WEB-MOB project HEIS, Bosnia and Herzegovina Mobility of Researchers in Western Balkan Region WP2: Mapping exercise for identification of research organisations Bosnia and Herzegovina WP2: Mapping exercise for identification of research organisations Bosnia and Herzegovina

Foreign Researchers in B&H Many obstacles prevent foreign researchers from working in Bosnia: difficulties to obtain residence permits, work permits, getting foreign academic degrees recognised... Almost impossible to bring someone from abroad to work on a project for one year; Many obstacles prevent foreign researchers from working in Bosnia: difficulties to obtain residence permits, work permits, getting foreign academic degrees recognised... Almost impossible to bring someone from abroad to work on a project for one year;

Legal Requirements In B&H, each entity/district has its own law related to employment of foreign nationals: -FB&H: “Law on Employment of Foreign Nationals”; -RS: “Law on Employment of Foreign Nationals and Persons without Citizenship”; -Brčko District: “Law on Employment of Foreign Nationals”; In B&H, each entity/district has its own law related to employment of foreign nationals: -FB&H: “Law on Employment of Foreign Nationals”; -RS: “Law on Employment of Foreign Nationals and Persons without Citizenship”; -Brčko District: “Law on Employment of Foreign Nationals”;

Legal Requirements All three laws state that: A foreign national can sign a contract with an employer in B&H, only if he/she has a work permit; The work permit shall be issued only if the foreign national has a temporary or permanent resident permit and under the condition that no citizen of B&H with qualifications required by the employer is registered on the list of Employment Agency; All three laws state that: A foreign national can sign a contract with an employer in B&H, only if he/she has a work permit; The work permit shall be issued only if the foreign national has a temporary or permanent resident permit and under the condition that no citizen of B&H with qualifications required by the employer is registered on the list of Employment Agency;

Legal Requirements Work permits are issued on a determined period of time, usually one year, with possibility of extension; Exceptionally, for foreign nationals with permanent resident permit, the permanent work permit may be issued Work permits are issued on a determined period of time, usually one year, with possibility of extension; Exceptionally, for foreign nationals with permanent resident permit, the permanent work permit may be issued

Recognition of Academic Degrees One of the preconditions to get work permit, is recognition of academic degree as an equivalent to the local one;  Universities in B&H do not have proper understanding of foreign systems of education, and very often the requests for recognition of foreign academic degrees are rejected; One of the preconditions to get work permit, is recognition of academic degree as an equivalent to the local one;  Universities in B&H do not have proper understanding of foreign systems of education, and very often the requests for recognition of foreign academic degrees are rejected;

Recognition of Academic Degrees According to the Law, the procedure for recognition of one diploma should not take longer than 60 days; In practice, this procedure takes much longer since there are no penalty provisions if the procedure is not implemented in the determined period of time; This procedure takes approximately one year in most cases, and sometimes even more; According to the Law, the procedure for recognition of one diploma should not take longer than 60 days; In practice, this procedure takes much longer since there are no penalty provisions if the procedure is not implemented in the determined period of time; This procedure takes approximately one year in most cases, and sometimes even more;

Finding Information about Scientific-Research (SR) Institutions in B&H Some of the institutions do not even have web-sites; Institutions that have web sites, do not regularly up-date them, thus the information presented is very often incorrect; Some of the institutions do not even have web-sites; Institutions that have web sites, do not regularly up-date them, thus the information presented is very often incorrect;

Finding Information about SR Institutions in B&H The web sites very often do not provide information about departments and especially about facilities of institutions; Information about vacancies was found only at one web-site; The web sites very often do not provide information about departments and especially about facilities of institutions; Information about vacancies was found only at one web-site;

Scientific-Research Institutions in B&H Universities/faculties; Public Research Institutes; Private Research Companies; Other; Up to now, 150 scientific-research institutions found; Universities/faculties; Public Research Institutes; Private Research Companies; Other; Up to now, 150 scientific-research institutions found;

SR Institutions According to Type

Research Areas Of the research areas given, the largest number of institutions belongs to the following: 1. Health; 2. Materials and Production; 3. Socio-Economic Sciences; Of the research areas given, the largest number of institutions belongs to the following: 1. Health; 2. Materials and Production; 3. Socio-Economic Sciences;

Division of SR Institutions According to Research Area

Employment Options at SR Institutions in B&H No vacancies offered; No defined exchange programmes for researchers, nor for students at universities /faculties; Only links to different schools and universities that offer scholarships for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees; No vacancies offered; No defined exchange programmes for researchers, nor for students at universities /faculties; Only links to different schools and universities that offer scholarships for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees;

International Cooperation Almost all universities have some type of International Relations Office, which is in charge of arranging cooperation with other scientific institutions; Most of the work in these offices is again related just to finding universities/faculties in other countries, that offer scholarship possibilities for Bosnian students or possibilities to attend different seminars and trainings; Almost all universities have some type of International Relations Office, which is in charge of arranging cooperation with other scientific institutions; Most of the work in these offices is again related just to finding universities/faculties in other countries, that offer scholarship possibilities for Bosnian students or possibilities to attend different seminars and trainings;

International Cooperation Some of the research institutions are involved in international projects (e.g. EU FP6 programme), but this cooperation is usually limited to just several joint meetings where project results are discussed;

State Authority in Charge of International Cooperation Ministry of Foreign Affaris of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Department of Scientific, Technical, Educational, Cultural and Sports Cooperation; - One of the tasks of this Department is cooperation related to: “international, scientific and research projects in the areas of science, technology, education and culture”, however, not one of these projects is mentioned at the site; Ministry of Foreign Affaris of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Department of Scientific, Technical, Educational, Cultural and Sports Cooperation; - One of the tasks of this Department is cooperation related to: “international, scientific and research projects in the areas of science, technology, education and culture”, however, not one of these projects is mentioned at the site;

Conclusions Very difficult for foreign nationals to come and work in B&H; Obstacles to employment of foreign nationals at SR institutions in B&H - legal requirements, long period of time necessary to obtain all permits, diploma recognition... B&H SR institutions are not offering specific projects or exchange programmes at which foreign nationals could work; Very difficult for foreign nationals to come and work in B&H; Obstacles to employment of foreign nationals at SR institutions in B&H - legal requirements, long period of time necessary to obtain all permits, diploma recognition... B&H SR institutions are not offering specific projects or exchange programmes at which foreign nationals could work;