Opening of IBCM Building in the North of the Ibar

We are very happy to have inaugurated our brand new building in the north of Mitrovica.  After a renovation that went very speedily, the International Business College Mitrovica is ready to start teaching on 27th September on both sides of the Ibar river.

The building is completely renovated and has three class rooms and seminar space, which are all equipped with Wi-Fi, as well as administrative offices.

The International Business College Mitovica building in the north of the town

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 12th July 2010

  

It was pleasing to see a large group of potential students come and look at the premises and to hear about the IBCM study programme.

Prospective students at the inauguration of the International Business College Mitovica building north of the Ibar river

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 20th July 2010

Student Recuitment

As the clock ticks down to the start of teaching on 27th September, the International Business College Mitrovica is doing a lot of what should be "last minute" recruitment.  Sadly, our experience is that many students are only just now thinking about what, where and how to study.

Whilst this is pretty late in the day, we are finding that a series of coffee afternoons for small groups is helping people form a view on their tertiary education ambitions.  Participants for these intimate, highly focused events are drawn from the networks of existing students or from the people who have made a preliminary enquiry with us but never followed up with an application.

The most recent of these events was held in the Strpce enclave and we were pleased to be able to inform an enthusiastic group about our work.

Students at an informal gathering learning about the new academic year programme at the International Business College Mitrovica

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 10th June 2010

Minister of Education, Enver Hoxhaj visits.

On a more serious note, the International Business College Mitrovica was pleased to host Minister of Education, Enver Hoxhaj, at our premises in the South of Mitrovica in the last week of July. He was accompanied by Mayor Avni Kastrati and a number of high ranking officials.

It was Mr. Hoxhaj's first visit to our institution and he was keen to learn about preparations for the new semester. Discussions ranged widely and included questions relating to the ethic mix of the new intake, co-operation with the Lillebaelt Academy of Higher Professional Education as well as an outline of plans for the building of permanent accommodation for the International Business College Mitrovica.

Mr. Enver Hoxhaj (top left) and Paul Sudnik in conversation at the International Business College Mitovica.

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 28th July 2010

Long Summer Lay Off!

It has been a long summer and just a quick post to get the new academic year off to an explosive start I thought I would include a photo from the end of last semester.  Student humour - but it got a lot of laughs...

Student humour at the International Business College Mitovica!

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 9th July 2010

Working with external stakeholders

Crucial to my understanding of the curriculum is a strategy of successful cooperation with stakeholders from outside the immediate ambit of the International Business College Mitrovica.  With this in mind we organised, during the month of June, two curriculum development workshops and invited external stakeholders to see first hand what we are doing - with a view to offering suggestions on how we might improve.  It was expected that the workshops would provide an opportunity for external input into ideas of what our students learn whilst leading to an understanding of the overall learning outcomes that potential employers expect of our institution.

The first event focused on our Business Studies activities and we were lucky that Martin Lauth, a former head of Tietgen Business School, was able to attend and share his experience of transforming that Danish institution through a radical approach to teaching entrepreneurship.

Martin Lauth explores the possibilities for entrepreneurship at the International Business College Mitovica

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 10th June 2010

I was very pleased that, after the formal presentations, the plenary session saw active and engaged contributions from participants.  It became clear that local businesses support the idea of professional education in Mitrovica and that they really are looking for highly trained graduates to employ in their businesses.  Most important was the fact that several participants did not hesitate to promise placements for internships for students of the International Business College Mitrovica.  Of course, the idea of practical experience is at the heart of our experiential learning curriculum and so internship places are always at a premium.

In time honoured fashion, after a very successful day of intensive discussion on the future of professional higher education, participants all repaired to a local hostelry to reflect on the day's activities!

After a hard days deliberations at the International Business College Mitovica, workshop participants reflect upon the outcomes!

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 10th June 2010

Forum for cities in transition conference held in Mitrovica

Forgive me, but once again there has been an awful lot going on at the International Business College Mitrovica and I have fallen behind in my posting.

