„Dobrý deň!“ *

* means „Good afternoon“ in the Slovak language

Slovak Academic Association For International Cooperation

• Non-governmental association (members are Slovak higher education institutions)

• Support and Coordination of International Cooperation of Slovak universities

• Information, consulting and advisory services about international educational programmes (LLP, Tempus, Erasmus Mundus and other EU programmes and projects)

• Publish information materials and promote Slovak education abroad.

Where can you find Slovakia?In the heart of Europe

Slovakia

Germany

Austria

Czech Republic

Poland

Slovenia

Croatia

Bulgaria

Romania

Ukraine

Hungary

Take a closer view

Establishment: January 1st, 1993(former part of Czecho-

slovakia)

State organisation: Republic

Political system: Parliamentary democracy

Official language: Slovak

Capital city: Bratislava

Area: 49,035 km2

Population: 5.4 million

Population density: 109/km2

Some facts on Slovakia

Ethnicity of the population: Slovak (85.8%), Hungarian (9.7%), Romany (1.7%), Czech (0.8%), Ruthenians, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Polish and others (2%)

Population by religion: Roman Catholic (68.9%), Evangelical Lutheran (6.9%), Greek Catholic (4.1%), Reform Christian (2%), Orthodox (0,09%)Jewish (0, 04%), without denomination (13.7%)

Currency: Slovak crown (1EUR = 33,4 SKK)

Climate: continental character with warm summers and cold winters

...more facts

Take a walkin Bratislava, the capital of

Slovakia

                                                                                                       

Take a deep breath in High Tatras, the picturesque

mountains

• 20 public HEIs (mainly state budget) –

in all regional capitals Bratislava, Trnava, Nitra,

Trenčín, Žilina, B.Bystrica, Prešov, Košice)

• 10 private HEIs (mainly own financial means)

• 3 state HEIs (mainly state budget)

Until today – all public HEIs – university type

At present – new law under the preparation – 3 types:

university, HEI, professional HEI

The overviewof Higher Education Institutions

in the Slovak Republic

Choose the field of the study

Slovakia is among the first countries which signed the Bologna declaration – today 46 countries signed

Implementation of BP

Legislative changes:

Act on HE introduced 3 cycle system in 2002 (it was already declared before the Bologna declaration)

Separate decree introduced the credit system in 2002

Starting academic year 2005/2006 all new study programmes have to follow the new legislation completely (3cycle and credits)

Bologna process in the Slovak Republic

According the Higher Education Act adapted in April 2002 : 3-cycle system of HE:

• Bachelor – 3-4 years (180-240 credits)

• Master- 1,5-2 years (90 – 120 credits)

• PhD study- 3 years (180 credits)

Starting 2005/2006 – long-cycle study programmes have been phased out (there are exceptions – theology, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy)

New study programmes – according to the new legislation

System of Higher Education

ECTS – starting 2002 the credit system has been implemented (for both transfer and accumulation purposes)and the information packages issued by all HEIs starting the academic year 2005/2006 as obligatory at all 3 levels.

ECTS – academic year/2 semesters/60 credits

Diploma supplement – to be introduced for the graduates starting to study in 2005/2006

Recognition – individual study/Erasmus mobility

diplomas/ NARIC

System of Higher Education

Accreditation & Evaluation

Accreditation Commission (state body) – gives the opinion on ability of the HEI to carry out:

• the study programmes, change of the field of study

PhD study programmes;

• habilitation procedures and nomination of the

professors;

• classification of the HEIs (e.g. research university);

• complex accreditation of HEIs (every 6 years).

System of Higher Education

External evaluation

Accreditation Commission – using internal evaluation

processes, peer reviews

Project of the Institutional evaluation of the HEIs: all 20 public HEIs, 2 state and 1 private HEI participate in the cooperation with EUA:

1. Quality of HE as the priority of the Slovak HEIs;

2. Creation of the system of QE/separation of the accreditation;

3. Institutional evaluation and self-evaluation.

System of Higher Education

Internationalization of Slovak

Higher Education 1990 – change of the HEIs position & new possibilities opened to the Western countries Tempus – support to the development of HE multilateral cooperation projects;1998 - Socrates/Erasmus new dimension /not only outgoing students but incoming (very low amounts, after 2004 rapidly increased bilateral agreements – with all EU, EFTA and candidate countries; 2007 - Life-long learning Programme/Erasmus, Comenius, Grundtvig, Jean Monet;

Internationalization of Slovak

Higher Education TEMPUS -EU countries with 3 regions - former countries of UdSSR, West Balkan and Mediterian coast countries,

Erasmus Mundus – joint masters courses of EU countries – individual scholarships for all 3rd countries (students and scholars)EM - External Cooperation window – projects and mobility with 3rd countries HEIs

EU – USA, Canada, Australia, JapanAsiaLink, Alban, ALFA (South Amerika) CEEPUS, bilateral programmes (AT, DAAD, Norway),

Admission to Higher Education Institutions

• secondary school leaving certificate

• demonstration of skills required for the appropriate study in HEI

Entrance examination

• depending on field of study

• mainly written (tests)

• talent examination (art universities)

What will the students need?

• www.saaic.sk

• www.eurydice.sk

• www.saia.sk

• www.srk (Rectors conference)

• www.slovakia.sk

• www.tatry.sk

Useful links

Thank you for your attention!

Contact:

Viera Farkašová

Head of Unit of Academic programmes

and projects

SAAIC, Stare grunty 52, Bratislava

e-mail: viera.farkasova@saaic.sk

T: +421 2 654 12 336