Ss. CYRIL and METHODIUS UNIVERSITY in SKOPJE
Ss. CYRIL AND METHODIUS UNIVERSITY IN SKOPJE
SELF-EVALUATION REPORT
OF THE
Ss. CYRIL AND METHODIUS UNIVERSITY IN SKOPJE
(in the period 2013/2014-2015/2016)
Skopje, June 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION (2)
2. Institutional Context (3)
2.1. Historical Overview
2.2. Legal status and autonomy
2.3. Geographic location of the University
2.4. Current situation on the national and regional labour market
2.5. Structure, students, academic and administrative staff
2.7. National system for provision and control of quality
3. Norms and values, mission and objectives (5)
3.1. Administration and management
3.2. Academic profile
3.3. Additional academic activities
3.4. Funding
3.5. Status of UKIM at local, national, regional and international level
4. Management and activities (5)
4.1. Administration and management
4.2. Academic profile
4.2.1. Teaching process
4.2.2. Scientific and research work
4.3. Additional academic activities
4.4. Support to students
4.5. Funding
5. Activities related to quality control (12)
6. Management strategy and capacity for changes (14)
6.1. SWOT
7. Conclusion (16)
8. Appendices
1.Introduction
Subsequent self-evaluation of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje represents a continuity of self-evaluation performed in the period of January – July 2014 which was followed by external evaluation realised by EUA exert team in the period of September 2014 – April 2015. Self-evaluation report is accompanies by 27 appendices whose numbering is identical to the appendices from the previous report, while the contents is updated for the period of 2013-2017.
As member of the European University Association (EUA), the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, working in accordance with the European University Association Institutional Evaluation Programme and following the guidelines for implementation of self-evaluation and external evaluation, underwent three evaluation processes in the past period: external evaluation in 2003, the first subsequent evaluation in 2008, the second one in 2011 upon initiative and with financial support by the World Bank and external evaluation carried out in 2014.
Starting from the need for external, objective assessment and the necessity to ensure continuous development and quality in all areas of work, the University Senate, at the 7th session held on 31.01.2017 adopted a Decision for Selection of Members of the Evaluation Commission with a four-year mandate, in the following composition: prof. Vlatko Stoilkov Ph.D. from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, president and members: prof. Dimitar Tashkovski Ph.D. from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, prof. Mitko Mladenov Ph.D. from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, prof. Zehra Hajrulai-Musliu Ph.D. from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, prof. Diana Boshkovska Ph.D. from the Institute of Economics, prof. Goran Trpchevski MA from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Ivona Petrushevska, student at the “Iustinianus Primus” Faculty of Law, Viktor Blazhevski, student at the Faculty of Economics and Stefan Jovanov, student at the Faculty of Medicine.
Within the fulfilment of the obligations arising from the Law on Higher Education (LHE) of Republic of Macedonia, the Self-Evaluation Commission of UKIM was in charge of carrying out a self-evaluation process and preparing a Self-Evaluation Report of UKIM for the period 2013/2014 – 2015/2016. Self-evaluation process was performed in accordance with the structure and contents determined by the EUA guidelines for institutional subsequent evaluation.
The entire evaluation process is coordinated by the Rector, prof. Nikola Jankulovski Ph.D., the four vice-rectors: prof. Vujica Zhivkovikj Ph.D. for the department of teaching process, prof. Vladimir Petrushevski Ph.D. for the department of science, prof. Biljana Angelova for the department of finance, and prof. Gordana Josifova Nedelkovska Ph.D. for the department of international cooperation.
The evaluation process of the University is conducted in cooperation with the UKIM’s units. For that purpose, the entire university community – the teaching staff, the administrative services and the students were timely informed on the self-evaluation and the external evaluation.
Self-Evaluation Commission has commenced its work in February, 2017. Members were divided into working groups that were vested with tasks in accordance with the position and competencies of each member, in order to achieve as objective data analysis as possible. The administrative works and the logistical support of the entire self-evaluation process were carried out by the Central Professional Service of UKIM, coordinated by Mrs. Vesna Markovska, head of the Science Division and Mr. Zoran Kordoski, responsible person for information support and computer data processing.
The self-evaluation report is result of the Reports on self-evaluation of the UKIM’s units, data and information received by the management bodies and administrative services of the University and its units. In accordance with the Law on Higher Education (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No.151/2012) and the Statute of UKIM (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No.156/2008, No.13/2012 and No. 104/2013), the self-evaluation of the units and the University are legal obligations and the self-evaluation process must be carried out every 3 years.
Self-Evaluation Report is reviewed and adopted by the Rector, the Rector’s Board and the University Senate. In accordance with the commonly established practice and legal requirements, the Self-Evaluation Report, together with the Report on Institutional Evaluation of EUA will be published on the UKIM’s website after the end of the evaluation process and submitted to the Ministry of Education and Science of Republic of Macedonia.
2.Institutional Context
Chapters 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 which respectively refer to the historical overview, the legal status and autonomy as well as the geographic location of the University are identical to the chapters of the Self-Evaluation Report from 2014.
2.4. Current situation of the national and regional labour market
According to the data provided by the State Statistical Office, in the first quarter of 2017, the active population in Republic of Macedonia amounts 952 644 inhabitants, 734,043 of whom are employed and 218,601 unemployed. Economic activity rate in this period amounted 56.7%, the employment rate was 43.7% while the unemployment rate was 22.9%. These data indicate modest improvement in connection to the situation in the previous reporting period. The issue of unemployment is dominant among the young people up to 27 years of age, due to which the process of emigration of young and highly educated personnel in the countries of West Europe and overseas continued and intensified in the reporting period, which, in turn, significantly affects both the personnel and the age structure of the population in Macedonia.
The analysis of the labour market needs shows there is largest demand for high-professional profiles in the area of IT technologies (17.5%), followed by economists (9.9%) (with emphasis on financial and business administration profiles). These professions, along with professions from the technical-technological areas, such as the civil engineering, electro-technical and mechanical area, are twice more in demand by the private companies compared to the demand by state owned companies.
Following the analyses for the needs of skills on the labour market, the existing study programmes of UKIM has been improved, and new study programmes were introduced, especially in the areas of technical-technological sciences.
2.5. Structure, students, academic and administrative staff
The structure of the University includes 23 faculties, 5 scientific institutes and 12 joining member institutions (Appendix 1). Each faculty and scientific institute has organisational units structured on the basis of specific fields and areas on competency (Appendix 3).
First, second and third cycles of studies are delivered at UKIM. The teaching activity for 205 (192 in the period of 2010 – 2013) first cycle study programmes is delivered at the faculties. From these programmes, 21 (21) are three-year, 179 (166) four-year and 5 (5) are integrated studies with duration of five or six years. The delivery of the first cycle studies is done in two ways: full-time studies – at all study programmes and part-time studies - at 110 (118) study programmes. The teaching process at UKIM is delivered in Macedonian language. Some study programmes at the Faculty of Philology, Faculty of Pedagogy and the Faculty of Dramatic Arts are delivered also in Albanian and Turkish languages. Pursuant to the University’s Strategy and the legal regulations for accrediting study programmes in English language, two first-cycle SP in English language have been accredited in the reporting period. The teaching process in certain subject contents of large number of study programmes can be delivered in English language as well (Appendix 5).
In the second-cycle studies are delivered 269 (242) study programmes organised at the faculties (217) (194) and the scientific institutes (52) (48). Some study programmes provide the possibility the teaching process to be delivered also in English language, depending on the number of candidates interested, and seven second-cycle study programmes delivered in English language have special accreditation (Appendix 6).
The third-cycle studies are organised in the UKIM School of Doctoral studies and in they included 54 study programmes in 2013/2014, 75 study programmes in 2014/2015 and 62 in 2015/2016, from all 6 scientific-research areas in accordance with the International Frascati Classification. The study programmes are delivered in Macedonian language and there is also a possibility for delivery in English language, depending on the number of candidates interested. At two doctoral study programmes the teaching is delivered in English only (Appendix 7).
The total number of active students at UKIM in the academic year 2015/2016 amounts about 37000 students. The total number of newly enrolled students in first year during the reporting period is about 7200 students on first, 1500 on second and 200 on third cycle of studies (Appendix 8).
The academic teaching staff at the University in the academic year of 2015/2016 included a total of 1964 academic teaching staff and associate staff, 1859 of which work at the faculties and 105 at the five institutes that are permanent members of UKIM (Appendix 9). The University staff also includes 948 people in the administrative-technical services, 766 of which work at the faculties and 182 at the institutes (Appendix 10). The current academic staff includes 759 full professors, 288 associate professors, 434 assistant professors and 378 associates (Appendix 9). All teachers are selected through competition and in accordance with the criteria prescribed by the Law on Higher Education and the Rulebook on Conferring in Academic Titles of UKIM. The teaching staff covers all the study programmes of the UKIM’s units and the total student/professor ratio in the academic 2012/2013 is 22/1 which represents significant improvement in connection to the previous reporting period when the same was 27/1. (Appendix 8)
In addition to the teaching process, the scientific researches are also very relevant for the University and they are carried out at all units of UKIM. The research activity is done by the teaching staff and the students. Through the implementation of fundamental researches, the teaching staff is actively involved in obtaining scientific-research projects and research grants. UKIM also has international exchange programme in accordance with the European and international practices and skills in the academic area. This provides the students with opportunity to be involved in European programmes such as: Erasmus or the European Initiative for Exchange of Youth (Appendix 11), CEEPUS, Bassileus. Similar to this, the University is involved in international projects such as Horizon 2020, COST, SEE ERA-Net, SEEFORM, ERA-Web, DAAD, Humboldt0, WetNEST, TAYEX, English Pronunciation Teaching in Europe Survey, INNOVA WOOD, EU-SEE Penta, REELC-ENCLS (European Network for Comparative Literary Studies), FP7, JOINEUSEE etc. (Appendix 12). The University also has programmes for cooperation with the universities in the region, Europe and the world (Appendix 13).