I wanted to mention the conference that was recently held in Mitrovica.  Organised by the Forum for Cities in Transition between the 24th and 28th of May, the conference brought together people, primarily members of local government, from divided cities around the world.

Publicity poster for the conference

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 28h May 2010

As you can read from the poster, there were representatives from Belfast, Nicosia and Jerusalem at the conference - but not only; I also met some councilors from Kirkuk in Iraq during one of the sessions.  I will not go into the conference programme or its outcomes, these are not subjects for this blog, but I will mention the fact that the International Business College Mitrovica was delighted to host conference participants for an inauguration ceremony at the site of one of our proposed new buildings.

Site of International Business College Mitrovica building in the  north of the town

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 27h May 2010

 

Guests were welcomed by Momcilo Arlov of the Centre for Civil Society Development in Mitrovica who very kindly talked about his hopes for the International Business College Mitrovica before unveiling an architect model of the building planned for the north of the town.  You can just see the model, covered with a sheet, in the bottom left hand corner of this photograph which was taken before the unveiling!

Momcilo Arlov welcomes guests to the site of the International Business College Mitovica

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 27h May 2010

 

 

Guests discuss the plans for the International Business College Mitrovica

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 27h May 2010

  

It was a very pleasant evening and I felt that the participants were pleased and impressed by what they saw of our institution.  Now we just have to start the construction work!

Update on Sunday's elections in north Mitrovica

Sunday's elections did not go off completely peacefully as this video illustrates - there is clearly a long way to go yet in settling the differences that still exist in Mitrovica - I continue to hope that the International Business College Mitrovica can make a contribution to the achievement of peace and reconciliation.

Election in North Mitrovica

For the last few weeks North Mitrovica has been in the midst of a campaign surrounding local elections organised by the Serbian government.  All the activity culminated with voting held on Sunday 30th May, with polling stations open to 20.00 CET.

The election has been branded "illegal" by Mr. Avdi Kastrati, President of the municipality of Mitrovica and Mr Pieter Feith, EU special representative for Kosovo, has said that the outcome will not be recognised by the Union.

Pieter Feith - European Union Special Representative

Source: FotoNet Archive

Despite the controversy surrounding the elections emanating from Prishtina, there are thirteen lists of candidates on the ballot paper and campaigning has been vigorous.  The NATO peacekeeping mission, KFOR, has offered protection to all peaceful protesters and has said that it will take "all necessary measures" against all violent actions.

Participants in the inaugural conference of the Forum for Cities in Transition, held between 24th and 28th of May in Mitrovica, found themselves having to make an unexpected detour around a noisy campaign meeting, where police held an armed man, as they made their way from one event to another on Tuesday evening.  At the International Business College Mitrovica we have kept to our timetable and have kept up teaching thoughout the campaign period.

Election campaign posters in north Mitrovica

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 28h May 2010

Recruitment Publicity Campaign

As the battle to recruit students for October 2010 hots up among the various providers of higher education, so May becomes the month when they come out onto the streets (the providers, not the students!).

At the International Business College Mitrovica, we have planned a campaign that includes TV and radio advertisements, open days (to be held on 29th May as well as the11th and 12th June) and a series of visits to schools where we have made presentations about the programmes we have on offer.

 

International Business College Mitrovica billboard in Prishtina

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 17h May 2010

As can be seen from this billboard, our campaign is visible and I am pleased to say seems to be having some impact.  We have noticed an increase in interest and registrations since the campaign got to full speed and there is still more to come!

SPACE man visits the International Business College Mitrovica

The International Business College Mitrovica has become an Associate Member of the SPACE network of more than 90 tertiary institutions which are active in the fields of business and language education.  The organisation spans both "old" and "new" Europe and gives the International Business College Mitrovica a window on the world that provides access to a broad and deep pool of experts in the fields of both business and professional education.

We were very pleased to host Dr. Piotr Marek Jaworski in Mitrovica last week.  Dr Jaworski is pictured below with the IBCM management group at our weekly management meeting.

