1. This Agreement regulates the access to higher education and admission to study at accredited public higher education institutions of the Parties for purposes of acquiring rights to studies in each of the Parties. The rights to education free of charge, housing and scholarship are regulated according to each Party’s legislative framework.

2. The Parties agree to grant applicants from other Parties access and admission to their respective public Higher Education Institutions the same or equivalent access and admission criteria as to applicants from the host Party.

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

1. This Agreement applies to all levels of higher education.

2. This Agreement is without prejudice to and shall not derogate any previous arrangement, practices, or agreement between two or more Parties that is more beneficial to holders of secondary education as applicable and higher education qualifications and does not provide an obstacle for the establishment of any such further arrangement, practice or agreement.

For the purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meaning:

The provisions of this Agreement do not imply any exemption or preferential treatment from the currently valid residence permit legislation in the respective Parties.

If specific qualifications or attainments in a specific subject or subjects are required for admission to a certain study programme of higher education, applicants from other Parties signatories to this Agreement shall meet such requirements on terms corresponding to those required of applicants from the host Party.

1. If admission to study programmes of higher education is limited, the selection of applicants from the other Parties signatories to this Agreement shall be conducted in accordance with the same or equivalent rules as those applied to applicants from the host Party. The Parties shall thereby endeavour to apply admission rules, which, to the greatest extent possible, accord applicants from the other Parties signatories to this Agreement parity with applicants from the host Party.

2. The Parties shall provide information on the study programmes available at the various institutions of higher education in the entire Western Balkan region.

1. For the purposes of access and admission to higher education, a joint list of secondary education institutions shall be reviewed and agreed by Joint Commission on Access to Higher Education and Admission to Study in the Western Balkans, as defined in Article 8 of the Agreement.

2. Each Party shall recognise the qualifications issued by other Parties meeting the general requirements for access to higher education in those Parties for the purpose of access to programmes belonging to its higher education system, unless a substantial difference can be shown between the general requirements for access. This substantial difference has to be explained in detail in the decision.

3. Where a qualification gives access only to specific types of institutions or programmes of higher education in the Party in which the qualification was obtained, each other Party shall grant holders of such qualifications access to similar specific programmes in institutions belonging to its higher education system, unless a substantial difference can be shown between the requirements for access. This substantial difference has to be explained in detail in the decision.

4. Where admission to particular higher education programmes is dependent on the fulfilment of specific requirements in addition to the general requirements for access in the host Party, the public higher education institutions of the host Party may impose such specific requirements equally on holders of qualifications of other Parties or assess whether applicants with qualifications of other Parties already fulfil equivalent specific requirements.

5. Where, in the Party, secondary school leaving certificates give access to higher education only in combination with additional qualifying examinations as a prerequisite for access, the other Parties may make access conditional on these requirements or offer an alternative for satisfying such additional requirements within their own educational systems.

6. Where, in the Party, secondary school leaving certificates give access to higher education only in combination with additional qualifying examinations as a prerequisite for access, the other Parties may make access conditional on these requirements making it possible to attend classes but not to pass exams or offer an alternative for satisfying such additional requirements within their own educational systems.

7. Admission to a given public higher education institution may be made conditional on demonstration by the applicant of sufficient competence in the language or languages of instruction of the higher education institution concerned, or in other specified languages.

8. The recognition procedure of secondary education qualifications in all Parties, including the final secondary education exam results, and/or Matura exam results, is carried out within a period of a maximum of 30 (thirty) days.

9. In case the recognition procedure could not be completed within 30 days, the student can apply for enrolment at HEI with a confirmation from the competent authority that the process of recognition of secondary education qualification is in progress. This proof should be valid for 30 days only. On the admission day, the student needs to provide a decision issued by the competent authority on recognition of secondary education qualification.

1. A Joint Commission on Access to Higher Education and Admission to Study in the Western Balkans (the Joint Commission) shall be established based on this Agreement tasked with organising, coordinating, and monitoring the activities related to the implementation of this Agreement.

2. The Joint Commission shall be composed of up to 3 representatives from each Party of the Agreement.

3. All decisions of the Joint Commission shall be agreed by all Parties.

4. The Joint Commission shall adopt its rules of procedures.

5. The Joint Commission shall meet at least twice a year.

1. This Agreement is subject to ratification, acceptance, or approval in accordance with the requirements foreseen by the relevant legislation of the Parties. The formal notice of ratification, acceptance, or approval shall be deposited with the Depositary.

