Dusko Bjelica, PhD, president of GBUM for RTV Niksic: University of Montenegro currently achieves the best results in its history
Dusko Bjelica, PhD, as a guest at morning program on radio and television Niksic, amng other thing announced that in past two years University of Montenegro achieves the best results in its history in all working segments of this higher education institution.
Segments from professor Bjelica’s interview.
*University of Montenegro advanced for 143 places on last ranking of world universities according to web visibility. What that fact tells us?
DUSKO BJELICA, PhD : Working at University of Montenegro is diverse and multi-layered, includes educational activities, improvement of teaching process, scientific, innovative and project activity. Scientist at University of Montenegro are specially dedicated to work on admirable scientific results, scientific publications in top scientific journals and increasing global impact of these scientific results in world through citation of works of our scientists. Further, we just got seven Erasmus+ projects for capacity building in higher education. Therefor this latest ranking showed that our academic community constantly improves its results and takes significant place even competing much larger universities and environments.
Continuous investment in scientific quality and development, University of Montenegro systematically works on international visibility increment and better positioning on world rankings.
In July 2020, Webometrics announced ranking list of the best world universities according to web visibility on which University of Montenegro is ranked at 1899th place of over 30 000 universities, which represents the best position so far.
When it comes to other ranking lists, University of Montenegro achieved the greatest success by ranking at Times Higher Education list where it was classified among 351-400 world young universities, up to 50 years old.
This result proves constant progress of University of Montenegro in past two years, if we take into account fact that University of Montenegro was ranked at 3347th place on Webometrics two years ago (https://www.ucg.ac.me/objava/blog/10/objava/50211-univerzitet-crne-gore-napredovao-za-jos-275-mjesta-na-poslednjem-rangiranju-svjetskih-univerziteta-prema-webometrics-u).
Today University of Montenegro is ranked at 1899th place which represents progress of 1448 places behind which stands effort and improvement of University of Montenegro.
The success is more significant if is tanked in account that this ranking contained 30 000 universities in world, 2000 more compared to the previous one from January 2020.
I would especially highlight huge effort of rector Nikolic and his closest associates which gave evident results in internationalisation of University of Montenegro. The same goes for its positioning.
*It is certain that this information is even more important taking into account all challenges University of Montenegro confronted in previous months caused by corona virus situation?
DUSKO BJELICA, PhD : I would highlight significant fact, our academic community was provided, from our own development fund, by free access to WoS – Web of Science data base, the best and the largest scientific citation base with over 33 000 indexed journals.
In scientific research production of University of Montenegro, there is significant increase of number of works published in scientific bases. Also, increase of number of our scientist citation in Google Scholar. Currently, the number of our scientist citation in Google Scholar is about 131 000. It is seven times more compared to start of the increment of scientific visibility campaign at the end of 2017.
Even though it was not simple to organize work from home and to adapt to new circumstances in short period of time, we think that through significantly increased efforts succeeded to maintain continuity of activities and in addition to the difficulties achieve progress. Situation we found ourselves in in some segments motivated us to work more in order to easier get through previous period.
*Functioning of all university units, primarily commitment of teaching stuff and the students themselves, confirm that this educational institution is working quality and that contemporary trends in teaching are followed?
DUSKO BJELICA, PhD : We are constantly working on modernization of teaching process and raising the culture of quality in all segments of our work. Following contemporary trends in teaching process performance, we work on introduction of many mechanisms, primarily in presentation method, and technique of mastering the material, all the way to usage of contemporary digital technology in teaching process.
We innovated basic and new master study programs, with curriculum changes to 30 ECTS, with aim of harmonization with labor market needs, that is, with needs of optimization of some of the programs. In the coming study year, awaits us enviable reaccreditation of whole University. We want to adjust all study programs to the latest international standards and labor market needs.
*This situation may have influenced to pay more attention to digital community development in Montenegro, to application of contemporary technology in teaching…
DUSKO BJELICA, PhD : University of Montenegro in previous two years worked intensively on development of many digital services, primarily in teaching but also in document management and administration, student services etc. The biggest step forward was made in last few months for sure, because we transferred complete teaching on online platforms, virtual classrooms, provided digital form of literature, developed electronic student enrollment system, and completely confronted with situation just with help of contemporary information and communication technologies.
Digital transformation of teaching process activities, administrative procedures and student services are in progress. We introduced internet Eduroam academic network, which enables our students free internet usage in the premises of University of Montenegro and in all world universities on which they will stay. By digitizing the student support system, email account for all students is enabled, and work on development of electronic index, electronic services and modernization of e-learning system is in progress.
During process of digital transformation, teaching process appeared as invaluable significant in extraordinary conditions caused by pandemic of COVID-19. We succeeded in short period of time in adjustment of complete teaching via digital platforms, with support of CIS of University of Montenegro. This year enrollment deadline of new freshmen is organized thanks to new digital platforms created on University of Montenegro. In that way we avoided challenges which may possibly be caused during enrollment over 3500 of new students.
Beforehand, besides investments in digitalization process, we started with significant investment in teaching infrastructure of organizational units of the University. Only in 2019 we set aside 1,1 million euros of our own resources for investment maintenance of facilities, computer and teaching equipment, equipping the amphitheaters, classrooms, libraries and reading rooms.
This situation had influence at digital community development, so University of Montenegro scheduled to enable besides standard teaching principles some new digital technologies for upcoming period and its standardization. Since autumn besides Moodle platform there will be enabled BigBlueBatun addition which makes possible video conferences in Moodle platform.
To conclude, University of Montenegro received Certificate of academic integrity from International institute for research and work on prevention of dishonorable academic conduct and plagiarism from University in Geneva (IRFPA), which was preceded by comprehensive work and adoption of measures at University of Montenegro.