Rector of the University of Montenegro Looked Back on Results Achieved in Previous Year
Rector of the University of Montenegro, Danilo Nikolic, PhD, looked back on results achieved by the University of Montenegro in 2019 in his speech held in Solemn Session of the Senate of the University of Montenegro on December 21st 2019.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to express a great pleasure for results achieved in the year where we celebrated four and a half decades of teaching, scientific and artistic creation on the University of Montenegro.
In this year, we have adopted, for the first time, the Development Strategy for defining a five year development plan and strategic priorities of our University. Strengthening internationalization and competitiveness or increase of international transparency and comparability within the European space of higher education and European research space present strategic vision and development paradigm of the University MNE. The Development Strategy has systematized activities, strategic aims and key indicators of excellence through structural orientation to five priority areas: teaching process, science and research, international cooperation, University and surroundings and organization and resources.
We continuously work on quality and innovation of teaching process, i.e. development of modern study programs with market applicable and internationally comparable learning outcomes. We are dedicated to further development of teaching process through amendments of rules of studying on undergraduate and postgraduate studies, through initiated process of optimization of study programs and through preparation for introducing combined methods of teaching. For purposes of increasing incoming and outgoing mobility, for the first time we have recognized modules of courses in English within existing study programs, we started preparations for accreditation of study programs in English as well as programs of lifelong learning.
In cooperation with the Council of Europe, the University of Montenegro has received the Certificate in the field of Academic Integrity, awarded by the International Institute for Research and Acting against Academic Fraud and Plagiarism in Geneva. According to the Law on Academic Integrity, in this year we have passed new Code of Ethics and formed a new body, Ethical Committee instead of the by now Court of Honor.
The University from its own Development Fund, has allocated funds for teaching infrastructure renovation to organization units in the amount higher than total allocation for the past 10 years. More exactly, in this year we have allocated over million euros for investment sustainability of facilities, for computer and teaching equipment as well as for maintenance and procurement of new furniture for the needs of amphitheaters, classrooms, libraries and reading rooms.
During 2019, there has been a substantial increase of citation of our scientists in Google Scholar, that in December amounted over 103.000 which is increase for even 83.000 in relation to initiation of the campaign for increase of transparency of research activity of the University in the end of 2017 and for 46 percent higher than last year for the same period. The University continuously develops incentive mechanisms for employees who contribute to development of scientific thought of and academic competitiveness in international frames.
In terms of stimulating scientific excellence, the University provided from its own funds, for the first time, access to the Web of Science Scientific Base from all fields of science, with more than 33.000 indexed journals. There has been adoption of amendments of the Rulebook on Procedure, Evaluation Terms and Awarding Employees for Special Contribution to Development and International Positioning of the University of Montenegro that awards for the first time international recognition of scientific results through: citation, review of scientific papers, editing in scientific journals and successful project application. For awarding employees for exquisite scientific results we have extracted over 250.000 Euros in this year.
We have adopted the Strategy of Human Resources in Research and Action Plan by which we created conditions for applying for Logo of Excellence, a prestigious acknowledgment of the European Commission, for excellence in research.
There has not been lack of participation by our scientists and students in world, European and national scientific, teaching, artistic conferences where they came from with new knowledge, experiences and acknowledgments for successful work and results.
Dedicated work of our employees has resulted in increase of international transparency of our University also in academic rank lists. The University MNE for the first time is among the best world universities according to the renowned Times Higher Education ranking, where we are sorted in input category of 1300 best universities according to general criteria. When it comes to certain scientific areas, the University in the field of physics is sorted in category 801+, while in the field of engineering and technological sciences is the best ranked, in category 601-800 best universities. When it comes to ranking of the University of Montenegro according to transparency on the web we make a continuous progress. According to the latest ranking of Webometrics from July this year we have been ranked on the best position so far.
We constantly work on expansion of international cooperation that provides to students and all employees a credit, professional and research mobility on more than 200 universities from over 30 countries worldwide. We have specified operational support to mobility programs by adoption of new Rules on International Staff Mobility.
In this year we have achieved so far the greatest success regarding international project application, before all from the program Erasmus plus and Interreg program of cross-border cooperation. In 2019 the University of Montenegro has, within Erasmus + program Capacity Building in Higher Education, for the first time got 3 coordinating projects which is at the same time maximum allowed number of coordinating projects per institution. Next to coordinating, we got 5 new projects in terms of partner institution, out of which 2 provided us to participate for the first time in Erasmus+ fields related to partnerships and cooperation in sport and non-profit European sport events.
We have also been very successful in regard with pre-accession Interreg programs of cross—border and transnational cooperation. We got 3 projects within call by Interreg IPA and 2 projects within Interreg MED program.
Amount of allocated funds to our University from these two programs is almost 2.5 million Euros. If we consider awarded significant national projects, we get the figure of over 3.1 million Euros gained for financing projects on the University of Montenegro in 2019. Having in mind that in 2017 this income was only 430.000 euros, we conclude that we have increased income from project activity for over 6 times.
