University Degrees (Technical Dialogue Agreement)

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Country/entity: Kosovo
Serbia
Yugoslavia (former)
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name: University Degrees (Technical Dialogue Agreement)
Date: 21 Nov 2011
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Interstate/intrastate conflict(s)
Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001)
Former Yugoslavia

The disintegration of former Yugoslavia post cold war saw conflicts which became mediated and produced peace agreements in Slovenia (where the brief independence conflict was mediated by the EC Troika in 1991), Croatia (between Croatian and Serb populations 1991-1995), in Bosnia (between Croatian, Serb and Bosniak populations 1992-1995), in Macedonia (where mediation played a key pre-emptive role in preventing large scale conflict in 2001), in Kosovo (between Kosovar Albanians and Serbian population and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), but also between FRY and NATO, 1998-1999), and a conflict in the Presevo Valley (between Albanians in South Serbia and FRY, 2000-2001). The continued fall-out of the disintegration of former Yugoslavia also saw mediated agreement and ultimate dissolution of the Union between Serbia and Montenegro.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

In 1991, after nationalist parties won the first multi-party elections in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a violent process of disintegration commenced. With its mixed population, Bosnia-Herzegovina became the centre of the following civil war that began in 1992 between the newly formed army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (mostly Muslim Bosniacs), and the parastatal forces of self-declared Bosnian Croat (Herzeg-Bosnia) and Bosnian Serb (Republika Srpska) entities within Bosnia-Herzegovina, supported by Croatia and Serbia, with various, often short-lived, coalitions. The General Framework Agreement (Dayton Peace Agreement), signed in 1995, split the country into two ethno-federal entities, the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska, and included continued peacekeeping and institutional administration by international actors.

Kosovo

The conflict between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians has a long history and always involved territorial disputes as well as ethno-political, cultural and linguistic factors. The most recent phase of the conflict began in November 1997 when the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA or UCK) began their campaign for the independence of Kosovo from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY – then Serbia and Montenegro). The subsequent war lasted until the NATO intervention, which undertook bombing campaigns of Belgrade and other places in Serbia during spring 1999. The main agreements solving the conflict were internationally driven and, finally, a UNSC resolution imposed a post-conflict arrangement in the wake of what was essentially a NATO military victory. In February 2008, Kosovo’s parliament declared independence, but independence is still internationally disputed.
Stage: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Kosovo-Serbia Normalisation Process
Parties: Agreement unsigned, parties believed to be technical delegations on behalf of Belgrade and Pristina.
Third parties: Agreement unsigned, meeting facilitated by the European Union External Action Service.
Description: Short technical agreement in order to progress implementation of the 2nd July 2011 agreement on mutual recognition of diplomas, in order to facilitate mobility and employment of graduates in both Kosovo and Serbia.

Agreement document: KV_110702_University degrees (Technical Dialogue Agreement).pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: Summary: The agreement in its entirety provides for mutual recognition of university diplomas in order to facilitate mobility of graduates in both Kosovo and Serbia.

Page 1, 1. On the basis of the operational conclusions of 02 July 2011 on the acceptance of university diplomas, the parties agree to ask the European University Association to certify university diplomas issued by universities of each party for use by the other in connection with further education and/or public employment.

Page 1, 2. Upon verification that university diplomas are issued by authorised institutions in line with European best practices, the certification will be done by a Committee of European academic experts, established by the European University Association.

Page 1, 3. Diploma supplements and transcript of records in the format of those tabled during the Dialogue, and annexed to these conclusions, will be attached to the university diploma. It will be for the authorities of either party to decide which of the documents are valid for this process, provided that the effect is the acceptance of the qualification represented by the diploma.

Page 1, 4. Conclusions on mutual diploma recognition based on the original agreements from 2011, The agreement on diplomas and these conclusions apply only to all accredited higher education institutions and programs by relevant respective bodies of parties, Belgrade and Pristina respectively. The Parties will exchange the list of accredited Higher Education Institutions by the end of February 2016.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Government of the Republic of Serbia, Negotiation process with Pristina
http://www.kim.gov.rs/eng/pregovaracki-proces.php

University degrees

1. On the basis of the operational conclusions of 02 July 2011 on the acceptance of university diplomas, the parties agree to ask the European University Association to certify university diplomas issued by universities of each party for use by the other in connection with further education and/or public employment.

2. Upon verification that university diplomas are issued by authorised institutions in line with European best practices, the certification will be done by a Committee of European academic experts, established by the European University Association.

3. Diploma supplements and transcript of records in the format of those tabled during the Dialogue, and annexed to these conclusions, will be attached to the university diploma.

It will be for the authorities of either party to decide which of the documents are valid for this process, provided that the effect is the acceptance of the qualification represented by the diploma.

4. The EU will make every effort to ensure the implementation of above conclusions from 1 January 2012.

Conclusions on mutual diploma recognition based on the original agreements from 2011

1. Acknowledging the limited progress achieved in the implementation of the 2011 Agreement on mutual recognition of diplomas, the Parties agree to renew their efforts and build on the experience to overcome challenges and simplify processes.

2. Parties agree to implement the agreement on diplomas following certification by the EUA.

Recognition will be divided into professional and academic.

Professional recognition will be performed by the respective relevant governmental bodies, within a maximum of 90 days after receipt of the application and with a ceiling limit fee of equivalent to 50 euros or an equivalent amount.

Professional recognition will be deemed sufficient for employment opportunities, including in governmental bodies.

Academic recognition will be needed only for the continuation of studies;

procedures will depend on the individual higher education institution and will have an overall deadline of five months.

3. All EUA certificates previously obtained will be recognized by the Parties and diplomas certified by the EUA can be directly submitted for recognition.

All previous recognitions of diplomas will be treated as valid.

The implementing partner will provide the Parties with information on the nature of the applicants request (professional or academic) within a maximum period of two months.

In addition, Parties agree to exchange all relevant information on requisite procedures, including fee costs, by the end of February 2016.

4. The agreement on diplomas and these conclusions apply only to all accredited higher education institutions and programs by relevant respective bodies of parties, Belgrade and Pristina respectively.

The Parties will exchange the list of accredited Higher Education Institutions by the end of February 2016.

5. The Parties agree that this procedure applies to the following levels of education:

Bachelor, Master and PhD. The Parties also agree to recognize the diplomas of elementary, secondary, vocational education, and the fifth level of qualification as per European Qualification Framework (EQF), for which modalities of implementation will be discussed in the next meeting.

6. Building on the above, the Parties agree to commence phase two of the original project.

7. The EU will establish a tripartite implementation group by the end of February 2016 to monitor the implementation of these agreements and conclusions.

8. Concurrent implementation of the agreement on Mutual Recognition of Diplomas by both Parties will resume on 1 March 2016.