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: