial city, takes care of students and young people like very few other municipalities in Serbia with contemporary concepts of methodology, along with many hours of professional work placement practise in schools and nurseries, produces our finished students – teachers and educators with the top level of expertise who are happily seen not only in the most elite schools in the country, but also throughout Europe and America.

can host foreign students and professors under the auspices of the Erasmus plus programme. It simultaneously enables our students to spend part of their education at prestigious European universities and thereby prepare for work not only in our country, but also elsewhere in the area of European education. ■ EDUCATION

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CORPORATE

PROFESSOR HRISTOS ALEKSOPULOS, PRINCIPAL OF THE COLLEGE OF APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES ĆUPRIJA

The Future Is Bright For Healthcare Professionals The modern age brings with it constant progress in the medical profession and healthcare technologies, with the application of a holistic and inter-professional approach. This means we must commit to improving nurse and midwife education in Serbia and achieving permanent progress through a life-long learning programme

he College of Applied Health Sciences in Ćuprija, an institution with two decades of tradition in the education of medical experts, operates through six study programmes at the level of undergraduate studies. The quality of its work is best witnessed by this year’s “Kapetan Miša Anastasijević” award. • What else, in addition to constant education of teaching staff and investments into technology, is important for the education of future healthcare professionals? - The entire educational process at our College of Applied Health Sciences is adapted to the needs of students, the acquisition of knowledge and quality education. Both our students and teachers are constantly being educated through scientific and professional literature accessible through KOBSON, and at international and national events in the field of health protection and healthcare. Success in completing the pre-clinical practice, conducted in College classrooms, quality exercises in teaching bases and professional clinical apprenticeships comprise an integral

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unit that guarantees good education for our students and their initiation into working with both healthy and sick people.

of teaching and instruction, and is also oriented towards raising the level of practical knowledge and professional skills.

• What makes a good teacher? Why are the professors from your college so well appreciated among their colleagues and students? - As the principal, but also a professor working at the College of Applied Health Sciences for a full 17 years now, I am proud of our staff, who are qualified and competent

• What employment opportunities does the diploma of your college provide in Serbia and abroad? - If we look at Forbes’ list of the most soughtafter occupations, eight out of ten did not even exist a decade ago. The two that were in demand 10, 20, or 100 years ago include highly

Completing a secondary medical school one gains the title of healthcare technician, and after a three-year higher vocational education the title of nurse. A healthcare technician, according to EU standards, is not independent in providing medical care, instead they work based on orders by a nurse for all forms of teaching, and also have rich practical experience acquired in healthcare institutions at all levels of health protection. Furthermore, a good professor follows new trends in the field of educational processes, uses contemporary and interactive methods

educated healthcare experts, like the ones we are producing at CAHS in Ćuprija. The diploma of our College is valid both in the country and abroad, so many of our graduate students find jobs in renowned healthcare institutions both in the public, as well as the private sector. I am

encouraged and glad to see the efforts made by the Government of the Republic of Serbia with the Ministry of Health towards raising the quality of healthcare services, providing equipment for clinical centres, modernising equipment, as well as the professional development and employment of young healthcare experts. • Will the curricula of your school be fully harmonized with EU standards regarding the education of medical nurses, midwives and physiotherapists, in constant demand in Western European countries, and when? - We are standing before the re-accreditation process of the nursing study programme, and therefore we are planning to prepare the report for this programme in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2013/55/EU on the education of nurses and midwives and to be the first state-owned school in Serbia to educate nurses and midwives in accordance with European standards. • How many years will it take for Serbia to meet one of the conditions for European Union accession, whereby 30 percent of medical nurses must hold a diploma of three, and/or four-year studies? - Other countries in the region that became EU members were faced with the same challenges, and they made use of bridging programmes whereby working nurses and midwives educated in accordance with earlier standards were provided the opportunity to harmonise the level of education acquired. The activity of higher education is particularly important for the Republic of Serbia and is part of the European educational and scientific area, so I believe by 2020 we will have reformed higher education in accordance with European standards and the Strategy for the Development of Education. As a College actively participating in the reform of the system of education of medical nurses and midwives in Serbia, we will intensify cooperation with all institutions involved in this process and endeavour to meet the condition of 30 percent highly educated nurses as soon as possible. • Your wish is for your school to become a leader in education in the field of nursing and

midwifery. How far are you from this goal? - In late January this year, for the first time, our College organised an event on the topic of “EU standards for the profession of medical nurses and midwives - information for accession countries” attended, in addition to representatives of our College, by representatives of the Chamber of Nurses and Technicians, healthcare institutions in the region and student centres. Our school

- Our College is also developing its professional, educational and research activities as a member of the European Nursing Module Network (ENM). Student exchange is reflected in attending professional apprenticeships in European healthcare institutions, as well as having students from other countries in CAHS and its teaching bases. Student exchange is effected with related schools from Norway, Switzerland, England, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Macedonia and Romania. CAHS was involved as a partner in the Tempus IV project with schools comprising the Academy, the Academy from Belgium, Germany and Portugal, and this year it is involved in the Erasmus+ project. • Serbia has a surplus of professional physiotherapists, and a lack of highly educated nurses and technicians, surgical technicians and anaesthetists. How do we solve this? - It is a fact that the records of the National Employment Service for 2017 contain professional physiotherapists, but they find employment quickly because the norms for healthcare institutions in Serbia envisage the completion of vocational studies for physiotherapists. As for the lack of surgical technicians and anaesthetists, due to

We are also recognizable based on well-developed international cooperation reflected in the exchange of students and professors, and numerous projects with results directly implemented into the educational process and the accreditation of study programmes, specializations and master programmes is this year’s winner of the “Kapetan Miša Anastasijević” award for the area of Šumadija and Pomoravlje, for significant contributions to the improvement of the development of higher education. • To what extent are international cooperation, the exchange of students and professors, as well as numerous projects you are working on helping you achieve the plan to be the first state school in Serbia educating nurses and midwives in accordance with European standards?

the new Law on Higher Education in force since 8 October 2017, this problem will also be resolved with the introduction of “short study programmes” and the category of “study during employment” in Serbia. They make education in parallel with employment possible for precisely such deficit profiles. Based on the needs of the healthcare sector and student interest, our College will prepare such programmes for surgical technicians, anaesthetists, for parenting schools, for healthcare educators, as well as for working with persons with special needs. ■ EDUCATION

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CORPORATE

PROFESSOR MIĆA JOVANOVIĆ, Ph.D., RECTOR OF MEGATREND UNIVERSITY

One Step Ahead Of The Others “Megatrend” University consists of 12 faculties, and there is great interest in all of them. The Faculty of Civil Aviation is currently the most popular in Serbia and the region

his institution, unique in its concept of education for civil aviation, has its own simulator and jet airplane for practice and professional development, so it is understandable that with a Megatrend diploma and further professional training, people find jobs in the biggest airlines. • How would you briefly characterise the long-term strategy of education of Megatrend University? - The strategy of Megatrend University is - always a step ahead of everyone. That is how it was when we started, that is how it is today. Way back in 1989 we wrote a new chapter in the concept of education in what was then Yugoslavia, introducing new areas of education that did not exist then in the region of Eastern, SouthEastern and Central Europe. These were

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studies of management, organizational behaviour, intercultural management, etc. During early 1990 we were also the first educational institution to develop its website, through the “Beograd.com” company of Nenad Ćosić. They have been our internet provider to this day. • You have been developing for nearly 30 years in accordance with new technologies and information systems. Where do you see your place in the modern system of digitisation of education? - I think we started this first in 2001,

So, we are at the very top, but there are some who are slightly better, such as the IT Academy of Vesa Jevrosimović. I can say, using a sports vocabulary, that we are in excellent second place. • “Megatrend” University consists of 12 faculties. Which one of them is attracting the greatest interest among secondary school graduates? What study programmes are the most popular among youth today, and which ones would you like to draw their attention to? - All of our faculties are modern, attrac-

“On site” studies, i.e. real studying in university buildings and campuses, is a thing of the past. “Online” studies, distance learning, are the future of learning in the modern world when our distance learning software was highly rated at a scientific conference in San Francisco. It was created by Dr Veljko Spasić, a United Nations expert. He turned my idea into 98 books of software code and the system, with certain regular annual upgrades, still works today.

tive, and keep up with the highest global achievements in the area of higher education. During the last few years interest has increased in our Faculty of Computer Science, Faculty of Culture and Media, and this year there was a lot of interest for the Faculty of Civil Aviation and the

Faculty of Arts and Design. I would like to note our Faculty of Law, particularly its Security Department. • There was a lot of polemic about the Megatrend slogan “Finish Megatrend and - get out of here”. What is hiding behind it? - I worked on that slogan personally for weeks. It does not call on youth to leave Serbia. It points out that our diplomas are recognised worldwide, as evidenced by the fact that several thousand of our graduates are working in the largest and best companies. On the other hand, the idea of the slogan was to raise even more awareness of the burning issue of youth leaving Serbia.

have our simulator and jet airplane for the practice of future pilots, or professional development of already active pilots who aim for higher education. By recommendation of European Union authorities, pilots without higher

hours in front of commissions that are, in a way, accredited for this work. For example, our former colleague Nebojša Bačanin defended his dissertation at our faculty in the area of computer science. The defence lasted over two hours