Dr Piotr Marek Jaworski (back row - far right) pictured with the management group of the International Business College Mitrovica 

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 21st May 2010

Piotr is a lecturer at The Business School of Edinburgh Napier University and has been lecturing in Britain since 2003: first at UCL and then at Birkback College.  Before, he worked in Poland at the Warsaw School of Economics and at the Ministry of Finance where he served as an adviser to the Minister involved in the negotiations on Polish accession to the European Union.

During his stay with us, Piotr was able to give two lectures to our students, who impressed him with their questions, and to "sit in" on a lecture in European Studies, which gave him another opportunity to interact with our students and to contribute to discussion from a perspective beyond Mitrovica.

More from Denmark

It was certainly a strange sensation to walk into the senior common room at the Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education in Odense last week and find a whole notice board dedicated to our partnership!  Photographs, articles, maps - in fact everything you would need to know to be fully briefed on cooperation with the International Business College Mitrovica.

It was pleasing to see that the project is causing so much interest among Lillebaelt staff in Denmark - so pleasing in fact that I could not resist taking a photo of Regitze, from the Academy, and Nina, from the IBCM, in front of pictures that are every day sights for us in Mitrovica!

Regitze and Nina at the SCR noticeboard of Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 10th May 2010

 

Thank you Regitze, Rasmus and everyone else who was involved in our very successful visit to Odense last week.  See you in Week 23 when you are back in Mitrovica to teach!!

Timetabling in Denmark

Once again events have made me fall behind plan in terms of posting!  This week I have been in Denmark visiting our partner institution in Odense.

In recent months in Mitrovica we have been focused on fine tuning the academic content of the programmes that we are teaching at the International Business College Mitrovica - but as we begin to think about the intake for October 2010 so it has become imperative for us to consider administrative systems.  It was with this in mind that we visited our colleagues at the Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education.

We spent a significant part of our time reviewing the timetabling methodology that is used in Denmark.  They too have a puzzling timetabling algorithm to resolve every semester because of the complexity of their teaching timetable.  When you consider that at the IBCM we run two buildings and have a staff from both north and south of Mitrovica (some of whom are part-time employees) then the parameters of our own timetabling problem become clear!

It was also good to talk about day to day administrative matters with those involved in the project at the Danish end - all in all we had an intensive and productive visit and it was good to take the opportunity to relax whenever it presented itself - as the below picture shows!

Nina and Rasmus enjoy lunch in the student canteen of the Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 10th May 2010

Public recognition for the IBCM

On the wall of my office there now hangs, in pride of place, a certificate awarded to the International Business College Mitrovica for the best customer service at the recent education fair in Prishtina (see my post of 10th April).

Everyone worked very hard to make the fair a success but I think that our team went above and beyond the call of duty - as the judges recognied.  It was noticeable that everyone who worked on the stand was highly motivated and, most importantly, that they smiled a lot and were not shy when talking to visitors.  Working on a stand at a fair is tough work but it is worth it when it is recognised by such a prestigious award such as this!

Arbenita, Valon and Ardita admire the framed certificate earned by their effort!

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 4th May 2010

Missing from the photo is Ivica who was already visiting some more schools in the region, where he was meeting and informing more potential students about the International Business College Mitrovica!

Thanks to you all and well done!

Recruiting a pilot cohort

Much of what I have written about in recent weeks has been about the current recruitment drive to attract students to the IBCM for the new academic year starting in October 2010.  However, from a historical perspective, we have already had a very busy time recruiting at the beginning of this year because we had made the decision to start with a pilot cohort in the spring semester of 2010.

It was important for us to begin teaching at the International Business College Mitrovica as soon as possible because I am convinced that the best argument supporting the choice of a college for new students is for them to see a functioning institution where they can meet contemporaries who are already benefiting from what is being offered.  As a result of this decision to start teaching early, there was a major push to put the IBCM on the map of student perception during January to March - not a traditional time for starting undergraduate studies!