The University infrastructure intended for the teaching process and the scientific-research activity includes 68 amphitheatres, 281 lecture rooms, 197 sports halls, 201 teaching laboratories, 271 scientific-research laboratories, 70 computer equipped classrooms, 28 libraries, etc. (Appendix 14).
2.6. National system for provision and control of quality
For the promotion of the higher education process, the University continuously works on development and maintenance of the culture of quality, both on academic and administrative-technical level. Standards for realisation of processes (ISO-standards) are introduced on level of Rector’s Office and on level of several units at the University.
In the higher education system in the Republic of Macedonia, the external evaluation, the self-evaluation and the system for assessment of quality of the academic staff at the universities are obligatory in accordance with the Law on Higher Education and the Statutes of the Universities.
The external evaluation and the summary assessment of quality of the academic staff at the universities and facilities are carried out by the Board for Accreditation and Evaluation of the Higher Education (OAE) every five years. The implementation of the external evaluation is regulated with the Rulebook on the Organisation, Operation, Decision Making and Methodology for Accreditation and Evaluation, Standards for Accreditation and Evaluation (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No.151/2012). The provisions in the Rulebook regulating the operation of the Board for Accreditation are harmonised with the recommendations of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). The Board for Accreditation evaluates the universities in four specific areas: organisational management and delivery, teaching and learning, scientific and research activity and other creative activities and social justification, in accordance with the criteria established by the Rulebook of the Board for Accreditation, as well as in accordance with the Guideline on the Manner of Provision and Assessment of the Quality at the Higher Educational Institutions and the Academic Staff in the Republic of Macedonia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia No. 64/2000, No.67/2013).
The process of self-evaluation of the University and its units is compulsory every three years. The self-evaluation reports of the units are developed in accordance with the Guideline for Self-evaluation and Provision and Assessment of Quality of the UKIM’s units, adopted by the University Senate on 30 April 2013. The self-evaluation is carried out by commissions established by the teaching-scientific and the scientific councils of the units. The self-evaluation of UKIM is carried out by a commission established by the University Senate.
One of the mechanisms for monitoring of the teaching quality is the introduction of the common electronic system (iKnow) which introduced control over the teaching process – starting from the enrolment of students, electronic student support services and student file, to attendance registration for the students and teachers.
3.Norms and values, mission and objectives
Chapters:
3.1. Mission and strategic objectives of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
3.2. Administration and management
3.3. Academic profile
3.4. Additional academic activities
3.5. Funding
3.6. Status of UKIM at local, national, regional and international level
are identical with the chapters of the Self-Evaluation Report from 2014
4. Administration and decision-making at institutional level
4.1. Administration and management
In the terms of organisational and management structure, UKIM is integrated University, based on the principles of institutional and individual autonomy. The decision making is structured on three levels: university, faculty/ institute and internal organisational units.
In accordance with the Law on Higher Education and UKIM’s Statute, the bodies of the University are: the University Senate, the Rector’s Office and the Rector’s Board. The University Senate is management and expert body of UKIM consisted of two representatives from each faculty, one representative from scientific institutions, three representatives from the joining members and ten student representatives. The members of the University Senate are elected through direct and secret voting by the teaching and research councils of the faculties, the scientific institution councils, the bodies of UKIM’s Students Parliament and the management bodies of the joining members. Senate is chaired by the Rector, while the vice-rectors and the Secretary General of UKIM participate in the work without right to make decisions.
The Senate is a guarantor of the academic freedom and autonomy at the University. It decides on the key issues related to academic activities and policies, financial issues, adoption of UKIM’s Statute and rulebooks of the units, criteria for selection and promotion of academic staff, enrolment policy, development of services for the society etc.
Management body of UKIM is the Rector of the University. The Rector represents and advocates UKIM in the country and abroad. In the frames of management with UKIM, the Rector has the following more relevant competencies: executes the decisions and conclusions of the University Senate and the Rector’s Board; harmonizes the higher educational, artistic, scientific and research and applicative activity with other UKIM activities; submits proposals, decisions, other general acts and conclusions to the Senate; manages the international cooperation of UKIM and initiates cooperation with other universities in the country and abroad; initiates cooperation between the members and the joining members within UKIM and mediates between them when necessary; manages the assets of UKIM and takes care of its maintenance; confirms the election of faculty deans; provides orders when it comes to financial and economic operation of UKIM. The Rector is obliged to submit Work Report for the operation of UKIM, at least once a year, to the Senate and the founder. The Rector is responsible for legality and statutory work of UKIM as well as for the work of the institutions within UKIM. For the purpose of implementation of some of its rights and obligations, the Rector can vest with authorisation specific vice-rectors. UKIM has four vice-rectors: for teaching, for science, for international cooperation and for funding, investments and development.
The Rector’s Board of UKIM is consisted of the Rector, vice-rectors, faculty deans, directors of the scientific institutions and the President of UKIM’s Students Parliament. The work of the Rector’s Board also involves the Secretary General of UKIM. The Rector’s Board is managed by the Rector. Some of the more relevant competencies of the Rector’s Board are: preparation and proposal of acts and materials for issues resolved by the Senate and the Rector; provision of opinions about the study programmes; decision making about introduction of new units, merger, division or augmentation of specific units.