The Acting Director of the Agency for the Control and Assurance of Quality in Higher Education, Tatjana Ćalasan, after taking office, visited higher education institutions in Montenegro with her colleagues, including the University of Montenegro, “Donja Gorica” University, “Mediteran” University, “Adriatik” University, the Faculty of Business Management, the Faculty of State and European Studies, the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature, and the Faculty of International Management in Tourism and Hospitality – “HEC”.
During meetings with rectors and deans of the institutions, Ćalasan presented the work and plans to be realized in the upcoming period, emphasizing the Agency’s openness to providing support and strengthening cooperation with partners, that is, higher education institutions.
The Director emphasized that functional collaboration between the Agency and higher education institutions is the best way to improve the quality of higher education and announced the organization of a roundtable that would bring together representatives from all institutions.
“Creating an environment where everyone has equal opportunities would allow representatives of the institutions to exchange experiences and opinions on the most significant topics in the field of higher education and to ensure further progress in quality assurance together,” said Ćalasan.
The meetings also discussed the Agency’s commitment to meeting European standards and guidelines, all aimed at membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), which would give particular importance to the role of partners and expedite the processes of mobility, internationalization, and the evaluation of domestic diplomas.
Representatives of the universities and faculties expressed satisfaction with the existing cooperation with the Agency and highlighted the challenges they face in the evaluation processes. Additionally, there was discussion about systemic problems as well as the new Law on Higher Education, which is expected to improve many segments in this field.
In an increasingly turbulent and uncertain time, along with the expansion of modern technologies, higher education institutions should play a key role, as learning and knowledge are fundamental instruments of overall social development. Higher education represents a significant point of connection between national and international environments.
The meetings resulted in an agreement for intensified cooperation between the Agency and higher education institutions through various activities, as well as the Agency’s readiness to support participation in international projects aimed at improving the quality of the higher education process.
