Skopje, 1 August 2024 (MIA) - The Ministry of Education and Science will establish a national coordination body for reforms in higher education which will be tasked to draft a plan in an inclusive process on how to improve the quality of higher education in the country, Minister of Education and Science Vesna Janevska told TV Sitel on Thursday evening.

Janevska spoke about the Government’s decision tasking the Ministry to establish a temporary body that will have to tackle the "hyperproduction" of higher education institutions in the country and lead changes that will improve the quality of higher education. She said the initial results will be visible in a year and a half.

“The body will carry out a comprehensive assessment of all higher education institutions in the country, both state institutions and private ones, without exceptions. It will assess compliance with the laws, capacities in terms of staff and premises, the way the institutions are carrying out their activities, the number of students and so on. We will adopt conclusions and suggestions that stakeholders in higher education should follow,” Janevska said, adding that she will soon hold a constitutive session with all expected members during which they will outline the goals and define the rules of procedure.

The Education Minister noted that the country has more than 40 higher education institutions, which, she said, “aren’t showing quality and the situation must change”. She said she believes there won’t be any conflicts with the academia, since, she said, “it is a fact that the quality of higher education has fallen drastically and there are identical views over the need for well thought out, significant changes”. 

Photo: MIA