About the University

The University of Banja Luka has been established on 7th November 1975. At the time the University consisted of five faculties: Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Law and Economics, as well as three higher schools. The other faculties were founded later: Medicine in 1978, Agriculture in 1992, Forestry in 1992, Philosophy in 1994, Architecture and Civil Engineering in 1995, Natural Sciences and Mathematics in 1996, Academy of Art in 1999 and Physical Education and Sports in 2001. The Faculty of Philology, Faculty of Political Sciences and Faculty of Mine Engineering have been established in 2009.
Today the University of Banja Luka has 16 faculties with 52 licensed study programs. We have around 600 professors, 400 assistants and 450 administrative staff members currently employed at the University. At present there are around 17.000 students at the University. The number of students that obtained their degree is as follows: more than 19.000 graduates, 700 specialists, 650 M.A. degree holders and 300 PhD holders.

Most of the faculties of the University of Banja Luka, as well as university halls of residence with student dormitories, restaurants, recreation centers, student clubs and the University Computer Center are situated in two campuses, located close to the river Vrbas and not far from the city center. The University of Banja Luka has adequate various in size and shape classrooms, amphitheatres, medium and smaller classrooms, reading rooms and libraries, laboratories and computer rooms. Total size of classrooms is around 16 000 square meters, laboratories around 10 000 square meters. Most of the classrooms are equipped with video projectors and computers for display digital teaching contents. Procurement of interactive electronic boards, so called “smart” boards, is planned for the next period. The University has over 20 computer rooms with 24 hour internet access. Libraries of the University have around 185.000 books and they are subscribed to 75 scientific magazines.

As of 1 January 2008 the University of Banja Luka is integrated, with faculties as its organizational units. The Steering Board, Senate and Rector govern the University. The Rector legally represents the University. There are four Vice-Rectors (in charge of: research and scientific work, international relations, teaching and student issues and human resources and other issues). The Steering Board is the managerial body of the University. It consists of eleven members: five representatives of academic staff, one representative of non-academic staff, one representative of students and four members appointed by the government. The University Senate is the highest academic body, which discusses all academic issues and has twenty-six members: one representative of academic staff from each organizational unit (16), five representatives of students, Rector and four Vice-Rectors.

The Bologna process started at all study programs at the University of Banja Luka in 2006/2007 school year, although some faculties started the Bologna reform even earlier. Three cycle study system has been introduced: bachelor, master and doctoral studies. ECTS system of valuation of subjects and total workload of students was introduced. The principle of annual workload of students up to 60 ECTS credits was introduced. In the case of renewing the enrollment into the certain study year, the student chooses among the subjects of the next study year to complete his/her workload and to have obligations completed and results achieved during the year. To facilitate study and increase the successful exams rate the curriculum contains one semester subjects. Testing of students is partially conducted, in form of colloquiums, tests, semester papers and homework, participating in project tasks, etc. Activity of a student is monitored and valuated during teaching process and accordingly the interactivity of teaching is encouraged.

All study programs at the University of Banja Luka have been licensed for the first and second study cycle, and as of the year of 2009 the Faculty of Electrical Engineering has licensed a program for the third study cycle in Information and Communication Technologies. At the faculties which started Bologna process earlier, like Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering and Faculty of Philosophy, we already have bachelors. During this year or the next year, depending on the duration of the first cycle studies, i.e. three or four years, we will have graduated first cycle students on all study programs of the University. After that, all organizational units will start preparations for organizing second cycle studies. The curriculum and contents of subjects are continuously updated (the “tuning” process) in order to determine objectively ECTS valuation of the subjects and to contribute learning outcomes in the best way. In the future, the University plan is to further improve certain areas, such as adjustment of certain subjects’ contents at various study programs, with the aim to create preconditions for internal students’ mobility and rational performance of teaching activities at the University.