• You virtual university is the first accredited institution in Serbia offering students distance learning. What kind of interest is there for this type of studies, very popular and appreciated in developed countries? - I think “on site” studies, i.e. real studying in university buildings and campuses, is a thing of the past. “Online” studies, distance learning, are the future of learning

The studies at Megatrend are serious, and doctoral dissertations and master theses go through serious quality control and software that can identify the degree of plagiarism. Dissertation and thesis defences last for two, three hours, before accredited commissions in the modern world. There are currently around 1,800 students from around the world studying at our virtual university. • What kind of interest is there for the Faculty of Civil Aviation, since it is a unique higher education institution in Serbia? - Interest in our Faculty of Civil Aviation is great, not only in Serbia, but also in the region and beyond. We are a unique institution regarding our concept of education for civil aviation, we have excellent technical equipment, we

education will not be able to fly the European skies after 2018. • Many “eternal students” successfully completed their undergraduate, and some also their master and doctoral studies at Megatrend University. How do you comment on this claim? - The claim is malicious and incorrect. Our studies are serious. Doctoral dissertations and master theses go through serious quality control and software that can identify the degree of plagiarism. Thesis and dissertation defences last two, three

before an extremely strong commission. Several months later he defended a second doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Mathematics of the University of Belgrade. The defence lasted around 40 minutes, and he only exchanged a few sentences with the commission. A colleague recorded everything, so it is easy to determine the huge difference in the seriousness and quality of defences of both dissertations. How magisterial theses and doctoral dissertations are defended at state universities is a whole other issue. I looked at several from certain state faculties, similar to our faculties. Of the five reviewed, only one doctoral dissertation had correctly established methodological-hypothetical research frameworks, the others did not. And without that, there can be no satisfactory doctoral dissertation or magisterial thesis. ■ EDUCATION

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CORPORATE

ENVER GICIĆ Ph.D., DEAN OF THE FACULTY OF ISLAMIC STUDIES

Guardian Of Tradition And True Values Secondary school graduates who pass the entrance exam can also this year enrol in one of four basic study courses – Islamism, the Sharia and Law course, the pedagogy and communicology course and the course for Islamic economics and halal standard

hanks to staff members who also studied at the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FIS), students of the FIS are educated in the spirit of the times and the area in which they live and in which they will work and function in the future. • The Faculty of Islamic Studies in Novi Pazar continues the tradition of Sandžak’s first religious-educational institution, established in 1461, when the foundations of Novi Pazar were laid and the Isa-bey (Isa-Beg) mosque was built, and alongside it the first sibjan-mekteb (school for children). What has remained the same and what has changed over the course of these many centuries? - The valley of the Jošanica and Raška rivers has for centuries been a meeting point for different cultures which, despite numerous challenges, still witness the sustainability of coexistence with others and those who are different. The first mosque of Ghazi Isa-Beg Ishaković, alongside which the first sibjan-mekteb was built, representing the precursor of institutional education in Sandžak, emerged in the atmosphere of the dynamic coming together

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of the faith of “Dobrih Bošnjana”, or Bosnian Christians and Christians of the eastern and western provinces. After the mosque was destroyed in the late 1930s, the Building of Islamic institutions was erected, and since 2006, in accordance with the decision of the Mushihat of the Islamic Community in Serbia, as the founder, it has housed the Faculty of Islamic Studies. Apart from being a place for education, academic advancement and teaching of religious personnel, it is consistent with the universal values of cultural heritage pluralism. Testifying to this is the fact that among the numerous guest professors at our Faculty was the late Radovan Bigović Ph.D., from the Belgrade Faculty of Theology, as well as Catholic Archbishop of the Belgrade Archdiocese Stanislav Hočevar. • Under what kind of conditions do your lecturers and students work? - After expanding the spatial capacities of the building of the Islamic institutions, where conditions for studying were fairly modest, today we can boast of having almost 2,000 square metres of high-quality space.

