Bosnia and Herzegovina

Recognition procedures for employment

The process of the recognition of qualifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina differs between 10 cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Srpska and Brcko District of BiH. There are 12 different recognition regulation, in most cases recognition has been stipulated by laws. This involves ministries, higher education institutions and the Centre for Information and Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (CIP). The CIP is an independent administrative organisation in charge of:

  • information and recognition in higher education;
  • coordination and international exchange of members of academia, students, and programs in higher education;
  • representing Bosnia and Herzegovina in international projects in higher education; through the international network of information centres (ENIC/NARIC network), CIP/CIR provides information to the higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina on higher education institutions and programmes as the basis for recognition of degrees and diplomas for further education at higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it represents Bosnia and Herzegovina in those networks;
  • CIP provides information and opinion about foreign degrees and diplomas in Bosnia and Herzegovina in relation to the continuation of education at higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  • it gives advice and information from its scope of activities to the parties with legitimate interest;
  • in accordance with the Lisbon Convention and its supporting documents, it makes recommendations concerning the recognition of diplomas obtained outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Ministry of the Republic of Srpska, cantonal ministries, and Brčko District of BiH aimed at finding employment, continuing education and exercising other rights stemming from the obtained qualification. (Source: CIP)

There are terminological and procedural differences between relevant legislation that regulates this area: while some harmonized legislation with the provision of the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC) and conduct recognition procedures others still conduct outdated procedure of equivalence and nostrification. Legislation prescribes different procedures in two entities and Brcko District of BiH:

  • recognition criteria
  • recognition vs. nostrification and equivalence
  • existence and different levels of fees
  • decision time (going between 60 and 120 days)
  • right to appeal
  • documents considered etc.

Based on the analysis published in the Report on the assessment and recommendations for implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention professional recognition is conducted by the following authorities:

Brčko: District Government commission based on a mandatory CIP opinion

Republika Srpska: Commission of the Ministry with an optional CIP opinion

Posavina: Ministry based on a mandatory CIP opinion

Una Sana: Nostrification done by the HEIs in the Canton or University of Bihac

Herzegovina – Neretva: Nostrification done by the HEIs in the Canton

Canton 10 / Herzeg-Bosnia: Nostrification done by the Ministry based on an opinion of the University of Mostar

Zenica-Doboj: Nostrification done by the HEIs in the Canton

Bosnia-Podrinje: Nostrification done by the HEIs in the Canton

Tuzla: Ministry based on a mandatory CIP opinion

West Herzegovina: Ministry based on an opinion from CIP

Sarajevo: HEIs based on CIP opinion

Central Bosnia: Nostrification done by the Ministry based on a HEI opinion

(Source: Report on the assessment and recommendations for implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention, accessed May, 2019)