Combined Session of the Senate and the Extended Collegium: Realistic admission quota planning

Combined Session of the Senate and the Extended Collegium at the University of Banja Luka, held January 16, 2019 in the Rectorate premises, focused on admission quota for the academic year of 2019/2020.

It was agreed to plan a realistic admission quota based on the current number of enrolled first year students at the first study cycle.

Furthermore, a more active promotion of Faculties and study programs is required, as well as survey analysis of the high school students in order to track their desires for future studies.

Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, the Rector of the University of Banja Luka, adds that it is planned to enroll the equivalent number of students in the following year as the ones enrolled this academic year.

“In the previous period we have modernized certain study programs. Many Faculties are currently undergoing a process of relicensing and modernizing of their study programs, and we are expecting to have these processes completed by the time of admission of the next generation”, Gajanin stated.

The Rector reminded of the need for reduction of the total number of study programs and prioritization of the most desirable study programs, having the Faculty of Law serve as the example for study program reduction at the second study cycle and its modernization.

The combined Session was attended by Srdjan Rajcevic, the Minister for Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society at the Government of Republic of Srpska.

Rajcevic stated that the Ministry will identify study programs that will be needed in the future based on labor market demand, and will implement the required admission policies at the higher education institutions. 

He added that the Ministry expects to soon receive the real situation depiction that will help shape a certain study programs’ rationalization.

“The goal is to recognize the required study programs based on the labor market at the Republic of Srpska, and to recognize the ones that are not needed, so the Ministry can undertake the required procedures”, Rajcevic stated, emphasizing on the Ministry’s determination to further participate in admission policies for this academic year and the ones to come.

Drasko Marinkovic, PhD, professor at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Banja Luka, said that expected projections show decreasing number of students enrolled at all universities.

"The intensive demographic recession that has been present in recent years has led us to have a reduced number of students in elementary and secondary schools and thus it is expected to have a reduced number of students at universities as well", Marinkovic stated.

He added that, due to this reason, we must think of a way to improve the enrollment policy while taking into the account current demographic factors which show intense population reduction.

The combined Session was also attended by the Vice-Rectors, members of the Senate, Deans, Student Parliament representatives, as well as the associates of the Minister for Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society at the Government of Republic of Srpska.