Higher Education System

The higher education in Kosovo* is regulated by the Higher Education Law (No.04/L-037), adopted in August 2011. The higher education system in Kosovo* operates through public universities and private higher education institutions (colleges, institutes, higher professional schools and academies). Only accredited institutions of higher education can offer study programmes that lead to a degree or diploma.

New public institutions of higher education can only be established by the decision of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) which must be ratified by the Assembly of Kosovo*. A new public or private provider of higher education offering higher education qualifications must undergo a preliminary accreditation process at the institutional and programme level before it is licensed by MESTI. The statutes of all institutions bearing the name “University” must be ratified by the Assembly, while the statutes of other types of HEIs have to be approved solely by the Minister of Education. Higher education is pen to all students of Kosovo*. After completion of upper secondary school, all students have to undergo the State Matura Exam, which is regulated by the Law on Final Examinations and State Matura Examination. Students who successfully pas the Matura exam and entry exam have the right to study at higher education institutions.

Although the Republic of Kosovo* has not officially joined the Bologna Process, since the introduction of Bologna Reforms by the University of Prishtina in 2001/2002, all national legislations have served to better implement and make operational the Bologna reform objectives and principles in Kosovo*. As a result of the implementation of these reforms in higher education, all institutions of higher education currently implement the ECTS credit system, the three-cycle degree system, student and staff mobility, the diploma supplement and a quality assurance system. The annual full-time student workload is estimated to 1500 hours making one ECTS credit point equal to 25hours of workload. In terms of degree structures the higher education is organised in three cycles as in the table 4:

Table 4 HEI System, according to Cycle, Stages of education, NQF level and HEI providers.đ

- First Cycle (NQF Level 6) - three (3) to four (4) years of studies in which the student accrues 180 or 240 ECTS, respectively, and obtains a Bachelor Degree.

- Second Cycle (NQF Level 7) - one (1) to two (2) years of studies after completion of the first level in which the student accrues 60 or 120 ECTS, respectively, and obtains a Master Degree.

- Third Cycle (NQF Level 8) - a programme of doctorate studies with an academic and independent research scientific character. Doctoral studies take minimum of 3 years of study or 180 ECTS.

Any other post-secondary education at level 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the European Qualification Framework for Lifelong Learning, or which the credits may be given (ECTS).

Types of Higher Education Institutions

According to the Law on Higher Education, higher education institutions are classified in the following categories:

• University is an institution of higher education which offers educational, scientific, research/artistic and professional programmes in at least five different subject areas and who has issued at least one graduate with an accredited doctorate in each of these programmes.
• University College is an institution of higher education, which offers Bachelor, Master and
  Doctoral studies in at least three study areas. University Colleges offer professional and
  academic oriented programmes.
• College is an institution of higher education which offers professional or academic programmes at Bachelor and Master level.
• Higher professional schools offer professional courses in one or more professional fields at Bachelor level, including programmes at level 5 according to NQF.
• Academies provide higher education and creative activity in specific areas of arts, sports or other professional areas at Bachelor and Master level, including programmes at level V according to NQF.

(Source: EACEA Overview of the Higher Education System, 2020)