However, with a lot of work from the whole team (as usual - thanks to them all!) we succeeded in putting together a high profile and very effective publicity campaign that revolved around the following activities:

1. Providing English lessons, given by native speaker teachers, to potential students
2. Meetings with student groups and their parents arranged by NGOs in the field
3. Publicity on local radio in Albanian, English, Serbian and Turkish
4. An intensive campaign on Kosovo television - the clip is shown below

As a result of some very energetic campaigning, which generated over 4000 registrations for places at the International Business College Mitrovica, we were able to invite candidates to an entrance examination in mid February and then to fill the places on our pilot cohort from 1st March 2010!

So as we approach another round of admissions, our second in 2010, it does feel as if we have gathered a lot of valuable experience in the recruitment of students to start up tertiary institutions!

Designing our curriculum

I have been so busy working on recruitment and on "building the brand" of the International Business College Mitrovica in recent weeks that most of my posts have been diary events and I seem to have drifted off telling the background story of how we have got where we are today.  In this post I want to talk about the curriculum that we are offering and how this decision, that is central to defining the character of the IBCM, was made.

In March of 2009 a study mission was undertaken by four international experts in higher education and they spend some time in Kosovo looking at how tertiary education was developing here and where gaps in delivery could be identified.  They worked from the basis that these are three main objectives for the IBCM:

1. Private sector development and job creation to meet the needs of the labour market
2. Potential integration within the European Union (EU)
3. Bridging the communities in Mitrovica in the medium to long term 

The authors came to the conclusion that there was a paucity of data on what they called the "market" for higher education in Kosovo but they identified the fields of Business Studies, Public Administration and Environmental Protection as areas in which skills are and would be needed in the future as the Kosovan economy develops.  They also felt that entry to the Kosovo work place occured most frequently after the completion of Bachelors or Masters degrees but the team formed the impression that graduates often lacked general skills that are required in the work place in the early 21st Century.

The authors concluded that an institution positioned at Level 5B of the UNESCO International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) would go some way to filling an obvious gap in tertiary education provision.  The team drew attention to the UNESCO outline of the distinguishing features of a "5B" programme which says that:

"...the distinction between long stream and short stream programmes is very important.  The long stream programmes (5A) are more theoretical and can lead to advanced research programmes or a profession with high skill requirements. The short streams (5B) are more practically oriented." UNESCO, ISCED, 1997, Para 85.

The authors made a very clear recommendation that the International Business College Mitrovica focus on delivering programmes in English, as a unifying language and that a flexible curriculum be offered to ensure continued relevance to a broad range of potential students from various communities and countries in the region.  They recommended a diploma course as a foundation with the option to "top-up" to a Bachelors degree.  Importantly, there was a clear view that the IBCM should aim at house style that would be based on student centred learning and participative teaching.

This approach represents a very big step in the environment of Mitrovica but I am confident that today, as we teach exclusively in English and as we offer a 120 ECTS Diploma course with a possible top-up of 90 ECTS to a Bachelors degree in Business Studies, Public Administration and Agriculture with Envionmental Protection, that we have laid the foundations for a truly high quality, internationally oriented curriculum.

 

Information Event in Prizren

Some fifty final year high school pupils attended an information event held at Gjimnazi Gjon Buzuku in Prizren, Kosovo on 14th April.  They were able to discuss entrance requirements, curriculum choices and ECTS details of the diplomas and degrees on offer at the International Business College Mitrovica.  They were also informed about the wide range of scholarships that are available.

  

Paul Sudnik, Director of the IBCM, with some potential students from Prizren

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 14th April 2010

In addition to handing out prospectuses and answering questions, Paul Sudnik also provided a practical demonstration of how teaching methods at the International Business College Mitrovica aim to promote group activities and "out of the box" thinking.  First, participants took part in an activitiy aimed at illustrating how teams and groups confer leadership depending on the task at hand.  Later they had some fun making paper aeroplanes and competing as individuals against the whole group for prizes that included a bottle of Coke and a bar of chocolate - there is no doubt that there are some competitive people in Prizren!

Potential students meet Paul Sudnik, Director of the IBCM, in Prizren and have some fun together!

