about us
Alternative Academic Educational Network (AAEN) actively supports the reforms of Serbian society, paying special attention to the higher education and integration of Serbia in the European Higher Education Area and Bologna process. AAEN has been founded in 1998 as a response of a part of academic community to the oppressive University Act introduced by the Serbian Parliament. AAEN main objective was to provide additional and alternative graduate programs and open the way for the university reform, thus supporting transition towards the open civil society, market economy and democracy.
Within the AAEN, a nucleus of experts in the higher education field has been created, making the beginning of formal reform process after the political changes in October 2000 easier. This group is dedicated to the formation of the Centre for Development of Education, which is seen to become an important educational research centre in the region, providing opportunities for recognised high quality postgraduate studies in the field and offering consultancy services to a range of partners (educational institutions, government structures, other organisations dealing with education issues etc.) in Serbia and the region. Through thematic research activities, targeted at quality, efficiency and inclusion of different social groups in education, the Centre will be in the position to identify problematic sectors, areas and groups, as well as to formulate possible strategies for alleviating these problems. This is of special relevance since most of the decisions regarding education (on all levels) have so far been taken on the basis of insufficient analysis of the present situation.
So far, this group of experts directed their activities towards the curricula development, promotion of Bologna process and integration process of Serbia and Montenegro in European science, research and higher education area, organisation of conferences on situation of higher education in Serbia, publication of books on higher education reform, organization of graduate programs and seminar on Copenhagen process. Confirmation of adequate approach to the problems in higher education in Serbia was received from the UNESCO, in February 2003, when AAEN was awarded a Chair in Governance and Management of Higher Education. The Chair-holder is professor Srbijanka Turajlić.
UNESCO Chair in Governance and Management of Higher Education
The purpose of the UNESCO Chair is to promote an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation in the field of higher education management. It serves as means of facilitating collaboration between high-level, internationally recognised researchers and teaching staff of AAEN and other institutions in Serbia and Montenegro, and in other countries of the region, working in close cooperation with the similar UNESCO Chairs, members of the “Regional University Network in Governance and Management of Higher Education in South-East Europe”, established on the initiative of UNESCO-CEPES. Among others, activities within the UNESCO Chair included: publishing relevant books, organisation of the conference on results of the higher education reforms in Serbia, creating e-library with relevant documents and texts about higher education reform, etc.
Address:
