Social Sciences and Research in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
(Is There?) Sufficiently Developed Personnel Potential1
1This policy brief is part of the project “Improving the Position of Social Sciences and
Research in Social Sciences in Bosnia and Herzegovina“ realised within the Regional
Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans (RRPP). The brief was elaborated by members of Working Group dealing with insufficiently developed personnel
potential for scientific-research in social sciences in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Working group members are: Prof. Drago Branković, Prof. Nenad Suzić, Prof. Refik Ćatić
and Vaso Arsenović, PhD. Working Group Coordinator: Anđela Lalović, MA .
Social Sciences and Research in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
(Is There?) Sufficiently Developed Personnel Potential
Current situation
Social sciences in Bosnia and Herzegovina are characterised
by various problems, including the insufficiently-developed personnel potential for scientific research. Meetings were held with
representatives of several faculties/universities from Bosnia and
Herzegovina in order to explore the problem in detail. Key issues were identified at these meetings related to insufficientlydeveloped personnel potentials for scientific research in social
sciences based on the SWOT (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) analysis.
Capacities of Researchers. Researchers are missing capacities in methodology, insufficiently understanding foreign languages and lacking capacities in applying for international projects. In addition, there is no system for training young personnel
in the methodology of scientific research in social sciences. On
the other hand, there is a smaller number of trained researchers (peers or older) that might help their peers in sharing skills
and knowledge in research methodology, techniques and procedures in social sciences research.
Low recognition of our researchers in the international
scene. Western countries stay reserved towards social science
research originating from countries in transition. Furthermore,
our researchers do not follow standards provided by scientific
journals and conferences in social sciences around the world.
Teaching and research are not differentiated at universities.
The majority of researchers in social sciences are employed at
faculties and colleges wherein the differentiation of scientific
teaching and scientific research work in higher education is not
yet adequately set at some universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moreover, teaching is not differentiated from research and
there are a lack of standards and criteria for valuing scientific
research work. This means that scientific work is valued only
formally, not essentially.
Unregulated and non-harmonised normative. There are
no universal criteria and standards for evaluating scientific research work. The adequate valorisation of scientific working
groups for research results and the presence of scientific critiques are also missing. Development and advancement of researchers are not defined by law and, in most cases, not even
by rules of higher education institutions, institutes and ministries. This leads to overlapping in election processes for teaching and scientific titles / positions. In Western countries, elections in scientific and teaching positions/titles are distinguished,
unique. The switch from ‘teaching’ to ‘research’ titles is still inadequately solved in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research
title cannot automatically be understood as teaching and vice
versa. More specifically, a researcher circulating their papers in
publications of some institutes or volumes from scientific events
may not have fulfilled sufficient conditions to be elected in the
teaching title/position. Unfortunately, this is primarily automated
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Another example is when papers
containing only practical teaching (and not scientific) dimensions
are declared ‘scientific’ nonetheless, electing that person higher
in his or her title/position with scientific prefixes based on this
inaccurate claim. In Bosnia and Herzegovina there are no criteria for advancement and development of research personnel.
Tax on literature, including scientific texts, is also relative high
17 % (Value Added Tax – VAT) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At
the same time, in most countries of European Union, a lower
level of VAT (so called reduced rate) is applied for literature.
Standardisation. Scientific events, journals and edited
volumes are not standardised in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Anonymous reviews are not obligatory for many journals and
conferences. There are no legislations or rules on sanctioning
plagiarism. Regularity / continuity of publishing is not prescribed.
There is no Bosnian and Herzegovinian impact factor or citation
index making it possible to publish non-scientific papers. Later
on, such papers are used for individual advancement to higher titles / positions. Furthermore, researcher databases / registers do
not exist in all entities/cantons and where they do exist they’re
not updated or maintained regularly. Institutions announcing
calls for research and scientific projects therefore refuse to respect researchers’ databases, a facet of the application process
which should be considered a precondition for project calls.
Stimulating research projects. The number of social science
projects financed by the state / entities is too miniscule. In addition, research influence on the development of social practices
remains quite low. These problems lead to the insufficient use of
existing scientific potential and low levels of researcher motivation. Moreover, a small number of our researchers and projects
end up finally competing with European projects and funds. This
is first due to the inadequate flow of information on these projects
from governmental institutions to researchers and institutions
that would otherwise implement such projects. Secondly, our researchers mainly lack the capacity to apply for such projects and
are not satisfying the international criteria.
Insufficient number of research institutes. There are a small
number of scientific research institutes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and few scientific researchers within those. There are
not enough institutes at universities in B&H, although there are
university employees who could successfully conduct scientific
research.
Beside the crucial complications previously mentioned, there is
no integrated information system at universities in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. The work of departments as fundamental teach-
Social Sciences and Research in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
(Is There?) Sufficiently Developed Personnel Potential
ing and research units at universities is therefore insufficiently
developed. Additionally, students are not engaged in enough
scientific research work and must participate more in international projects. Age structure of teaching personnel is also
unfavourable, and stimulating outstanding efforts and results
of teaching and other personnel is still inadequate. Finally, the
weak information system found in libraries and non-automated
professional processing of literature must be improved.
What must be done to improve
the situation?
creativity, usefulness, usability, competitiveness of
scientific-research work) at the Agency for Statistics
of B&H / Institute of Statistics of Republic of Srpska
and the Federal Office of Statistics or Ministry of Civil
Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
4. Establish a unique citation list of scientific journals
within Bosnia and Herzegovina and develop criteria
for determining impact factors of journals and edited
volumes.
Recommendation
Establishing institutions or strengthening existing ones
for the creation of databases containing bibliographies,
citation indexes, data on scientific research projects, etc.
Recommendation
Train young researchers through special programmes in
research methodology and project proposal writing to be
able to apply to calls for domestic or international scientific research projects.
Who:
Who:
Government / ministries, universities and institutes
How:1. Improve the functioning of the E-CRIS.RS centre
from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the
Republic of Srpska through recording all scientific
institutions and researchers in social sciences, projects and any related aspects.
2. Improve functionality of the CASRIS centre in
Sarajevo Canton and the FEBHRIS centre of the
Federal Ministry of Education and Science through
recording all scientific institutions and researchers in
social sciences, projects and any related aspects.
3. Make current published scientific journals and resources in the world available – journals with high
impact factor.
Recommendation
Regulate and harmonise the criteria and standards for
valorising the quality of scientific research work.
Who:
Government / ministries, universities and institutes
How:1. Develop unique elements and methodology, criteria and standards for valorising the quality of scientific
research work at the national level of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2. Establish an office / service for recording scientific
research work at statistical offices according to international standards.
3. Train personnel for continuous monitoring and evaluation of scientific research work (measuring quality,
niversities with support from other institutions and
U
organisations with competent experts in the field.
How:1. Organise seminars or other forms of educational
environments engaging experts to train researchers on writing project proposals with the option of
awarding certificates upon completion. This will equip
teaching and research staff (through special training
programme or seminars) with the tools necessary to
apply to international scientific research projects and
write scientific research projects, papers and articles.
2. Organise seminars and trainings on international
scientific research projects management, especially
for university staff in charge of international cooperation and any other scientific teaching staff.
3. Require teaching and research staff to participate
in project writing and follow project calls within their
regular work, writing concepts/project proposals.
4. Introduce the significantly-improved and strengthened departments for research methodology in social
sciences to all social sciences studies.
Recommendation
Licence existing institutes and introduce obligatory
licensing in the establishment of new institutes.
Who:
Government / ministries and universities
How:1. Adopt a special rulebook on licensing scientific and
scientific research institutes.
2. Determine which institution will conduct the licensing.
Social Sciences and Research in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
(Is There?) Sufficiently Developed Personnel Potential
Recommendation
Adoption of adequate norms and standards to harmonise
obligations of teaching staff towards teaching and scientific research work coupled with the advancement of curricula / study programmes.
Who:
Government / ministries and universities
How:1. Amendments to the Law on Higher Education
with the aim of introducing obligatory participation of
teaching staff with large-scale scientific research activities.
2. Adopt a special rulebook at higher education institutions determining detailed obligations of teaching staff and make salient the obligation for higher
engagement of teaching and research staff in implementing scientific research projects and work.
3. Create curricula and study programmes highlighting both scientific research work during studies compounded with the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary character of research.