Faculty of Economics, "Ss. Cyril and Methodius" University, Skopje
Scientific-research Projects
The most significant support to the higher education reform and to higher education capacity building to support the socio-economic transformations in the country provides the European Community Programme Tempus. This Programme supports intensive cooperation among higher education institutions from the Republic of Macedonia, the EU Member States, the candidate countries and the CARDS countries.
The Tempus cooperation started in the first phase of the Programme, known as Tempus I, which covered the period 1990-1994. Macedonian higher education institutions were partners in three Tempus projects.
Due to the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the PHARE Programme was suspended. Consequently, the Tempus Programme was suspended, too. The Programme was opened again in 1996. The National Tempus Committee and the National Tempus Office was in the second phase (till 1998), followed by Tempus II Bis till the year 2000.
The third phase of the Programme, known as Tempus III (2000-2006) is financed from the CARDS assistance programme.
Institutional cooperation
In framework of the of the Tempus Programme, institutional cooperation was supported with:
- 68 Joint European Projects
- 5 Structural and Complementary Measures, and
- 10 Compact Measure Projects.
Total number of 298 Individual Mobility Grants for visits to EU Member States, CEE countries, as well as for individual visits to Macedonian higher education institutions has been awarded. The financial support provided by the European Commission under the Tempus Programme amount 20.7 million EUR.
Project Types
The most important cooperation is developed in framework of Joint European Projects with 2 – or 3 – year duration. They are implemented by consortia with dominant participation of higher education institutions. The projects are in line with priorities jointly agreed by the European Commission and the partner countries. The following types of joint European Projects have been financed:
- Curriculum Development
- University Management
- Training Courses for Institution Building
- Networking Projects.
Curriculum Development projects aim at updating the existing and development of new study programs and courses in line with the Bologna Process requirements and the socio-economic needs of the country.
University Management projects focus on institutional reforms and development of the management of the higher education institutions, aiming to make possible good quality participation in the European Higher Education Area.
The Institutional Building projects focus on strengthening of democracy and the rule of law, giving support to the development of crucial non-academic sectors of the society.
Networking Projects promoted cooperation, synergy and dissemination of results of successful projects. Projects of this type played important role in the development of regional cooperation. Networking projects were financed in the year 2000.
Structural and Complementary Measures are a new type of short-term (up to one year duration) Tempus projects, introduced in 2003. They support specific fields of the national reforms in accordance with priorities jointly agreed by the European Commission. Structural Measures support the development and upgrading of knowledge, skills, and instruments necessary for structural reforms in higher education at national level. Complementary Measures aim at dissemination and transfer of good practice experiences. The realization of five structural and complementary measures is currently on-going.
Compact Measure projects supported preparation of feasibility studies, as well as dissemination of results of successful Tempus projects. Projects of this type were financed until 1998.
Individual Mobility Grants support mobility of academics, teaching assistants, administrators, education experts and ministry officials. East-West and West-East mobility are possible. Individual Mobility Grants support:
- Preparation of Joint European Projects proposals;
- Participation to specific events in the field of higher education in EU Member States or candidate countries;
- Retraining of study period, collaboration on a specific academic subject and dissemination of good practice.
High interest of Macedonian higher education institutions for participation in Tempus is evident during the whole period of eligibility of the country for the study Programme. Each year, and in particular since the year 2000, the number of submitted proposals is much higher than the funding possibilities. This creates a competitive milieu, thus opening possibilities for financing only good quality proposals.
Future Cooperation
In the coming years, the Tempus cooperation will continue to support the national higher education policy (development and implementation), the reforms of content, teaching methodologies and structure of higher education institutions in accordance with the Bologna Process.
Tempus will also support capacity development and establishment of centres for continuous education and training of civil servants and civic society development.
The Faculty of Economics in Skopje is very much active in utilizing the benefits from the Tempus Programme Projects. Following is the list of Projects implemented by the Faculty of Economics in Skopje, within the framework of Tempus and PHARE-ACE Programmes.