Alongside lectures, students can also take advantage of a modern amphitheatre, foreign language learning laboratories (Arabic, English, Turkish) and, as of this year, also a large library with a collection of around 30,000 titles and a reading room. Within the building there are also professors’ cabinets, space for the faculty’s management and a hall for meetings and prayer. • The Faculty of Islamic Studies has a status that is equal to other faculties and higher education institutions in Serbia. Do you receive assistance from the state and the ministry? - Our faculty works in accordance with the Law on Churches and Religious Communities and, in that sense, maintains proper cooperation with the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities at the Ministry of Justice. Apart from this Office providing a certain number of scholarships for bachelor’s and master’s studies, we also cooperate with it on projects that are significant for our institution and the Islamic community. The

most important project agreed upon during the visit of the Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities is cooperation with the Centre for Interfaith Dialogue, which exists within the framework of our Faculty. We hope this cooperation in the period ahead will be raised to a higher level, in order for our students to feel completely equal to all other students in the country. • A new deadline for enrolment is approaching. Who can enrol in FIS? Is it difficult to pass the entrance exam? - Considering that Novi Pazar has become a university centre, and bearing in mind that, following the founding of the Faculty

the Islamic World, which operates under the auspices of the ISESCO, an organisation founded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. This has enabled us to maintain more intensive contacts with almost all renowned Islamic universities around the world. We were initially compelled to rely on professors from the region, particularly from Bosnia, while today we have our own staff, educated at the International University in Novi Pazar. This enables us to effectively implement all planned teaching activities. In cooperation with embassies of Muslim countries, especially Arab countries, in Belgrade, we provide proof-readers for foreign languages. Last year, through the

• How far have you progressed in the process of obtaining accreditation? Will a decision in this regard be made on a professional or political basis? - We work in accordance with the Law on Churches and Religious Communities, which stipulates that secondary religious schools and faculty are not obliged to enter the accreditation process. Regardless of that fact, we are ready to launch the accreditation process from this moment and we would like to believe that the negative experience of the International University didn’t benefit anyone, except those who – in a moral-ethical sense – should have been far away from the higher education system. • The Faculty of Islamic Studies has four basic study directions. Which of them attracts the greatest interest? - At our Faculty there are currently four basic study courses – Islamism, the Sharia and Law course, the pedagogy and communicology course and the course for Islamic economics and halal standard. All of these courses are attractive, while a special course is the one for Sharia and Law, as well as the pedagogy and communicology course. Our bachelor’s courses have students from all over the region, mainly Bosniaks

of Islamic Studies in 2001 (then the Islamic Pedagogical Academy), the International University was established in 2002, which was the main reason why the city gained a state university four years later, we are obliged to maintain a constant enrolment campaign. Enrolment in our college is open to all those graduating from four years of secondary school who pass the entrance exam, which – in view of the knowledge with which they come – does not represent a major problem for most. • Your faculty cooperates with numerous Islamic higher education institutions worldwide. Has the problem related to providing work permits for professors from abroad been resolved? - The faculty was admitted as a full member of the Federation of the Universities of

We teach our students the principle that someone who is sure in his own values has self-confidence, breadth and the awareness to hear and respect differing opinions in the spirit of tolerance mediation of the Embassy of the United Kingdom and the OSCE, we hosted a guest professor from the University of Cambridge, as well as experts from the British government who deal with the issue of extremism. They were extremely satisfied with the level of education and awareness of our students when it comes to this challenge that we are all facing equally. We collaborate very closely with all major Muslim educational institutions throughout Europe and the United States, but also in Turkey, where we have a signed Mevlana exchange programme agreement on cooperation.

and Albanians, Muslims and non-Muslims, especially on the course for comparative religions, while our postgraduate studies have students from all over the world. • What makes your Faculty so special? - If we were to seek something that we are extremely proud of, that would certainly be the authentic scientific-educational interpretation of the Islamic faith, in the spirit of preserving tradition and facing the challenges of the modern era, with the experience of academic representatives of Europe’s autochthonous Muslim nations. ■ EDUCATION

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THE FRENCH SCHOOL IN BELGRADE

Adventure Of Learning In French

Thanks to a high-quality education in line with the standards of the French curriculum, to advanced teaching techniques and a childcentred approach, our graduating pupils easily continue their studies in France and elsewhere. That is why Serbian, French and parents of many other nationalities choose our school for their children, starting from the age of three up to 18

he French School in Belgrade introduces children from the ages of three to 18 to the adventure of learning in a caring and nurturing environment, in French! The high quality of teaching is ensured by the unique structure of the French education system. France is the only country in the world that has an international state-approved network of schools overseen by the French Agency for teaching French abroad (AEFE), which allows pupils to follow the French national curriculum and pursue their education at the same level of schooling in any French school abroad or in France. Backed by the French Ministry of Education, the AEFE network guarantees that

of €2,700 per pupil, through teachers’ salaries and other subsidies. Starting from age two and a half, children are eligible for the Nursery at the French School in Belgrade. The Nursery welcomes 76 children aged from two and a half to five, in a warm and friendly atmosphere, in the Belgrade suburb of Senjak. The Nursery School is divided into four levels and five different forms, each overseen by a bilingual teacher and bilingual teaching assistant. The French Nursery School in Belgrade has a child-centred approach to education and promotes the diversity of its students – encouraging them to develop their mother tongue and

