1. What is the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications?
Recognition of foreign higher education qualifications/educational documents is a formal confirmation of the value of that qualification/educational document issued by the competent
body with the issuing of an administrative act for the purpose of accessing higher education and continuing education, or for the purpose of employment.
2. What types of educational documents are subject to the recognition procedure?
Educational documents on commenced or completed higher education, i.e. on acquired qualifications, that grant its holders access to assesment of acquired degree of education for purpose of continuing education/employment or use of acquired academic and professional title or scientific and professional title, as well as exercising any rigts that arise from the acquired higher education qualification,are subject to the recognition procedures.
3. What is evaluation?
Evaluation is a process that is carried out within a recognition process involving an assessment of the level or degree of a foreign higher education qualification of an individual.
4. Where can I recognize a higher education qualification acqired abroad?
Recognition of higher education qualifications acquired outside Bosnia and Herzegovina for the purpose of employment in the Republic of Srpska is carried out by the Commission for the Information and Recognition of Documents in the Higher Education, while in FBiH the higher education institutions and the cantonal ministries of education (depending on canton) in Brcko District of BiHit is carried out by Commission for recognition of documents in Higher Education. Recognnitionfor the purpose of continuing education in the Republic of Srpskais carried out by higher education institutions,in the Federation by higher education institutions and cantonal ministries of education (depending on canton), while the Brčko District of BiH it is carried out by licensed higher education institutions
5. What is the role of the Centre for Information and Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education in Recognition Procedures?
Centre for Information and Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (herinafter CIP) in accordance with its competencies stipulated by Framework Law on Higher Education in BiH („Official Gazette of BiH“ no. 59/07 and 59/09), as well as principles of Convention on Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education in European Region („Official Gazette of BiH“ no. 16/03-International treaties) among others provides information, opinions and recommendations on foreign higher education qualifications, i.e. what rights and competencies qualification holders acquire in the country of origin, to the competent bodies for recognition of foreign higher educaton qualifications in BiH. According the above mentioned regulations, CIP also facilitates access to relevant and accurate information on higher education system in BiH, facilitates access to information on higher education education systems and the qualifications of the parties whose recognition is sought, and provides advice and/or information on recognition issues and assessment of qualifications, in accordance with the regulations in BiH.
6. If I receive a decision on recognition for the purpose of employment from a competent body for recognition, is this decision valid throughout teritory of BIH?
Yes, the decision on recognition for employment purposes issued by the competent bodyis valid throughout the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
7. Is the decision for the purpose of employment valid for countinuing education?
No, if you want to continue your studies, you must apply for academic recognition.
8. How to recognize diploma obtained in BiH abroad?
All higher education qualifications acquired at recognized higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be recognized outside our country. However, each state has its own legislation, which stipulates the method for recognition of foreign higher education qualifications, and we suggest you contact the ENIC/NARIC Center of the country in which you seek employment. You can find more information at following link: http://www.enic-naric.net/higher-education-institution.aspx.
9. Which legislation regulates the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Legislation that regulates recognition of foreign higher education qualifications can be found on the website of the Centre for Information and Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education at the following link: www.cip.gov.ba.
10. How can I find out if a higher education institution is accredited?
In accordance with Article 49 of the Framework Law on Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina", No. 59/07, 59/09), the Agency for the Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance is in charge of keeping a register of accredited higher education institution and publishing, on its website, the list of accredited higher education institutions. The list of accredited higher education institutionsin BiH can be found at following link:http://hea.gov.ba/akreditacija_vsu/Default.aspx.
11. Do I need to recognize lower degree of education if I want a recognition for higher degree of education?
Recognition of lower levels of education acquired abroad is not a requirement for recognition of a higher degree, for example, you do not need to have a recognized master's degree in BiH for the recognition of a PhD degree.
12. I want to recognize master's and PhD degree acquired abroad. Can I submit one request for recognition of both qualifications?
Not. Each foreign higher education qualification is recognized separately, which means that for each qualification a special application must be submitted and separately paid for the recognition fee. If you simultaneously submit multiple requests for the same purpose to one competent body for recognition, it is not necessary to submit the documentation required for each of them in particular, instead you can refer to the documentation submitted in one application
13. Is it necessary to recognize qualifications acquired in the territory of former Yugoslavia?
Recognition of qualifications acquired in the territory of the former Yugoslavia depends on the date of issue. In accordance with the Law on the Importance of Public Documents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the educational documents issued by the competent authorities of the SFRY before 6 April 1992 are not subject to recognition procedures.
14. Are higher education qualifications acquired in the Republic of Serbiaautomatically recognized in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serbia have signed an Agreement on mutual recognition of educational documents and regulation of status issues of students ("Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia", No. 79/05). This Agreement does not apply in the territory of the Federation of BiH and the Brčko District of BiH, and does not grant right for employment in the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, if you have a place of residence in the Republic of Srpska and have acquired a higher education qualification in the Republic of Serbia and want to exercise right for employment or to continue education in the Republic of Srpska, you do not need to recognize your qualification.
However, if the holder of foreign higher education qualifications acquired in the Republic of Serbia wishes to exercise the right to work or continue education in the territory of the Federation of BiH, the Brčko District of BiH, or wishes to exercise the right to workin the institutions of BiH, he/she has to recognize the diploma. You can contact one of the authorities responsible for the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications in the FBiH or the Brčko District of BiH.
15. Under what conditions the educational document is not subject to the recognition procedure?
If there are bilateral or multilateral agreements on the mutual recognition of qualifications, then the recognition procedureis not carried out.
16. If I receive a negative decision on recognition, can I apply for recognition to another body responsible for recognition in BiH?
Every decision on recognition contains instruction on legal remedy according which a peerson can act, or,if there is some new evidence/documentation, you can revise the process of recognition. Once the recognition process is carried out it can not be revised again.
17. What is the cost of the recognition process and what documentation should be submitted?
The cost of the recognition process and the necessary documentation arestipulated by each competent bodythat performs recognition process of foreign higher education qualifications, and depends on the degree of qualification whose recognition is sought, the purposes for which recognition is sought etc.
18. Are there any additional costs that may arise during nostrification?
No, each institution carrying out the recognition procedure has a rulebook or a decision on the amount of the fee for carrying out the recognition procedure.
