COOPERATION

Vice-Rector for International and Inter-University Cooperation, Office of the Vice-Rector for International and Inter-University Cooperation, Vice-Deans for International Cooperation and Vice-Deans for Science, Research and International Cooperation, a network of Coordinators for International Cooperation established in 2008 and a network of Academic Coordinators for International Student and Staff Exchange established in 2011 are all in charge when it comes to realization of activities and coordination of international cooperation.

 

The existing laws in the field of higher education provide the higher education institutions (universities) with autonomy in establishing cooperation with higher education institutions from other countries. Thereby, the international contractual capacity of University of Banja Luka is recognized, which is of great importance to its status, both in its state and abroad. The process of higher education transformation and integration in European Higher Education Area, as well as in the unique European Research Area, impose the necessity for cooperation with other universities abroad, in order to create conditions for staff and student mobility, mutual recognition of periods and levels of education, and increase in work quality. This is why special attention is devoted to contractual relationships with other higher education institutions.  As part of the bilateral and multilateral cooperation the University has more than 250 active agreements with partners in the country and abroad.

Membership in international networks and associations is one of the important references on the willingness to cooperate with foreign partners, which also contributes to the international reputation of the University and its position at the international level. University of Banja Luka is a member of European University Association (EUA) and signatory of the Magna Charta Universitatum. University of Banja Luka is a member of the UniAdrion university network, seated in Ancona (Italy), The Francophone University Agency (AUF), China-Central Eastern European Countries Higher Education Institutions Consortium (CCHEIC), Community of the Universities of South East Europe and Western Balkans and a participant of the Berlin Process.

In the scope of international cooperation, the University of Banja Luka devotes considerable attention to the mobility of students and staff as a part of the activities within international mobility programs, under cooperation agreements, through study visits, summer schools, workshops, seminars and practical training. The University of Banja Luka has been a member of the so-called CEEPUS network (Central European Exchange Program for University Studies) since 2008 and starting from the 2011/12 academic year has participated in six (6) projects of the ERASMUS MUNDUS mobility program. Under the Erasmus+ program, within the International Credit Mobility component the University cooperates with 64 partners from 26 European countries.

A certain number of students and staff of the University of Banja Luka have been using other scholarship opportunities of different programs provided by governments of foreign countries. In addition, significant number of activities is noted with partners from different countries regarding the organization of many international educational, scientific, cultural and sport events, such as conferences, seminars, training, summer schools, student competitions etc.

University for Applied Sciences in the City of Essen (Germany), in cooperation with the foundation “Welt der Wunder“, awarded 175 scholarships to students of the I and II cycle of the University of Banja Luka during the three year period. From 2017, the University for Applied Sciences in the City of Essen provides these scholarships in cooperation with the foundation „Fairnetzen“ and 190 scholarships have been awarded to this day. The scholarships are given to socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

The largest number of international educational projects implemented at the University are the TEMPUS projects. Starting from 1996 until the end of the program in 2015, the University of Banja Luka took part in 89 TEMPUS projects, funded by the European Commission. In that context, cooperation was established with all universities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as numerous universities from Europe. Cooperation with foreign partners has further been continued and established through the new educational program of the European Commission named Erasmus+ Capacity Building Component. Under this program the University successfully took part in eight (8) projects, while seven (7) projects are currently being realized. In 2019 the first coordinating projects has been awarded to the University - „Vitalising ICT Relevance in Agricultural Learning – VIRAL“ and which is implemented by the Faculty of Agriculture.

During the past few decades cooperation has been established and developed with many international organizations, specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations, embassies, ministries and other legal entities which is to be intensified in the upcoming period.