2. This Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day upon the deposition of the third formal notice of ratification, acceptance, or approval for those Parties that have deposited their formal notice of ratification, acceptance, or approval.

3. For each Party depositing its formal notice of ratification, acceptance, or approval after the date of the deposit of the third formal notice of ratification, acceptance or approval, this Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the day on which that Party deposits its formal notice of ratification, acceptance, or approval.

4. North Macedonia shall act as Depositary and shall notify all Parties of any notification received in accordance with this Article and any other act or notification relating to this Agreement.

The Parties agree that any dispute arising from the implementation of this Agreement shall be addressed by the Joint Commission.

This Agreement may be amended only with the written consent of all Parties subject to the same procedure necessary to conclude this Agreement.

If one Party withdraws from this Agreement, it shall cease to be effective only for that Party within 30 days from the date of delivery of the notification thereof to the Depository.

The Agreement is drawn up in the English language in one original version, which will remain in the possession of the Depository. Each Party will receive one certified copy of the Agreement.

Done at Berlin on 14 OCT 2024 Statement by the Republic of Serbia upon the signing of the agreement on Access to Higher Education and Admission to Study in the Western Balkans

Taking into consideration that the territory of Kosovo and Metohija is a part of the Republic of Serbia which is under international administration in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999), the signing of and the subsequent expression of consent to bound by the Agreement on Access to Higher Education and Admission to Study in the Western Balkans, by the Republic of Serbia, cannot be interpreted as a recognition of the purported independence of Kosovo nor does it create between the Republic of Serbia and Kosovoa treaty relation within the meaning of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969), which regulates the conclusion and application of treaties between states.

The conclusion and the application of the Agreement on Access to Higher Education and Admission to Study in the Western Balkans, by the Republic of Serbia, by no means prejudice the issue of the status of Kosovo*, or the competences and powers of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and KFOR in accordance with the UN Secretary Council Resolution 1244 (1999) and the Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self-Government in Kosovo (UNMIK Regulation 2001/9 of 15 May 2001).

No action taken by the Provisional Institutions of Self- Government from Kosovo in the course of the conclusion and the application of this Agreement can be considered valid if it exceeds the competences of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government from Kosovo or it impinges on the competences and powers reserved for the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, as defined by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) and the Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self- Government in Kosovo.

 This designation is withour prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

1. Ovaj Sporazum reguliše pristup visokom obrazovanju i prijem na studije na akreditovanim javnim obrazovnim institucijama ugovornih strana, za svrhe sticanja prava studiranja u svakoj od ugovornih strana. Pravo na besplatno obrazovanje, smeštaj i stipendiju regulišu se u skladu sa pravnim okvirom svake od strana.

2. Ugovorne strane su saglasne da omoguće kandidatima iz drugih ugovornih strana pristup i prijem na svoje javne visokoobrazovne institucije pod istim ili ekvivalentnim uslovima pristupa i prijema koji važe za kandidate iz strane domaćina.

1. Ovaj Sporazum se primenjuje na sve stepene visokog obrazovanja.

2. Ovaj Sporazum ne prejudicira, i neće ni na koji način predstavljati odstupanje od bilo kog prethodnog dogovora, prakse ili sporazuma između dve ili više strana koji bi bio povoljniji za držaoce primenljivih kvalifikacija srednjeg obrazovanja i kvalifikacija visokog obrazovanja, te ne predstavlja prepreku za sklapanje bilo kakvog daljeg sličnog dogovora, prakse ili sporazuma.

Za potrebe ovog Sporazuma, pojmovi koji slede će se tumačiti na sledeći način:

Odredbe ovog Sporazuma ne impliciraju nikakvo izuzeće ili preferencijalni tretman u odnosu na važeće propise o boravišnoj dozvoli u datim ugovornim stranama.

Ukoliko su za prijem na neki studijski program visokog obrazovanja neophodne određene kvalifikacije, ili određena dostignuća u nekom specifičnom predmetu ili predmetima, kandidati iz drugih strana potpisnica ovog Sporazuma moraju da ispune takve zahteve pod uslovima koji odgovaraju onima koji se zahtevaju od kandidata iz strane domaćina.

1. Ukoliko je prijem na studijske programe visokog obrazovanja ograničen, izbor kandidata iz drugih strana potpisnica ovog Sporazuma sprovodiće se u skladu sa istim ili ekvivalentnim pravilima kao što su ona koja se primenjuju na kandidate iz strane domaćina. Ugovorne strane će se stoga truditi da primene pravila prijema koja, u najvećoj mogućoj meri, daju kandidatima iz drugih strana potpisnica ovog Sporazuma ravnopravnost sa kandidatima iz strane domaćina.