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 14th April 2010

The students had many questions about studying in English - but it was clear that those who are serious about applying to the International Business College Mitrovica already have a strong foundation in the language from which to work.  Dr Sudnik made clear that each week, throughout their time at the IBCM, they would have three English lessons of ninety minutes duration.  It is expected that all students will take the Cambridge First Certificate examination at the end of their first year.

More Scholarships for the IBCM

As the recruitment season heats up, so interest in the International Business College Mitrovica continues to increase amongst local authorities as well as representatives of industry.  On 12th April, the Mayor of Vranje, a town in Southern Serbia with a population of some 55,000, declared that his office will sponsor a student from the town at the IBCM.  His offer was matched by Iwana Stosic, the Director of the Business Incubator Centre Vranje, and the joint announcement was made at a press conference at the offices of Yumco A.D. - a significant employer in the town and a manufacturer of textile goods.

Mr Miroljub Stojcic, Mayor of Vranje, with Ms Iwana Stosic, Director of the Business Incubator Centre Vranje, announce two scholarships for the IBCM - as representatives of Yumco A.D. look on together with Paul Sudnik, Director of the IBCM.

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 12th April 2010

This is excellent news for the IBCM since, as well as Yumco A.D., a number of manufacturing companies are located in Vranje and graduates of the International Business College Mitrovica will be uniquely placed to implement their practical professional knowledge with these firms - both during mandatory internship periods and eventually as potential employees.  Vranje also has a large Roma population who are a core recruitment target for the IBCM.

The historical association of the town with the process of wealth creation goes back to the time when it was an important Ottoman trading centre.  This history is reflected in the architecture and general atmosphere of the town - which to this day boasts an excellent restaurant in a building that housed a harem until as recently as 1912!

 

A view of Vranje in the early 20th Century and the historical land mark White Bridge.

Source: ©Google Images - 16th  April 2010

Support of the Minister of Education for the IBCM

The International Business College Mitrovica is receiving significant encouragement from important political quarters in both Albanian and Serbian communities of Kosovo. This is manifesting itself in a number of meetings in support of our activities.

Most recently, on the 2nd April 2010, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Mr Enver Hoxhaj, invited the directors of high schools across the country to a briefing about the IBCM which, unusually, was held in the building of the Ministry itelf as an indication of governmental commitment to the project.

Mr Enver Hoxhaj, Minister of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Kosovo, and Dr. Paul Sudnik, Director of the IBCM, meet high school directors from across Kosovo

Source: ©Valentina Qarri - 2nd April 2010

The Minister spoke at length about the transformation of tertiary education in Kosovo and his hope that the IBCM model of international quality professional higher education would lead the way in the evolution of post secondary education in Kosovo.  He made clear that the 2 year diploma and 3 year degree offered by the International Business College Mitrovica is crucial to the job prospects of young people in Kosovo.

Following a presentation of the IBCM by Paul Sudnik, and a lengthy question and answer session, the Minister closed the meeting by suggesting that representatives of the IBCM visit all high schools around Kosovo to ensure that pupils are well informed about the educational possibilities offered by the IBCM.  He was reassured that such meetings would take place at convenient times in all schools before the matura examinations in June. 

Prishtina Education Fair

Pupils from around Kosovo had the opportunity to get information on institutions of tertiary education at the Prishtina Education Fair that took place from 31st March to 2nd April 2010.  Naturally, the International Business College Mitrovica had a prominent stand and we were able to talk to over one thousand individual visitors over the three days, each of whom was eager to get a prospectus and application form.

Dr. Paul Sudnik, Director of the IBCM, and Valentina Quarri, Head of Office for Spark in Prishtina, open the International Business College Mitrovica Stand at the Prishtina Education Fair

Source: ©Suad Selimi - 31st March 2010

Apart from the IBCM stand, visitors were able to get to know the possibilities offered by the American University Kosovo, Kolegji Victory Prishtina and American College University amongst others. We were delighted that so many young people felt it important to visit the fair so as to be to make informed decisions about their future education.  They were helped in this by the International Business College Mitrovica team who were able to answer most of the questions that came up.

