There is no doubt that the ICT sector is growing, and thus the demand for ICT skills. In universities across Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), there has been an overall increase in the number of students who decide to enter into a study program in Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications and similar subjects. One of the main reasons for the exponential increase is that students in these fields are able to find employment after graduation quicker than in many other areas of study.
Universities in Eastern Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla and Sarajevo are some of the universities in BiH that attest to the growing interest in ICT studies.
According to Senior Assistant at the Electrical Engineering Faculty at the University of Eastern Sarajevo Danijel Mijić, “Growth has been recognized in the interest of study programs in Computer Science and Information Technology primarily because of the need for personnel in these areas in the market, and students are able to find jobs in these areas faster after their studies, and often during the final years of study”.
Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Sarajevo Dr. Sc. Saša Mrdović, they receive more applications every year in the Departments of Computer Science and Information Technology. They have a substantially larger number of applications than spaces available. He also attributes the popularity of ICT studies as a secure path towards employment, but hopes that this is not the only reason why students are enrolling in ICT studies en masse.
“I hope this is not the only reason for such a high interest in these studies. ICT is an area that is developing. It has a considerable impact on the lives of young people who are enrolled in the Faculty. I think that there is an opportunity to better get to know this area and to actively contribute as a motivator for the choice of study’’, said Mrdović.
These faculties are also involved in numerous projects at both the national and international level.
Mrdović said that at the Faculty there are a number of scientific and expert projects currently being carried out with the cooperation of business people and various organizations throughout BiH. According to him, “Export projects are oriented towards results that could be immediately used in business. Scientific projects contribute to expanding the research potential of faculties and society in its entirety, and expert projects ensure that academic work is not an end in itself, but also serves for the transfer of knowledge of the teaching staff to the students, which has a useful value’’.
Regardless of the array of projects being carried out, he notes that the number of projects is not as high as they would like. He attributes this to the poor economic situation in the country, where funding for science and research is considerably less than it should be.
Assistant Professor at the Electrical Engineering Faculty of Tuzla Dr. Sc. Suad Kasapović said that the Faculty is also currently conducting several IT projects, and has recently completed one project on the development of an information system of the University and which was financed by the Austrian Agency for Development and the government of Liechtenstein. While this project received positive assessment from the University, student services and the students, additional investment is pertinent if these results and improvement is to sustain.
In addition, he says that it is possible to carry out similar projects in other segments of society, such as in primary and secondary education and health, because these are projects that would contribute to improving services for citizens.
One example is the involvement of the University of Tuzlain several TEMPUS projects financed by the EU. (Trans-European Mobility Program for University Studies). TEMPUS is a program whose goal is to support the modernization of higher education and to establish co-operation in countries that surround the EU. One of the topics being covered is the development of the IT sector, while many other projects are in areas that are not directly related to the IT sector but are ‘closely connected to the IT field’. Thus, the University of Tuzla supports projects such as the development of the library sector and the digital repository in cooperation with the University in Vienna, National University Library in Sarajevo, University in Maribor, etc.
The technology skills that students gain from studying ICT or a related field are imperative in obtaining a job in this area. However, skills in areas that are not directly related to ICT, such as communication skills and management are now seen as skills that are necessary for a successful career in this field.
Thus, more emphasis is being placed on fostering a more interdisciplinary approach to studying, and ICT faculties in BiH endeavor to imbue the study of ICT in a more comprehensive manner. Saša Mrdović says that ETF is planning a revision of the curricula in which a number of non-technical subjects will be introduced, such as courses on project management, communication with people, economy, as well as other technical subjects that normally taught in other faculties.
“Today’s knowledge and its application in practice are no longer narrowly specialized. For successful work and development it is necessary to have a wide multidisciplinary knowledge. The question that remains open is when and in what ways to implement this knowledge. Is it first necessary to gain knowledge in one field, and then to expand that knowledge, or is it better to start wide and then specialize? Today, your entire life is learning and professional development, and this is definitely true in the ICT sector, which entails learning from all fields of human knowledge”, said Mrdović.
BiH universities also place a heavy emphasis on practical skills during studies, which are seen as a way to better prepare students for the cultivation of their professional careers after graduation.
Mijić said that at the University of Eastern Sarajevo, the study programs are designed in such a way that they contain a significant component of practical work and the acquisition of practical skills. Through laboratory practice, summer internships, practical training, and the implementation of team and individual projects, students are trained for practical work after graduation.
Universities in BiH that offer programs in ICT also noted some of the biggest challenges that they currently face.
ICT is a rapidly changing and progressive area of study, so the need for creating the right balance between the fundamental and theoretical program of study with current knowledge in the field is one challenge. Since this is a rapidly innovative field, every year students are required to acquire more knowledge than previous generations.
“A huge challenge is to find the right measure of fundamental and current knowledge, as well as the level of details that is needed to study in the particular field. This is a moving target and the process of improvement of plans and programs is continuous”, said Mrdović.
The unfortunate reality in BiH is that universities are not sufficiently equipped to adequately deal with the rapid progress of the ICT sector. “Restrictions on the number of employees sometimes limits our ability to change plans and programs with the speed that we want, because we would not be able to offer the necessary level of the quality of study”, said Mrdović.
Mijić notes that a challenge is on intensifying cooperation between the Faculty and the industry, and trying to devise ways in which to gauge labor market information in order to improve the quality of study for students, as well as the modernization of curricula. One of the steps this Faculty has taken is obtaining feedback from students who have completed their studies, with their employers and other institutions.
Professor Assistant at the Faculty of Information Technology at the Džemal Bijedić University of Mostar Emina Junuz said that the University has not sufficiently recognized the importance of the development of studies in Information Technology. As a result, developmental processes are not yet set in place. The first step is to recognize the popularity of computer studies, followed by investing in the development of ICT study programs and having appropriate material and staff support for the programs.
Emil Hajrić, a young entrepreneur from BiH, offers another perspective on what needs to change in BiH, and that is how people view innovation. “Embracing a strong culture for innovation, and letting people not care too much about failure”. ‘It’s OK to fail’-Rarely do you ever hear that in BiH”.
In addition, Hajrić mentions the problem that universities have of over-optimization to the general public, which ‘’ends up making everyone very behind on the latest trends in technology. I think universities should try to also predict the future and have some sort of program where students can enroll and actually create something that they believe will align with what they believe is the future”.
The study of ICT programs is on the rise in BiH, and universities in this country recognize the importance of this field of study in facilitating the transition of students in finding a job soon after they have completed their studies. An interdisciplinary approach to studying is being gradually applied to ICT programs in BiH. However, at the same time universities are also behind in the development of quality and effective programs to keep up with the innovative and rapidly growing ICT sector. Good ideas, programs, quality teaching staff and projects all exist at these universities, but the main challenge is in taking the next step, to move from good ideas to devising an efficacious program of development.