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.