diploma supplement model for bosnia and herzegovina - Council of ...

DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT MODEL 

FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 

Preface: 

This model of a Diploma Supplement for Bosnia and Herzegovina was developed on the 

basis of the recommendations of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and 

UNESCO/CEPES. 

The purpose of the Diploma Supplement is to provide sufficient independent data to improve 

the international ‘transparency’ and fair academic and professional recognition of 

qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates etc.). 

The Diploma Supplement is designed to provide a description of the nature, level, context, 

content and status of the studies that were pursued and successfully completed by the 

individual named on the original qualification to which this supplement is appended. 

Every student graduating as from 2005 should receive the Diploma Supplement 

automatically and free of charge in a widely spoken European language. 

The Diploma Supplement should be free from any value judgements, equivalence 

statements or suggestions for recognition. Information in all eight sections should be 

provided. Where information is not provided, an explanation should give reasons why. 

This document was elaborated in the frame of the joint project of 

the European Commission and the Council of Europe 

"Strengthening Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina" 

and approved by the project’s Steering Board at its session on 5 June 2007.

DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT MODEL FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 

1. INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE HOLDER OF THE QUALIFICATION 

1.1 Family Name: 

1.2 First Name: 

1.3 Date, Place, Country of Birth: 

1.4 Number/Code of Student or student card: 

2. INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE QUALIFICATION 

2.1 Name of the Qualification (Full, Abbreviated): 

Name of Title (Full, Abbreviated): 

2.2 Main Field(s) of Study for the Qualification: 

2.3 Name of the Institution Awarding the Qualification: 

Status (Type/Control) 

2.4 Name of the Institution Administering the Studies: 

Status (Type/Control): 

2.5 Language(s) of Instruction/Examination: 

3. INFORMATION ON THE LEVEL OF THE QUALIFICATION 

3.1 Level of the Qualification: 

3.2 Official Length and workload of the Programme: 

3.3 Access Requirement(s): 

4. INFORMATION ON THE CONTENTS AND RESULTS GAINED 

4.1 Mode of Study: 

4.2 Program Requirements: 

4.3 Program Details: 

4.4 Grading Scheme, Grade distribution guidance 

4.5 Overall Classification: 

5. INFORMATION ON THE FUNCTION OF THE QUALIFICATION 

5.1 Access to Further Study: 

5.2 Professional Status: 

6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

6.1 Additional Information: 

6.2 Additional Information Sources: 

2

7. CERTIFICATION OF THE SUPPLEMENT 

7.1 Date 

7.2 Signature 

7.3 Capacity 

7.4 Official Stamp/Seal 

8. INFORMATION ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM 1 

As a member country of the Bologna Process Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is presently 

undergoing far reaching reforms to join the European Area of Higher Education by 2010. 

At the same time the state of BiH has a complex administrative set up dividing legislative 

and administrative authority for education regionally as well as among various governing 

levels. Alone 13 legislative bodies 2 are competent for enacting the relevant legislation. 

Therefore the higher education system at times varies from one part of the country to the 

other. 

At present (May 2007), there are 8 public universities and 22 private higher education 

institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 3 All institutions must be licensed by the ministry of 

education in charge for the region in which the higher education institution is situated 4 . 

Some progress has been made with the introduction of internal and external quality 

assurance mechanisms at most higher education institutions and first legal stipulations 

for external accreditation are in place in parts of BiH. However, a countrywide 

accreditation system is not yet in place in BiH. 

8.1 ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION 

Applicants for higher education are required to have successfully accomplished 

secondary education comprising 4 years of full time schooling. The credential that entitles 

for application is the ‘svjedodžba o zavrženoj srednjoj školi’ (certificate on completion of 

secondary education). 

1 This Section must be regularly updated by and the update accessible to all higher education 

institutions in BiH. The update is usually made by the national ENIC or NARIC centre and published 

on its website. Prior to the establishment of the BiH ENIC at state level this task should be 

accomplished by the Ministry in charge of higher education at state level.. 

