Extraordinary Session of the Senate: We Protect Credibility of our Diploma and Autonomy of UoM
Rector of the University of Montenegro, Prof. Radmila Vojvodić called an extraordinary session of the Senate that reiterated full consent for implementation of accredited study program for Higher Medical School of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Montenegro in Podgorica, and in terms of interest of public, media and other pressures on actions of the University of Montenegro and protection of its autonomy.
Senate strongly protests for the reason of manipulations with legal institutes in the Ministry of Education and Inspection Administration.
Concerning the announced order from the Register of Education Inspection, which arrived during the session, it was concluded that this is a deception of a real legal facts, manipulation of legal institution of accreditation and license of a study program in Berane, imposing the obvious political power and putting the University of Montenegro, our autonomy and academic competence under pressure in public.
We disapprove the attempt of untrue presentation of facts in public and in supervision procedure of the Education Inspection, showing the license for Berane even though that kind of license shall not be legally valid!
Our arguments are legally valid and the Senate shall not allow violation of lawfulness of work and dignity of the University of Montenegro. It is unacceptable that this kind of action discredits our institution by the instance that should be partner in the assignment of improvement of higher education and creation of professional staff for development of Montenegrin country and society.
Representatives of Student Parliament in the Senate are determined in their support to the reiterated attitude of the Senate, calling for respect of studying quality, protection of students from invalid diplomas, pointing out once more to the attitude of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Montenegro and EU directive for this important profession which must accordingly guarantee quality which may only achieved in studying conditions in Podgorica.
Bad education heritage of school in Berane we cannot alter, but we can improve, as we underline. We repeat this is not about any kind of conflict between the University and Government, yet this is about milestone in achieving professional quality of staff for which conditions exist only in Podgorica, in teaching base of Clinical Centre and other health institutions as Directive for this profession recognizes. .
This attitude is first and last line of defense of autonomy of the University, i.e. its responsibility for credibility diploma at all study programs as well as at this one.
The best and most what the University of Montenegro is obliged to do for development of the North is to educate a qualified professional staff, in this case in health, for the benefit of development of health and protection of health of Montenegrin citizens, as concluded by the Senate.
Senate reiterates arguments stated at the session from June 2nd, addressed to the Prime Minister and Members of the Government, saying that it has all conditions and that it is ready to enroll students to this accredited program in Podgorica, i.e. it is ready to prepare elaborate for development of study programs in the area of agriculture or tourism which do not need complex conditions for studying and acquiring competences at the North of Montenegro as well as in Berane.
Senate believes that this attitude of the highest academic body of the University of Montenegro will be reconfirmed by the Steering Committee.
The University of Montenegro refuses to execute the order and it will use all disposable legal actions in defending constitutionally guaranteed autonomy of the University.