2. Ugovorne strane će obezbediti informacije o studijskim programima koji su dostupni na različitim institucijama visokog obrazovanja u celom regionu Zapadnog Balkana.

1. Za svrhe pristupa i prijema na studije visokog obrazovanja, Zajednička komisija za pristup visokom obrazovanju i prijem na studije Zapadnog Balkana će pregledati i utvrditi zajednički spisak institucija srednjeg obrazovanja, kao što je definisano

u članu 8. ovog Sporazuma

.

2. Svaka ugovorna strana će priznati kvalifikacije koje su izdale druge ugovorne strane a koje ispunjavaju opšte uslove za pristup visokom obrazovanju u tim stranama, za pristup programima koji pripadaju njenom sistemu visokog obrazovanja, osim ukoliko je moguće prikazati značajnu razliku između opštih uslova za pristup. Ova značajna razlika mora da bude detaljno obrazložena u odluci.

3. U slučaju da neka kvalifikacija daje pristup samo specifičnim vrstama institucija ili programima visokog obrazovanja u ugovornoj strani u kojoj je kvalifikacija stečena, svaka druga ugovorna strana će nosiocima takve kvalifikacije dati pristup sličnim specifičnim programima u institucijama koje pripadaju njenom sistemu visokog obrazovanja, osim ako se može pokazati značajna razlika između zahteva za pristup. Ova značajna razlika mora da bude detaljno obrazložena u odluci.

4. U slučaju da prijem na određeni program visokog obrazovanja zavisi od ispunjenja specifičnih zahteva, uz opšte zahteve za pristup u strani domaćinu, javne institucije visokog obrazovanja strane domaćina mogu da nametnu takve specifične zahteve podjednako i za nosioce kvalifikacija drugih strana ili da ocene da li kandidati sa kvalifikacijama drugih strana već ispunjavaju ekvivalentne specifične zahteve.

5. U slučaju da, u datoj ugovornoj strani, sertifikati o završenom srednjem obrazovanju daju pristup visokom obrazovanju samo u kombinaciji sa dodatnim kvalifikacionim ispitima koji su preduslov za pristup, druge strane mogu da uslove pristup takvim zahtevima ili da ponude alternativu kojom će takvi dodatni zahtevi biti zadovoljeni unutar njihovih obrazovnih sistema.

6. U slučaju da, u datoj ugovornoj strani, sertifikati o završenom srednjem obrazovanju daju pristup visokom obrazovanju samo u kombinaciji sa dodatnim kvalifikacionim ispitima koji su preduslov za pristup, druge strane mogu da uslove pristup takvim zahtevima, omogućavajući pohađanje nastave ali ne i polaganje ispita, ili da ponude alternativu kojom će takvi dodatni zahtevi biti zadovoljeni unutar njihovih obrazovnih sistema.

7. Prijem u datu javnu obrazovnu ustanovu visokog obrazovanja može se usloviti pružanjem dokaza, od strane kandidata, o dovoljnim kompetencijama u jeziku ili jezicima na kojima se izvodi nastava na instituciji visokog obrazovanja o kojoj je reč, ili drugim navedenim jezicima.

8. Procedura priznavanja kvalifikacija srednjeg obrazovanja u svim ugovornim stranama, uključujući i rezultate završnog ispita srednjeg obrazovanja i/ili rezultate maturskog ispita, izvršava se u roku od najviše 30 (trideset) dana.

9. U slučaju da procedura priznavanja ne može da se završi u roku od 30 dana, student može da se prijavi za upis na IVO uz potvrdu nadležnog organa da je proces priznavanja kvalifikacije srednjeg obrazovanja u toku. Ovaj dokaz bi trebalo da bude važeći samo 30 dana. Na dan prijema, student mora da dostavi odluku nadležnog organa o priznavanju kvalifikacije srednjeg obrazovanja.

1. Zajednička komisija za pristup visokom obrazovanju i prijem na studije na Zapadnom Balkanu (Zajednička komisija) se osniva na osnovu ovog Sporazuma sa zadatkom da organizuje, koordiniše i prati aktivnosti u vezi sa sprovođenjem ovog Sporazuma.

