26.03.2014.

Presentation of the monograph â��Modern trends in higher military education reformâ��

In the Central Military Club of the Serbian Armed Forces today, the monograph "Modern trends in higher military education reform" by Vice-Rector of the University of Defence, Colonel Prof. Jan Marcek, Prof. Mirjana Životic Vanovic and Colonel Prof. Goran Dikic, was presented.

The promotion was attended by Nebojsa Rodic, Minister of Defence in the caretaker government, State Secretary Zoran Djordjevic, assistant ministers of defence and members of the Collegium of the Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff.

Speakers about the value of the monograph and the overall importance of the reform of higher military education in the Republic of Serbia were the two authors and one of the reviewers, Lieutenant General Prof. Miodrag Jevtic, Rector of the University of Defence.

Presenting the book, which came out of the press two days ago, Colonel Prof. Jan Marcek, Vice-Rector for Research and Development at the University of Defence, said that the contents is divided into six thematic sections analyzing the five stages of the reform of higher military education in the period from 2006 to 2012, which he briefly presented.

- Today we are reaping the fruits of the great job that has not been completed yet, but it is on a good way. The process of reform of higher military education began when "Bologna process" in our country was taking hold and our non-inclusion would be a kind of self-isolation and loss of connection with the academic community in Serbia – Professor Marcek said, adding that it would require the need for a new way to formulate normative basis of military education and reconsider its current organization.

He pointed out that the main goal of the reform of higher military education was its harmonization with the system of education in the society and creating an accredited institution of higher education, in accordance with the Law on Higher Education of the Republic of Serbia and the requirements of the defence system, to train the academically educated officers and provide them with continuous professional development.

- The authors of the monograph have not analyzed the performance of certain phases of the overall reform, but successful accreditation of the military higher education institutions and study programs at all three levels of study, as well as the accreditation of the Military Academy and the MMA School of Medicine as research institutions, are certainly the most important confirmation of scientific verification of the success of the project of higher military education reform – one of the authors of the monograph pointed out.

Speaking about the course and the stages of harmonization of higher military education with the education system in the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Mirjana Zivotic-Vanovic, Vice-Rector for Research and Development at the University of Defence and one of the authors of the monograph, put in the foreground "very personal and emotional angle of view of the reform of higher military education".

- Three and a half decades ago, even though we were committed to our work and at the same task, we teachers almost did not even know each other. At that time, the higher education of this country started to follow the path of standardization and quality standards, harmonization with the European area and accreditation. Our diplomas have become unrecognizable, and our specializations, master degrees and doctoral degrees began to be challenged, and some even unrecognised. It brought us closer together and we decided to show who we are and that we have all the necessary resources to meet the standards required by the activities of higher education – Professor Zivotic - Vanovic said. This, according to her, was the only way to enter the academic area of the state through a wide gate, "where we belonged".

Speaking about the vision of further development of higher military education in Serbia, Lieutenant General Prof. Miodrag Jevtic, Rector of the University of Defence and one of the reviewers of the monograph "Modern trends in higher military education reform" said that it is not a process that was completed in 2012.

- The idea of the establishment of the University of Defence, as an expression of the desire that higher military education becomes an integral part of the educational system of the state and gain the legitimacy it deserves, appeared just in the military high school as a result of ongoing monitoring of the development of the education system in the society and in the European area. That plan required a lot of work, knowledge and skills, for military training with all its specificities to fit into the educational system of the state, which has already entered the European educational space – the Rector of the University of Defence pointed out.

General Jevtic said that the entire system of higher military education is directed towards the primary goal – to provide to the Serbian Armed Forces with professional, highly-trained officers who are motivated and academically educated.

- The fact that we have almost thirty accredited study programs at all three levels of higher education, with great interest of young people, and full respect for gender equality, indicates that we are on the right track what has been greatly encouraged and supported by commitment of Defence Minister Nebojsa Rodic to our purposes as well as the management of the Ministry of Defence and the military leadership of the country –general said and recalled that the monograph is actually an enduring document gathering together and presenting in a systematic and documented way all stages of the reform process.

The Rector of the University of Defence said that one of the goals of the publication of the monograph, whose co-publishers are Odbrana Media Centre and University of Defence, is also the wish to avoid the trap, which sometimes happens, that we keep the important things only in memory, and today, based on the results achieved after only three years, we can say with certainty that the future of our higher military education is added quality to the Ministry of Defence and Serbia as a whole, and that it opens the ways for a rich international cooperation.