The Senate's Conclusion Regarding the 'Cluster' Action

At its 91^st session held on 30 March 2023, in the premises of the Rectorate of the University of Banja Luka, the Senate of the University of Banja Luka issued a conclusion regarding the recent law enforcement action named 'Cluster'.

On the occasion of the recent law enforcement action ‘Cluster’ which was carried out at several higher education institutions in the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Senate of the University of Banja Luka wishes to address the academic community and the entire public in the Republic of Srpska.

Given the fact that education constitutes the foundation of every state and its progress and that as such it must always be in the focus of the public and the entire society, we are surprised by the information of the Prosecutor's Office of BH about the recently conducted law enforcement action on certain higher education institutions in the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of BH and the arrests of some of the university professors.

Taking into account the constitutional principle of the presumption of innocence of every person in criminal proceedings, the Senate of the University strongly condemns all illegal and immoral behaviour of individuals and higher education institutions in the process of acquiring professional and academic titles. Such phenomena, which have serious and far-reaching consequences for society and higher education, must be severely sanctioned.

Obviously, the area of higher education requires increased attention from all authorities and institutions, as for the improvement of the legislative framework, raising of quality standards and establishment of strict criteria for external evaluation and accreditation of all higher education institutions. Such harmful phenomena certainly require the most urgent reaction of the institutions that are authorized to control the legality of the work of higher education institutions in the Republic of Srpska.

In this regard, the Senate of the University of Banja Luka provides full support in the actions taken by the relevant Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republic of Srpska and the RS Education Inspection, as well as the increased control of all public and private higher education institutions in the Republic of Srpska.