The enthusiastic information team at the International Business College Mitrovica Stand at the Prishtina Education Fair

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 31st March 2010

I myself was present for two of the three days of the fair and must say that I was impressed by the enthusiasm and questions that were asked by the visitors.

Moving into temporary premises

We started teaching on 1st March 2010 in temporary premises in both of our locations.  I say "temporary", but in fact the facilities that we have in the south of Mitrovica would already be the envy of many an institution in western Europe or the USA.  We have been held up a little in the north of the town, but I fully expect to be able to offer the same quality of teaching accomodation to students at both campuses by the middle of May 2010.

When I first saw the building in the south, in early December 2009, it had unplastered walls and the windows had just been installed.  There were no internal partitions, no heating and the wiring had not been undertaken.  The floors were raw concrete and, basically, we could do anything we wanted in the way of final design!

The International Business College Mitrovica team, together with the owner of the building, worked very hard throughout the winter to create a lay-out, establish infrastructure connections and design and manufacture all the required furniture for a school building.  It seems easy, but the amount of detail in a tough project timetable that included basic building work (e.g. plastering of walls and putting in false ceilings) and final details (e.g. hanging beamers from ceilings and arranging janitorial services) is phenomenal.  Lennard, our Operations Manager, was at the forefront of this activity and deserves particular thanks.  Take a bow, Len!

  Source: ©Thom Van Der Veen - 1st March 2010

The take over of the building in the south of Mitrovica on 15th February was one of the early landmark moments in the history of the development of the institution.  I was very proud of all the work that went into the building and for perhaps the first time, much of the planning began to take on the feeling of becoming real!

For the moment then, our students in the south are in a state of the art building boasting four classrooms with plenty of natural light and four large working areas for less formal group work.  We have a library and the whole building is set up with Wi-Fi Internet connection and in all can accomodate over 90 students.  It really is a pleasure to work in this environment - even if it is only "temporary"!

The main entrance to the temporary south building of the International Business College Mitrovica and a project group hard at it in one of the four working areas

Source: ©Thom Van Der Veen - 1st March 2010

Toplica Region provides scholarships for IBCM

Although the International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM) is located in a district that is teaming with young people, our catchment area encompasses not only this town but the surrounding region, both north and south of the river Ibar as well as the Serbian enclaves of Kosovo and South Serbia itself.  This geographical and cultural spread provides us with something of a challenge when publicising the activities of the IBCM and the opportunities that it offers.

We try to maintain good relationships with local government authorities in all the places that our students come from and we have particularly good links with the region of Toplice in South Serbia and the regional commissioner, Mr Srdan Jordacijevic.  We were very pleased when he agreed to make a scholarship available for an IBCM student resident in the region.

The selection will be made in late June and will be based on an essay competition in which candidates are asked to explain how studying at the IBCM will allow them to return and contribute to the economic regeneration of their home town.

To mark the occassion I participated in a press conference with Mr. Jordacijevic on 25th March and was pleased that journalists from the four main Serbian newspapers were present together with a crew from the local television station.  The resultant news report (in Serbian) can be seen below:

Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education

One of my first actions upon starting with the International Business College Mitrovica was to finalise the selection of a partner institution which would validate our diplomas and degrees.  It was clear that this needed to be a European institution that had embraced the Bologna Accord which aims to harmonise 40 different European higher education systems within a framework of a consistent credit and grading system.

Following a tender process, and the review of applications from four European countries, we were able to settle on the Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education from Odense in Denmark.  The Academy is a relatively new construct that brings together three existing institutions that are located around the Lillebaelt sound.  Their striking logo represents the spectacular bridge that makes travelling from Odense to Copenhagen a lot easier than it was in the past!

You have to admit there is a resemblance!

Source: Google Image Search "Lillebaelt Bridge" - 30th March 2010

An excellent working relationship is being established between our institutions and the International Business College Mitrovica is today able to offer Academy Professional diplomas that represent an achievement of 120 ECTS (or 4 semesters study) and Bachelor of Arts degrees with a value of 210 ECTS (or 7 semesters study).