The University of Montenegro organized in the year that passed us numerous scientific conferences, guest visits of referential home and foreign scientists, lecturers and experts, various social, cultural and sport manifestations and events. We have participated in numerous socially responsible activities, among which I would especially underline actions of promoting environmental awareness, i.e. spatial ennobling and revitalization of green areas of university campuses.
Only for the last year in campus of technical faculties we have planted over 200 new seedlings. I would emphasize action where 25 rectors of state universities have planted olive seedlings when the University of Montenegro hosted Rector Forum of Southeast Europe and Western Balkans in May this year, as well as action carried out in cooperation with the Office for European Integrations where we have recently planted first 50 trees on a newly formed green area of 4000 m2 within the campus of technical faculties.
In cooperation with the Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Science, we have founded the first Science and Technological Park. We believe that the Science and Technological park of Montenegro will be the place for encouraging cooperation and strengthening synergy among science sector, economic sector, local community and public institutions with the aim to create stimulating ambient that will result in strengthening competitiveness of Montenegrin economics.
The University of Montenegro, as one of fundamental institutions of Montenegrin education, science and culture, recognizes importance of social issues in terms of national identity, multicultural, dialogue and tolerance, human rights and freedoms with the aim to promote authentic virtues and sustainable development of Montenegrin society and state.
We have recently organized Round Table on the current topic Diaspora, identity and migrations – possibilities and challenges that present inception for series of open tables, tribunes, and dialogues, to be organized under the University of Montenegro named Montenegro 2030.
The University of Montenegro has awarded an honorable PhD title in this year. To Mister Miroslav Lajcak, the Minister of External Affairs of Slovakia, has been awarded by honorable doctorate for promotion of democratic virtues and multicultural dialogue or for contribution to connecting academic communities and strengthening relations between our two countries.
The University will also circle this year successfully with following criteria of rational management, operational and financial efficiency. The Government and University of Montenegro, in accordance with importance of higher education as foundation of economic growth and social development of the country are constantly working on improvement of university infrastructure and resources so our students, professors and researchers have quality working conditions so to achieve results as better as possible.
Development projects, scientific excellence and international affirmation of the University significantly depend on sustainable model of budget financing. Signed Agreement on Financing between the University and Government of Montenegro is grounded on criteria of excellence of the University in the field of education, teaching, research and resource management that are successfully implemented in 2019.
Next to own investments of over million Euros into teaching infrastructure, we have started the process of digitalization of the University. Information System Centre is equipped with the state of art servers, the network speed has been significantly increased, free academic network Eduroam has been established, DMS is established (document management system). There have been efforts made on development of electronic Index and electronic service as well as uploading new System for e-learning.
We responsibly handle improvement of professional, material and social status of employees on the University. A year ago we have started the initiative for amendment of Collective Agreement so earnings of employees on the University would come closer to earnings of employees in the Public Sector. During negotiations with the Ministry of Education and Union of the University there was high level of agreement with our proposals in accordance with strategical development of the University. We have managed to enter our requirements partially into amendments of the Collective Agreement and most significant changes are related to increase of basic earnings to all employees in the amount of 9% + 3% for the next two years and forming a special budget fund for supporting scientific, innovative and project activities in the University of Montenegro.
In this year we have adapted the Strategy for Meeting Housing Needs by allocating funds and Strategy for Meeting Housing Needs by providing living space under beneficial conditions and adequate rulebooks. In a few days we will announce the Competition for Meeting Housing Needs with allocating funds provided by the Housing Fund in the amount of about two million euros amounted from selling part of housing areas and land in the property of the University. Also, we have directed to the Government of Montenegro to consider Proposal for Building new housing units within DUP University Centre. We expect in the second half of the next year construction of new housing units to start.
Dear guests, colleagues and students
We have stated only part of greatest achievements in this year. Obviously many things have been done in accordance with strategic development and operational business but that is not an excuse to in the year ahead delay with new challenges and successes directed to ensuring teaching and scientific quality of our University as well as its academic competitiveness and international affirmation.
Hereby I thank to our professors, researchers, associates for everyday contribution to improvement of quality, dignity of our profession and successful branding our institution in our country and wider.
I thank to our students for promoting value of knowledge, working discipline and socially responsible behavior. I thank to partners and friends of the University for their support and trust, for productive cooperation and sharing joint vision of the University of Montenegro as well as universities of European perspective and Montenegrin future.
It is my special pleasure to have the opportunity to directly thank to prominent individuals and members of winning team. Today professors and students are with us who with their dedicated work and exquisite results deserved to be the best being recorded in history of the University of Montenegro as carriers of this-year’s plaques and acknowledgements for achieved results.
I congratulate to awarded colleagues professors, researchers and students in my personal behalf and behalf of the University of Montenegro wishing that this acknowledgment ‘bonds’ them for better results and motivate for greater success in the forthcoming period.