In the past two years, 100 per cent of our students successfully passed the final French exam, called Baccalauréat, which allowed them to continue their studies, mainly in France, but also in other countries, since this French diploma is recognised worldwide all French schools abroad comply with the same education syllabuses and requirements as those in France. Inspectors from the French Ministry of Education visit the school every year and assess the level of compliance and quality of teaching. The French school in Belgrade was established in 1951. It adheres to the French educational principles, including the principles of secularity and of philosophical and political neutrality. The French government contributes financially to the education of our pupils, irrespective of their nationality, in the amount

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preparing them for primary school through the teaching of basic pre-reading and writing skills. Our staff members follow the French Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and are keen to offer the best of the French education system: they place a strong emphasis on a caring and nurturing environment suited to cultivating the taste for learning among young children. EFB Nursery School pupils grow accustomed to socialising and learn to be part of a group, but also to be independent. They develop plurilingual skills at an early age and build upon their physical predispositions. They are exposed to the requirements of the French curriculum and the autonomous critical thinking of French Education, which is synonymous with high-quality teaching. A total of 510 pupils aged three to 18 currently attend the school at one of 16 different levels. Fifty per cent of our pupils are Serbian, 35 per cent are French or binational, while the remaining 15 per cent includes 20 different nationalities. In the past two years, 100 per cent of our students successfully passed the final French exam, called Baccalauréat, which allowed them to continue their studies, mainly in France, but also in other countries, since this French diploma is recognised worldwide. In addition to the academic curriculum, the school offers numerous extracurricular artistic, scientific and sporting activities each year. Throughout the 15 years of their schooling, our pupils receive high-quality teaching and develop individual school excellence and great collective human values. ■

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CORPORATE

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SAVREMENA

The Most Modern Cambridge Secondary School In Serbia Thanks to its modus operandi and the numerous advantages it offers, International School Savremena lives up to its reputation as the most modern Cambridge secondary school in Serbia

hat makes International School Savremena a truly different school?

STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY IN CLASSROOMS International School Savremena is a Future Ready school that applies global innovations relating to the modernisation of the educational concept. In this school technology has become an integral part of the teaching method, which makes it easier for students to follow school material and helps them in their further advancement. INTELLIGENT CLASSROOM WITH INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS AND TABLES Savremena's students attend lessons in Intelligent Classrooms that have emerged as a response to today's needs and which are a combination of applied new technologies, the internet and a variety of software for learning. The lessons that students acquire appear much simpler on interactive boards, while the use of interactive tables encourages greater engagement and better collaboration with their peers and teachers. In comfortable Node chairs, students bring reality to life with the use of Samsung Gear VR glasses, a 3D printer, scanner and pen, which makes their learning much more interesting. ADDITIONAL SPECIALISATION WITH THE E-LEARNING PLATFORM Alongside the e-diary, in which they can find information about their marks and the work

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methods, the students also use the internet to enhance their skills through English, mathematics and efficient learning courses available on the e-Learning platform. This kind of learning is particularly suitable for athletes, who are unable to attend traditional lessons due to training and competitions, as it allows them to follow school lessons online. SPRINGBOARD TO WORLD UNIVERSITIES As a Cambridge secondary school, International School Savremena enables students to obtain as many as two Cambridge diplomas - ICE and AICE, which open the doors

ments and can study at International School Savremena at greatly reduced tuition fees. These opportunities are also available to students already attending Savremena. This way, the school encourages them to achieve their full potential. CONTEMPORARY COMMUNICATION WITH TEACHERS International School Savremena mainly employs young, professional and highly educated teachers, whose memory of the experiences their students are currently dealing with is still quite fresh, which makes finding common ground a lot easier. They communicate with students via email

Savremena operates according to the curriculum designed by Cambridge Assessment International Education and its students are taught in English, which makes it easier for them to continue their education anywhere in the world of prestigious universities across the globe. Savremena operates according to the curriculum designed by Cambridge Assessment International Education and its students are taught in English, which makes it easier for them to continue their education anywhere in the world. INCENTIVES FOR THE BEST Students wanting to enrol into International School Savremena can compete for one of six incentives for the best. Thus, whizz kids, top athletes, talented artists and young brainiacs can be rewarded for their achieve-

and use a specially designed platform for checking students' homework. Moreover, teachers also devote themselves to the students during Study Time, as well as through mentorship. At International School Savremena, each and every thing is contemporary (savremena) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from futuristic classrooms, through innovative lectures, to creative lecturers, which is why more and more parents want to enrol their children into this school of the future. Let your child become a part of the most modern Cambridge secondary school in Serbia! â&#x2013;Ş

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MSc.OEC. BRATISLAV FILIPOVIĆ, FOUNDER AND INSTRUCTOR-COORDINATOR AT ACADEMY "FILIPOVIĆ"

System For 21 Century Schools st

Thanks to the “School Information System”, the 21st century has also arrived in our educational institutions, where teachers use an electronic diary, electronic pedagogical notebooks, electronic portfolios for student, an e-programme for printing testimonials, a platform for creating school websites, e-libraries etc

ess than nine years ago, with the aim of modernising, improving and easing the work of all participants in the Serbian education system, Academy “Filipović” created the complex “School Information System” programme, which consists of integrated applications intended for all educational institutions of preschool, primary and secondary education. The unique “School Information System” of Academy “Filipović”, headquartered in Jagodina, covers all working processes in educational institutions, from recording activities and statistics, through records of all participants in the system, automatic generation, printing reports and all documents necessary for the proper management of an educational institution, to communication with the administration and the Ministry, with the possibility of exporting required data. This system enables communication between colleagues, exchanges of personal documents,

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textbooks and portfolio works, communication with professional services, parents, administration and the Ministry. The development of the “School Information System” began in 2009 with the aim of modernising, improving and easing the work of all users, i.e. participants in the education system of the Republic of Serbia. The School Information System consists of several modules: Electronic

diary, electronic pedagogical notebook, Electronic portfolio for teachers and students, E program for PP services, Programme for printing testimonies (flexi), Platform for creating school websites and the E-library. The School Information System is currently used by 5,196 teachers from 311 preschools, primary schools, secondary schools, music schools and special

schools all over Serbia. The system itself is recognised and highly rated beyond the borders of Serbia, by the Union of Directors of Montenegro, directors and teachers from Macedonia, with the intention of implementing parts of the School Information System in their existing systems. Although there is a synopsis of programmes with similar or the same purposes, our programme differs greatly from them, because during its development

we analysed the needs of employees in education, taking into account their level of IT literacy and all elements that should make their work easier, as well as the benefits of using the programme. We have enabled them to enter into the same (closed) system their personal portfolio, which marks the use of digital technology and enables the collection and organisation of the contents of several different media forms (audio, video, graphics, text), which serves to record and present acquired qualifications and experiences. It comprises a collection of works published on the internet which documents ideas, activities and achievements, and enables their exchange and use with minimal knowledge of working on computer. We have enabled teachers, educators and professors of music and special schools to simply use electronic pedagogical notebooks, in which we have

incorporated all legally defined standards. Entries in the pedagogical notebook are connected directly to the e-diary, thus we reduced the number of the same entries and thus saved the user's time. By entering the e-diary via the pedagogical notebook, we have enabled teachers to easily enter classes, enter the topic of classes from their global or operational plan, with a single mouse click. With this we have again saved the times of the end-user and simultaneously enabled the use of the

What distinguishes our system from others is that it is applicable in all types and forms of educational institutions: pre-school institutions, primary, secondary, music, ballet and special schools of a predefined type. The system enables all competent stakeholders to simply monitor the work of particular institutions. Parents are also certainly seen as users in the system, but also pupils, as there is also a part allocated for student portfolios. The system enables, via the pupil’s portfolio – provided it is used – monitoring of the work, progress and development of pupils, from preschool institutions to university enrolment. It is clear without the need to list details now that all necessary documentation can be printed out and that the e-diary can be converted into a printed (written) document. We must also note that Academy Filipović deals with the educating of employees in educational institutions, and that the number of teachers who have passed their accredited seminars has exceeded 30,000. Academy Filipović has been participating actively in advancing the computer literacy of teachers for 15 years already, and has also equipped

Academy “Filipović” has been participating for 15 years in advancing the computer literacy of teachers, introducing modern IT equipment to schools and organising accredited seminars that have been attended by 30,000 teachers same input panel without needing to walk from window to window. Teachers can also use the e-diary to carry out preparations for classes, using all contents that have already been entered into the system. Our system implies easy and simple guidance of children who are with the IOP, which is particularly expressed in special schools. The system also includes an integrated programme for pedagogical psychological services, which records all actions envisaged by law. Our system is developed in such a way that it envisages any changes a legislator could make.

schools with the latest IT equipment. At the end of February 2018, the FBIWB 2700A Portable Interactive Board appeared on the market and will be produced in Serbia. This device is actually already known to many schools in Serbia, Montenegro and Republika Srpska as the favourite teaching aid of teachers, due to its high technical performance and ease of use.Alongside the aforementioned countries where the FBIWB 2700A interactive board is known, we also aim to conquer the markets of Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria and Romania. ■ EDUCATION

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AGE D.O.O. (LTD.)

