12.09.2019. THE NEW ERASMUS+ KA2 PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZENICA

With the decision of the European Commission in Brussels from August 2019, the University of Zenica has successfully completed another application cycle for the EU-Erasmus+ program. Among the 8 projects approved for BiH was the project: "Strength capacities for the implementation of dual education in BH higher education" (Strengthening the capacity to implement dual education in the higher education sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina). The application for this project was made during 2018 under the call for projects EAC/A03/2018 through line KA 2 - Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices - Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education. The University of Zenica, and especially its Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, have been working intensively on the preparation of a dual study model for the past few years, and as a pilot project the study of Design and Technology in Woodworking (DTD) was supposed to start. Unfortunately, due to numerous legislative problems and other reasons (e.g. the absence of a law on dual education, problems of non-defining the selection of practice assistants, non-construction of the BH Biesse training center, etc.), this study will, in the first phase, be a cooperative study model focused on the maximum economic the resources of the region and the business systems that work there with the aim that by the end of the Erasmus+ project, by transferring good practices from the EU and the region, it will be raised to a dual model. In addition to the University of Novi Sad - Faculty of Economics (P-01-project holder), the project also includes FH Joanneum Gesellschaft Graz from Austria (P02), Duale Hochschule Baden-Wurttemberg&DHBW (P03), IMH Dual Engineering University School Bilbao - Spain (P04) , University of East Sarajevo - Faculty of Economics Brčko (P05), University of Sarajevo - Faculty of Agriculture and Food (P06), University of Mostar - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Computing and Electrical Engineering (P07), University of Zenica - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (P08), department ministries by cantons of participating universities and RS (partners P 09, P10, P11, P12), chambers of commerce FBIH and RS (P13 and P14), WUS Austria Graz (P 15) and BIT Alliance BIH (P16). The project is planned for implementation in the next 3 years, and in addition to the transfer of good practice, UNZE expects to receive solid equipment and establish even better cooperation with eminent foreign partners. Otherwise, the dual study model has already been present in secondary education in Bosnia and Herzegovina for many years, while in the higher education sector it mostly did not appear, except in the domain of health studies, which were forced to do so by very strict EU regulations. That regulation implied drastic changes to the NPP and a large number of practical hours. UNZE was a leader in BiH in that sector as well, showing in this way that "western practice and work" can be implemented in our higher education organizations, so it is to be expected that similar results will be achieved when it comes to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the study of Design and Technologies. in Wood Processing (DTD). The curriculum of this study which academic year 2019/20. starts at UNZE is already designed according to the model of dual studies at similar faculties in Bern, Hanover, Rosenheim and Trieste.