The International Staff Week at UNMO

The fifth International Staff Week at the Dzemal Bijedic University of Mostar was organized from 09.06 to 13.06.2025. Traditionally, it is an event organized by the International Relations Office of the Dzemal Bijedic University of Mostar and the Office for International Relations of the University of Sarajevo. The week is dedicated to promoting the Erasmus+ ICM programme and raising awareness of the importance of the internationalization of higher education.

This year, International Staff Week has gathered 33 participants from 16  Universities in the EU and Turkey. The programme started with the registration of the participants and a walk around the campus and continued with the crash course in the Bosnian language. Prof. Sanja Merzić explained to the participants the basics of the Bosnian alphabet and taught them some easy phrases.

The crash course was followed by an interactive workshop where participants had an opportunity to make lip balms and face creams. Organized to present the University Study Programme of Pharmacy, the workshop was also a way for participants to get to know each other and network.

The last event on Monday was reserved for the presentation of the ESN- AIR project. EASN – AIR is an acronym for the Erasmus+ CBHE project “Engaging Students for eNhancing internationalization practices in the Adriatic-Ionian Region” coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Ancona, which the Dzemal Bijedic University of Mostar is a full partner in. Local ESN Air project coordinator talked about the project goals, activities carried out so far and the forthcoming activities within the project.   

The second day of the staff week started with the arrival of the guests from the University of Sarajevo. The welcome speech of the Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Prof. Dr. Rijad Novakovic was followed by the short introduction of the Dzemal Bijedic University of  Mostar. The 'Meet and Greet'  workshop started with a lesson in traditional Bosnian folklore dance where the participants had an opportunity to learn more about the institutions they came from in a relaxed and easygoing way. After that, students of the Faculty of Information Technologies carried out the interactive workshop allowing the participants to get to know each other and even introduce themselves in their native language. The official programme was finished with the presentation of Prof. Veldin Ovcina, professor of marketing at the  Faculty of Economics, who spoke about the strategies in marketing and how to promote the Erasmus+ ICM programme using marketing tools.

After the Official programme participants had a leisure walk to the Old Town.

Day three of the International Staff Week was reserved for the promotion of the SUNRISE European University Alliance, of which the Dzemal Bijedic University of Mostar is a full member.

The SUNRISE Networking Conference gathered the Universities from Bosnia and Herzegovina that are members of different European University Alliance. The focus was on the role of European University Alliances in the modernization of higher education, the development of institutional capacities, and the process of accession to the European Union.

The SUNRISE Networking Conference was a platform to present the importance of university alliances for the education system in the region. The pinnacle of the day was the panel discussion entitled “The Impact of European University Alliances on Higher Education and the Community”. The discussion gathered prominent experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad, including the coordinator of the SUNRISE Alliance, member of the SUNRISE consortium, the director of the Erasmus+ Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the representatives of the EUPeace and ACROSS alliance, professor of European law, and local SUNRISE coordinator.

During the SUNRISE Networking Conference, professor Werner Pitsch from Saarland University held a lecture ‘Deviance in Sport or Spirt -related deviance: implications of a commonplace’.

On Thursday the participants of the International Staff Week at UNMO visited the University of Sarajevo and actively participated in the workshop ‘Erasmus gone wrong’.

The workshop provided a fun way to talk about International Credit Mobility and the problems that might occur in the process of applying and implementing mobility as well as the aftermath of mobility with both students and staff.

The participants commented on three possible scenarios ‘Oscar-winning mobility’ ‘Oops, I did it again’, and ‘Welcome back home’.

The discussion provided some interesting insights on experiences and best practices, recommendations, and suggestions on what to do when things are not going smoothly.

The final day of this year’s edition of the International Staff Week started with an interesting workshop on country branding held by Sorina Chiper from the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi. The workshop offered some interesting views regarding what means countries use to promote themselves. The workshop was followed by a quiz ‘How well do we know the Erasmus programme and EU’. The presentation of the Sports and Health Department of the Faculty of Education ended with a visit to the gym and a yoga lesson.

The official programme of International Staf Week at UNMO was concluded with the farewell ceremony of handing out the certificates to the participants.

The host Faculties of this year’s International Staff Week were Faculty of Education, Agro Mediterranean Faculty, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Mechanical engineering.