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Multinational reality – Croats in higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The State of Bosnia and Herzegovina constitutionality, according to Dayton`s Agreement from 1995 has been defined as the community composed of three constituent nations, each of them having equal rights. With the mentioned Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina has been divided into two entities (the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska). Both entities have its own constitutions, and according to that, all aspects of life have been framed in their constitutions. So, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to "Dayton`s Constitution" in Paragraph III, Article 4, 5, 6 defines education, science, culture and sport as segments under the competence of the Cantonal Government, and furthermore all of that is regulated by Cantonal Constitution, as well as by Law of the each Canton. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina we utilize a “ model of parallel plans and programs” following the Swiss model in education. So the text-books (as well as programs) for the primary and secondary school and for the higher education are, in a certain way, separate for all three nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are also written in separate languages of these three nations. Admittedly, they at the same time have a common core (common basic lines which connect these programs and text-books) and other common features which are the basis for the common system of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As the Croatian nation in B-H is the least numerous, although a constituent nation, and on the account of the possible unitarian tendencies of the other two more numerous nations (the Serbs and Bosniaks) in the domain of education, science and culture, Croats have expressed their fear of being over voted by the more numerous nations, in particular the Bosniaks in the Federation with whom Croats live, which would be detrimental not only to the language, education system and culture of Croats but also to other characteristics of the Croatian identity. Due to the specific state arrangements in B-H, due to its specific demographic, cultural, confessional, linguistic and ethnic constitution, due to the « survival and existence» of Croats in B-H as in their country where Croats are constituent and equal to the other two nations (the Serbs and Bosniaks), education, science and culture are of uttermost importance because they primarily determine the youth awareness, their perspectives and their position in society in general. In B-H there are eight universities which utilize the three official languages in B-H (Bosniak, Serbian and Croatian) and only one of them is in Croatian – the University of Mostar. Due to its importance this public institution is of special national interest to the Croatian nation.

high education; law; standards; constitution; reform; Bosnia/Herzegovina; legal and moral

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