Bosnia and Herzegovina allocates less funding to scientific research than nearly all other European states. Whether measured as a percentage of the budget or a total amount, the funding received by researchers is rarely enough to ensure the kind of high-quality research which leads to scientific breakthroughs. In both the natural and social sciences, it’s very difficult to conduct research in BIH which requires not just personal involvement but also money. With financial backing from local institutions lacking, Bosnian researchers have turned to international projects for high-quality research. International cooperation supports the international recognition and necessary references for scientific advancement.
While individual scientists have been involved in prestigious international research projects, the majority of researchers in BiH do not participate in any projects or research investigations, be they domestic or international. Neither are they encouraged to actively try to engage in international research nor is this seen as a particular success in their career. On the other hand, universities and higher education institutions in BiH fail to reward or support those colleagues who do try to become part of the international scientific debate. Because of this, many who do participate in international research do so outside of the institutions in which they work. The result is the weak participation of Bosnian universities in international research, and a low number of researchers from BiH in international projects.
To change this situation, it’s necessary to pose two questions: what are the causes of the lack of participation in international research on the part of Bosnian universities, and how can the current situation be improved? It’s important to note that it is unrealistic to expect that Bosnian universities are ready to participate on the international stage, even if significant funding is put aside for it. My personal experience mainly draws from my work at the University of Sarajevo, which I will occasionally use as an example in this text.
The first cause of the current lacklustre situation is insufficient recognition and low valuation of international cooperation in scientific research on the part of institutions. The criteria for advancing one’s career as a professor mainly have to do with publications (I’ll save the topic of the quality of these publications for another text). Out of the ten relevant criteria for promotion in teaching positions at the University of Sarajevo, one is focused on domestic research projects, and one on international ones. Whether the researcher conceived of the project and obtained funding for it, or merely assisted with the project, is irrelevant – they’re valued the same way. The Statue of the University of Sarajevo and the Law on Higher Education of the Kanton of Sarajevo only do evaluations when hiring an associate professor, but only as ‘original professional success’, along with patents and original methods. When hiring other professions, projects or participation in international cooperation aren’t necessary. Along with these provisions, there is a view among most of the faculty that projects are a ‘personal thing’ for lecturers and colleagues, and that they contribute little to the institution as such. In this sense, one speaks of ‘Damir Kapidžić’s project’, rather than the university’s project. Simply put, academics in Bosnian universities don’t have the opportunity to participate in international research projects on behalf of their institutions.
From the standpoint of the attitude and support of the university, this obstacle is rather easy to get rid of. In terms of academic career advancement and a high consideration for international cooperation, laws and statutes are needed, which can be difficult. Regarding the first point, universities and other institutions must support their researchers and their work as much as possible, whether through helping them attend international conferences, delegating doctoral students to act as research assistants, or ensuring they have the materials and space they need to conduct research. It’s also important that the individual success of academics be lauded as the success of the institution they work for. Apart from yearly reports, universities must encourage their colleagues to present their research findings to the public and to make them accessible via university libraries, IT networks, and websites. It should be made clear to academics who participate in international conferences their work is valued. This kind of change of attitude and greater institutional support would also encourage more academics to dedicate themselves to international collaboration.
Another key issue is the underdeveloped competencies of Bosnian researchers to take part in international projects on an equal footing – that is, the lack of institutional support in the application process, coordination, and financial direction of research projects. Here one of the main obstacles is posed by an inadequate knowledge of foreign languages (primarily English), and a poor understanding of the logic of competition for project funding, both by scientists and by the university administration. There are two solutions for this: first, developing the skills of Bosnian researchers, and second, building institutional support for international scientific collaboration.
When you ask a Bosnian scientist what their main obstacle to international collaboration is, you’ll often hear that it lies in lack of knowledge of English, and the difficulty of writing papers in foreign languages. Another commonly cited issue is the lack of knowledge surrounding the management of project budgets, as well as coordination to ensure the goals of the project are fulfilled. To this aim, it would be helpful for universities to hold thematic seminars about academic reading, research, argumentation, and writing in the English language. There are enough qualified colleagues within university cadres to hold these kinds of informal trainings, which would be especially useful for younger researchers. Through assignments and group work, the quality English language knowledge within and institution can be easily amended. These seminars can also include workshops to enhance research and academic publications in English. The second problem could also be solved within institutions through training and workshops which would deal with project coordination and budget management. It can’t be expected that all researchers will be adequately trained to collaborate internationally in this way, but it would go a long way to break down the mental barriers and personal insecurity which inhibit innovation and lack of participation.
Alone, a better knowledge of the language and of the basics of running a project are not enough to increase the volume of international scientific and research cooperation. We need a concerted and ongoing effort by universities to follow opportunities for international collaboration, as well as institutional support in applying for international funding and the eventual implementation of projects. This implies the creation of a centre or office within the university which would give this type of support and ensure a high quality in the preparation and implementation of international research projects. For example, the University of Sarajevo has an Office for International Cooperation, which does good work in promoting the ERASMUS program and other EU programs. However, we need to go further. Whether this potential centre is called the Center for the Coordination of Scientific Research, or the Office for the Management of Research Projects, this type of institutional support would incorporate the entire process of international project collaboration, from following open calls, putting together project teams, filling applications, giving advice or completely taking over management of budgets, administrative support, and work on bolstering the quality of research papers. The centre would require employees who are comfortable communicating in foreign languages, particularly English, and who have experience in the international project process. If they received a percentage of project funding, this kind of centre would quickly become financially self-sufficient and sustainable. In short, we need to establish a flexible logistical and technical support to the scientific research process, directed towards international cooperation.