2 Governmental authorities of the state of BiH are further divided among 2 first-order administrative 

divisions: the Republika Srpska and the Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina, the latter being subdivided 

into 10 Cantons. In addition to these two entities, BiH comprises the internationally supervised Brčko 

District, an administrative unit under the sovereignty of the state of BiH. Legislative competences in 

education are attributed to the BiH Parliament, the Republika Srpska National Assembly, the 

Parliament of the Federation of BiH, the 10 Cantonal Assemblies and the District Brčko Assembly. 

3 These figures require regular updating. 

4 In BiH, 11 ministries of education (one in Republika Srpska and ten in the ten Cantons of the 

Federation of BiH) have full competence over education including higher education. In Brčko District, 

the Department for Education of Brčko District has full competence over education. At state level, the 

Ministry for Civil Affairs is mandated to coordinate educational policy witin the country. The Ministry of 

Education and Science of the FBIH has decision making competences to adopt standards and 

regulations for higher education and is responsible to coordinate between the 10 cantonal ministries of 

education. 

3

Detailed information about access to individual higher education institutions in BiH can be 

obtained via the BiH country pages on the ENIC-NARIC website 5 , i.e. via links to the 

individual universities’ websites. 

8.2 DEGREES AND QUALIFICATIONS 

Study programmes, degrees and qualifications in BiH are currently in transition towards a 

full scale three cycle system. The progress of reform varies from region to region and 

institution to institution. 

According to the traditional system 

• four years of full time studies lead to a diploma degree. 

• Subsequent two years of study lead to a magistar nauka degree. 

• Doctoral studies lead to the degree of doktor nauka. 

The degree of Doktor nauka (the equivalent to a PhD) is awarded for after a minimum of 

three years of independent research. Candidates with a specijalist and master degree 

apply by submitting a research proposal to a committee, established by respective 

university, to evaluate the proposal and decide on the application. 

The doktorska disertacija (Doctoral dissertation) is required to be a result of an 

independent research project of a candidate and to contribute to progress of science in 

respective field. Upon successful public defence of the doctoral dissertation the candidate 

is awarded the academic degree of Doktor nauka. 

The new study programs which are offered in line with the Bologna Process comprise 

• A first cycle of 180 – 240 ECTS credits (three or four years full time study) to obtain 

the degree of diplomiran/a, which is the first degree. 

• Upon completion of this first degree, 60 – 120 ECTS credits (one or two years of 

full time study) lead to the magistar degree, the second degree. Altogether higher 

education studies leading to a second degree require 300 ECTS credits (5 years), 

i.e. 180 + 120 or 240 + 60 ECTS credits (3 plus 2 years or 4 plus 1 year.) 

• Information about exceptions to the above described rule (e.g. for medical studies) 

in BiH can be obtained via the BiH country pages on the ENIC-NARIC website 6 and 

the individual universities’ websites. 

8.3 CREDIT SYSTEM AND GRADING 

The academic year in BiH usually lasts 10 months, starting in October and ending in July. 

The academic year is divided into two semesters. 

The unit to define a full-time student workload during one semester is kredit or bod. The 

full-time workload for one academic year equals to 60 kredita or bodova (ECTS credits). 

There are some differences in the grading system for undergraduate and postgraduate 

examinations between the public higher education institutions. 

The University of Sarajevo, the University «Džemal Bijedić» in Mostar, the University of 

Bihać, the University of Banja Luka, the University of East Sarajevo, the University of 

Zenica and the University of Tuzla apply the following grading system: 

ECTS Grade Grade Description 

A 10 excellent achievement; 

B 9 above average; 

5 http://www.enic-naric.net/members.asp?country=Bosnia+and+Herzegovina 

6 http://www.enic-naric.net/members.asp?country=Bosnia+and+Herzegovina 

4

C 8 average with small mistakes; 

D 7 good with significant disadvantages; 

E 6 satisfactory of minimum criteria; 

F, FX 5 did not satisfy. 

The University (Sveučilište) of Mostar applies the following grading system: 

ECTS Grade Grade Description 

A 5 excellent 

B 4 very good 

C/D 3 good 

E 2 satisfactory 

F 1 failed 

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