It is important to stress that all our teaching in Mitrovica is in English and this requires a high level of preparation by prospective students of the International Business College Mitrovica.  Our programmes replicate exactly those taught in Denmark where the Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education has significant experience in delivering a wide range of business education in English to students from around the world.

Both AP and BA certifications are issued by Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education and provide our graduates with a unique chance to get a European education and degree without leaving their home region.

Politics to the fore.

 Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 24th March 2010

Tensions in the divided city of Mitrovica run at around medium to high most of the time - but are not always evident as one goes about one's day to day business.  Indeed, for most of the period that I have been here (5 months at the time of writing) "you wouldn't know if you didn't know" how bad things have been in the past.

However, last week there was a major rally in the North (Serbian) part of the town against the so called integration strategy which the Prishtina government is apparently going to try to implement, against the will of the Serbian community, but with the support of the International Civilian Office (whose purpose is to provide international support for a European future for Kosovo).

As ever, things are complicated and almost illegible for the uninitiated (which includes me for the most part, I must say) but on the principle that a picture tells a thousand words, I thought that some illustrations of what was for the most part a peaceful rally might give a flavour of the Mitrovica environment in which the International Business College Mitrovica is developing.

 Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 24th March 2010

After arriving at the main road junction that passes for the main square in the North of Mitrovica (the original, and truly, main square being to the south of the river Ibar that divides Mitrovica) the marchers gathered round a tribune for some powerful speeches that denounced not only the integration plan but also the eleven week long Nato bombing of Serbia in 1999, which the BBC confirms was the largest military operation ever undertaken by NATO and the first time it had used force agains a sovereign state without UN approval.  I will admit that although I felt safe at the rally I did not feel entirely welcome and was quite happy when the demonstrators finally moved off again to complete their protest.

Source: ©Paul Sudnik - 24th March 2010

As far as the future of the integration plan for Mitrovica is concerned - we shall see, but it might be worth recalling the bombing that, eleven years later, is clearly still a festering sore in the psychy of many Serbs.

Source: Google Image Search "Bombing of Serbia" - 29th March 2010

A potted history 2

These first posts will try to compress the activity of five months into a few words.  Suffice it to say that in that in very short space of time, we built on the foundations laid by a large group of people over a two year period - but essentially since my first day on the job in early November 2009 we succeeded in:

• Linking up with a Danish partner who will validate our undergraduate programmes
• Contracting temporary premises to tide us over until our main campuses are built
• Designing programmes in three areas of study
• Recruiting pilot cohorts in North and South Mitrovica
• Kicking off teaching on 1st March 2010

I will provide more of the history of each of these key activities before the detail slips my mind!

A potted history 1

The idea of establishing Mitrovica as an academic centre of excellence has been discusses in various fora at least since the first Wilton Park - ESI Mitrovica conference in January 2004.  A dutch NGO under the name of SPARK then began working with the idea around 2007.

Political sensitivites were well to the fore in all early discussions - it was felt by all stakeholders, both North and South of the river Ibar, that any such institution should be self sustainable.  Thus a feasability study was carried out by the Dutch NGO which indicated that a foundation for a institution of tertiary education existed in Mitorvica.  It was a change of emphasis from designing a purely academic institution, which might be labelled a "university", to working on establishing a more "vocationally" based college that proved to be the key that unlocked the door of progress.

Since 2008, work has gathered pace to design both soft and hard assests for the burgeoning college as well as to fund its early years of operation.

Getting Started

In common with many bloggers whose work I have followed over the years, I am reticent about starting on this venture! How long will I keep it up? Can I have anything interesting to say? My involvement in an exciting education project since November 2009 has finally made me decide to take the leap!

So much has happened in the intervening five months that it would be a shame not to record the progress of the International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM) in words and pictures. So, I hope to use this blog to record the evolution of the project as well as my own reflections on tertiary education in post conflict environments. Perhaps this remit will change as time goes on - but that is my thinking as I start on this blogging adventure.