Exchange programme leads to improvement of activities in accordance with the European standards of higher education in the area of maritime studies
“First in a row visit to Mircea cel Batran Academy resulted in continuous cooperation in terms of student mobility. Five students from Maritime Faculty in Kotor spent the summer semester 2019/2020 in Romania, while five students from Romania stayed in Kotor during the same period,” coordinator for international cooperation of Maritime faculty in Kotor and professor in the field of Maritime Marketing, Asst. Prof. dr Senka Sekularac Ivosevic said.
At the end of last year, she was on the academic exchange at the Maritime academy Mircea cel Batran in Romania, where she had the most positive experience.
Her motives for participation were experience and competence exchange, improvement of knowledge and competences in the area of professional growth, and forming a team with foreign colleagues for the needs of academic and research work.
“The given opportunity to compare home education institutions in Montenegro with the institutions from the EU member States in the light of educational methods, plans and programs, practical learning, innovative solutions is of immense importance. This type of mobility contributes to raising awareness about individual’s cultural, social and academic European values,” she added.
To participate in a mobility programme, it is necessary to prepare a motivational letter and required documentation that is a part of an objective and selective application process,” Sekularac Ivosevic points out.
Upon the arrival, the coordinator was welcomed by Rector, Dean of the Academy and the closest staff members. Working part of the visit consisted of getting acquainted with the plan and program of Bachelor studies, equipment for practical learning, labs, simulators, Quality and Procedures System, projects, as well as the campus infrastructure in general.
Special attention was given to the realization and evaluation of practical learning.
Also, in accordance with the type of mobility, she and her colleague Assoc. Prof. dr Tatjana Dlabac, Vice-Dean for development and innovations of MFK, gave a remarkable presentation of the UoM and MFK, and research results in the scientific area.
“The presentation about Montenegro and its cultural-historic and tourist attractions aroused special interest,” she said. She added that Romania is a historically and culturally rich country, and she was especially impressed by the visit to Transylvania Castle.
The long tradition of educating the maritime staff, as she says, is a common trait of the Mircea cel Batran and MFK.
“Disciplines studied on academic programmes are in large part comparable, especially when it comes to technical study programmes (Nautics, Marine Engineering, and Marine Electrotechnics), which is the main reason why students use the opportunity for exchange programmes. Besides that, the equipment with tools for practical learning (simulators, laboratories) in both institutions is on a high level, considering different capacities in terms of premises and personnel. According to her, the differences are reflected in the organization structure, taking into consideration that Romanian Academy consists of two structural units: the Faculty for Maritime Engineering and Faculty for Navigation and Shipbuilding,” she explained.
“Moreover, Mircea cel Batran is a Naval Academy, while the Maritime Faculty in Kotor is a structural unit of the University of Montenegro with four academic programmes in accordance with the Bologna system of Bachelor, Master’s and PhD studies,” she added.
A positive example of Academia’s practice is a high level of activity organisation, discipline and dedication as a fundamental organizational value, quality and access to the newest materials in Maritime studies that colleagues selflessly shared with them.
“The experience in the mobility programme brings many benefits both on the personal and professional level. The gained experience will help the improvement of activities in accordance with the European standards of higher education in the area of Maritime studies,” coordinator concludes.
She has the following message for her colleagues and students: “Mobility gives a great opportunity to establish important contacts with matching European universities, expand and improve knowledge and skills, perfect command of foreign language and learn new habits. Therefore, I sincerely recommend exchange programmes to all my colleagues and students.”