New Technologies For Advancing Education

The introduction of modern digital information and communication technologies is a prerequisite for successful teaching in the 21st century. AGE of MEDIS is an integrated complex system designed specifically for use in education, which makes it unique in Serbia and the wider region

he teaching of natural sciences in the most sensitive segment – and that is demonstrations of experiments and laboratory exercises – is made much more efficient with the use of MEDIS. AGE d.o.o. (Ltd.), a Serbian company specialised in multimedia interactive technologies, has integrated verified methods of traditional laboratory teaching with current interactive digital ICT. The exceptionally professional knowhow of engineers, programmers and designers who worked on the project – in conjunction with the experience of teachers – ensured the development and implementation of AGE of MEDIS, a state-of-the-art system intended for top teaching. These systems successfully replace the classical method of performing laboratory exercises and provide the possibility for interactive procedures that haven’t previously existed in our teaching curricula and which increase the

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efficiency of the acquiring of knowledge. Thanks to the integration of ICT and the possibilities they provide, AGE of MEDIS has enabled theoretical teaching and practical laboratory training to finally become a coherent unit.

In addition to developing subjectbased competences for directly supported subjects (biology, chemistry, physics, computer science and computing), the MEDIS system also develops appropriate interpersonal competences, above all digitally, alongside a responsible attitude towards the environment-ecology. Given that the Serbian education system is facing the great challenge of developing competences for advancing working and learning conditions, students must acquire knowhow and master modern technologies in a timely and proper manner. That’s why it’s necessary to combine the knowledge of numerous teachers who, through communication and cooperation in thematically addressing the problem and innovating their practises. A system set up in such a way requires students to simultaneously use acquired subject and inter-subject competences actively, applying acquired knowledge in new, more complex situations.

Students on the AGE of MEDIS system can work individually or in small groups. In this way cooperation is improved within the group, but personal responsibility is also developed, which – alongside acquired knowledge – is an essential element of successful future professional work.

experimental work. The adoption of basic ecological principles is eased significantly, because students experience phenomena and processes important for ecology through real experiments. The outcome

BASIC DESCRIPTION OF MEDIS Bespoke software developed to connect all components of the AGE of MEDIS system into a functional unit With the help of developed bespoke software it is possible to gain insight into the work of students and take control, as and when required, to help students in taking on tasks. This kind of modern approach greatly eases the work of teachers by achieving flexible communication

The exceptionally professional knowhow of engineers, programmers and designers who worked on the project – in conjunction with the experience of teachers – ensured the development and implementation of AGE of MEDIS, a state-of-theart system intended for top teaching with students, in which students receive almost instantly feedback from teachers. A class becomes much more dynamic and interesting for students, while it is already well known that the use of modern technologies additionally stimulates students. The use of AGE of MEDIS encourages a way of thinking among students that leads them to solve problems with the use of acquired knowledge from multiple subjects. Digital competences are substantially enhanced. AGE of MEDIS not only contributes to the acquisition of new knowledge, but also greatly strengthens students' competences for applying acquired knowledge in a real environment to complete specific tasks. ECOLOGY The purpose of this part of the MEDIS system is for students to acquire basic knowledge about ecology and its importance for society through practical

of this part of the MEDIS system is the acquisition of basic knowledge and the acceptance of basic ecological principles. Achieving this outcome is made significantly easier through the MEDIS system because students are able to interact and influence actual physical, chemical and biological processes. The collection of data regarding

the processes being analysed within any part of the MEDIS system is achieved in real time. Students practically see instantaneously the consequences of effects on the system, which has a very favourable impact on the quality of acquired knowledge. Ecology, as a derives scientific discipline, studies the relationships between living beings and living and non-living nature, which is becoming extremely important in this stage of the development of society. The MEDIS system greatly improves the adoption of basic ecological principles. We observe the environment as a set of elements of physical, chemical and biological nature that act constantly on organisms. That’s why we must examine the consequences of changing these elements. The MEDIS system shows real physical, chemical and biological processes in a very clear way, interpreting and presenting their impact on the environment. The direct and indirect effects of ecological factors on living organisms are clearly described in real experiments that can be conducted with the help of the MEDIS system. The combination of real experiments and modern information and communication technologies has enabled the very effective acquiring of knowledge from ecology and the examining of the impact of ecological factors. ■ EDUCATION

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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Digital Education Action Plan