2. Zajednička komisija je sastavljena do 3 predstavnika iz svake od ugovornih strana ovog Sporazuma.

3. Sve odluke Zajedničke komisije donose se u saglasnosti sa svim ugovornim stranama.

4. Zajednička komisija usvaja svoj Poslovnik o radu.

5. Zajednička komisija se sastaje najmanje dvaput godišnje.

1. Ovaj Sporazum podleže ratifikaciji, prihvatanju ili odobrenju u skladu sa zahtevima predviđenim relevantnim propisima ugovornih strana. Formalno obaveštenje o ratifikaciji, prihvatanju ili odobrenju dostavlja se Depozitaru.

2. Ovaj Sporazum stupa na snagu tridesetog dana nakon dostavljanja trećeg formalnog obaveštenja o ratifikaciji, prihvatanju ili odobrenju za one ugovorne strane koje su dostavile svoja formalna obaveštenja o ratifikaciji, prihvatanju ili odobrenju.

3. Za svaku ugovornu stranu koja dostavi svoje formalno obaveštenje o ratifikaciji, prihvatanju ili odobrenju nakon dana dostavljanja trećeg formalnog obaveštenja o ratifikaciji, prihvatanju ili odobrenju, ovaj Sporazum stupa na snagu tridesetog dana nakon dana dostavljanja formalnog obaveštenja o ratifikaciji, prihvatanju ili odobrenju date ugovorne strane.

4. Severna Makedonija obavlja dužnost Depozitara i obaveštava sve ugovorne strane o svim obaveštenjima primljenim u skladu sa ovim članom, te o bilo kakvom drugom aktu ili obaveštenju u vezi sa ovim Sporazumom.

Ugovorne strane su saglasne da svaki eventualni spor koji proistekne iz primene ovog Sporazuma rešava Zajednička komisija.

Ovaj Sporazum se može menjati samo uz pismeni pristanak svih ugovornih strana, koji podleže istoj proceduri koja je bila neophodna za zaključivanje ovog Sporazuma.

Ukoliko se jedna od ugovornih strana povuče iz ovog Sporazuma, on prestaje da bude na snazi samo za tu ugovornu stranu u roku od 30 dana od dana dostavljanja obaveštenja o povlačenju Depozitaru.

Sporazum je sačinjen na engleskom jeziku u jednom originalu, koji ostaje kod Depozitara. Svaka ugovorna strana dobija po jednu overenu kopiju Sporazuma.

Sačinjen u Berlinu na dan 14 OKT 2024. Izjava Republike Srbije prilikom potpisivanja Sporazuma o pristupu visokom obrazovanju i prijemu na studije na Zapadnom Balkanu

Uzimajući u obzir da je teritorija Kosova i Metohije sastavni deo Republike Srbije koji se nalazi pod međunarodnom upravom u skladu sa Rezolucijom 1244 (1999) Saveta bezbednosti Ujedinjenih nacija, potpisivanje, kao i naknadno izražavanje pristanka Republike Srbije da bude obavezana Sporazumom o pristupu visokom obrazovanju i prijemu na studije na Zapadnom Balkanu, ne može se tumačiti kao priznanje navodne nezavisnosti Kosova* niti stvara ugovorni odnos između Republike Srbije i Kosova* u smislu Bečke konvencije o pravu međunarodnih ugovora (1969), kojom se uređuje zaključivanje i primena međunarodnih ugovora između država.

Zaključenje i primena Sporazuma o pristupu visokom obrazovanju i prijemu na studije na Zapadnom Balkanu od strane Republike Srbije ni na koji način ne prejudiciraju pitanje statusa Kosova*, niti nadležnosti i ovlašćenja Specijalnog predstavnika generalnog sekretara UN i KFOR-a u skladu sa Rezolucijom 1244

Nijedna radnja koju preduzmu Privremene institucije samouprave sa Kosova* u toku zaključivanja i primene ovog sporazuma ne može se smatrati važećom ukoliko prelazi nadležnosti Privremenih institucija samouprave sa Kosova* ili zadire u nadležnosti i ovlašćenja rezervisana za Specijalnog predstavnika generalnog sekretara UN, kako su definisana Rezolucijom 1244 (1999) Saveta bezbednosti UN i Ustavnim okvirom za privremenu samoupravu na Kosovu*.

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*Ovaj naziv ne prejudicira stavove o statusu i u skladu je sa Rezolucijom Saveta bezbednosti UN-a 1244/1999 i mišljenjem Međunarodnog suda pravde o kosovskoj deklaraciji o nezavisnosti.