Education and training are the best investments in Europe’s future. They play a vital role in boosting growth, innovation and job creation. Europe’s education and training systems need to give people the forward-looking knowledge, skills and competences they need to innovate and prosper. They also have an important role to play in creating a European identity, building on common values and cultures

ducation should help empower young people to articulate and engage, participate and shape the future of a Europe characterised by democracy, solidarity and inclusion. Digital technology enriches learning in a variety of ways and offers learning opportunities, which must be accessible to all. It opens up access to a wealth of information and resources. In the Rome Declaration of March 2017, EU Member States stressed their commitment to providing young people with the ‘best education and training’. The October 2017

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European Council called for training and education systems to be ‘fit for the digital age’. . At the November 2017 Gothenburg Summit, the Parliament, the Council and the Commission proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights, which enshrines the right to quality and inclusive education, training and life-long learning. The Communication ‘Strengthening European Identity through Education and Culture , the Commission’s contribution to the EU Leader's Agenda discussion on education and culture at the Gothenburg Summit, sets out a vision for a

European Education Area and announced a dedicated Digital Education Action Plan. The Commission hosted the first European Education Summit in January 2018 with a broad theme of ‘Laying the foundations of the European Education Area: for an innovative, inclusive and values based education’. As part of delivering on the New Skills Agenda for Europe, the Commission will propose a revised European Reference Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning that sets out the knowledge, skills and attitudes people need for life, including digital competence. This Action Plan sets out how education and training systems can make better use of innovation and digital technology and support the development of relevant digital competences needed for life and work in an age of rapid digital change. The Action Plan has a specific focus on initial education and training systems and covers schools, vocational education and training (VET) and higher education. Challenges and opportunities of digital transformation for education

Europe’s digital transformation will accelerate with the rapid advance of new technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and blockchain. Like previous major technological advances, digitisation affects how people live, interact, study and work. Some jobs will disappear, others will be replaced, new jobs will be created, many jobs andindustries will be transformed and new activities will emerge. This makes investing in one’s digital skills throughout life of the utmost importance. While there are many opportunities arising from digital transformation, the biggest

risk today is of a society ill-prepared for the future. If education is to be the backbone of growth and inclusion in the EU, a key task is preparing citizens to make the most of the opportunities and meet the challenges of a fast-moving, globalised and interconnected world. Reform efforts continue every year, yet a persistent divide exists between and within EU Member States, in particular regarding digital infrastructure and skills, all of which hinders inclusive growth. Vulnerable groups are particularly affected by this situation. In addition, the lack of interest among girls to pursue studies information and communication technologies (ICT) and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) remains a clear problem. This leads to lost social and economic opportunities and risks reinforcing gender inequality. Education can benefit from opening

classrooms, real-life experiences and projects, and from new learning tools, materials and open educational resources. Learners can be empowered by online collaboration. Access to and the use of digital technologies can help reduce the learning gap between students from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds. Personalised teaching can result in increased motivation by focusing on individual learners. However progress on integrating technology in education remains limited. More than 80% of young people in Europe use the internet for social activities

organisations, can help to improve learning outcomes, enhance equity and improve efficiency. It is most effective and sustainable when embraced by welltrained teachers and embedded in clear teaching goals. More needs to be done on how to best use digital means to reach education objectives. Digital advances also bring new challenges for Europe’s pupils, students and teachers. Algorithms used by social media sites and news portals can be powerful amplifiers of bias or fake news, while data privacy has become a key concern in the digital society. Young people as well as adults are vulnerable to cyber bullying and harassment, predatory behaviour or disturbing online content. Everyday exposure to digital data driven largely by inscrutable algorithms creates clear risks and requires more than ever critical thinking and the ability to engage positively and competently in the digital environment. We face a constantly evolving need for media literacy and a wide mix of digital skills and competences including safety, security and privacy, but getting them to the wider population and more advanced professions and sectors remains a challenge. The key role of EU-wide cooperation in scaling up innovation in EU Member States’ education and training systems EU-wide cooperation through exchange of best practice, peer learning and evidence

Europe’s digital transformation will accelerate with the rapid advance of new technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and blockchain. Like previous major technological advances, digitisation affects how people live, interact, study and work access to the internet significantly increased over the last years. But use of technology for educational purposes lags behind. Not all primary and secondary schools in the EU have broadband connections and not all educators have the competences and confidence to use digital tools to support their teaching. A recent study showed that in 2015 an estimated 18 % of primary and secondary schools in the EU were not connected to broadband. Innovation in education systems, understood as the adoption of new services, technologies, competences by education

sharing is a proven way to support EU Member States’ education and training systems. Common frameworks help identify effective solutions while shared tools such as eTwinning increase efficiency and broaden impact. Innovative practices in education, in particular digital ones, are taking place across the EU. These take various forms and involve public, private and nongovernmental actors. However, innovation in education systems is not an end it itself, but rather a way to improve the quality and inclusiveness of education systems ■ EDUCATION

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