Montenegro needs a database in which all diplomas can be checked and suspicious or falsified ones identified, as this is one of the country's most burning issues. Furthermore, conflict of interest must be embedded into legislation in order to create a unified framework for strengthening the code of ethics in higher education.
This was the key message of the twelfth episode of the podcast "Bez filtera" (Without Filter), titled "Corruption in Education," produced by the Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI).
Snežana Kaluđerović, Senior Legal Advisor at the Centre for Civic Education (CGO), stated that rules must be created to limit illicit and inappropriate behavior by individuals at the University of Montenegro, and conflict of interest must be enshrined in the legislative framework.
“This is necessary so we can regulate everything that poses an issue from hiring, promotions, and academic appointments to student grading. Conflict of interest should be explicitly mentioned in the law because it then applies to the entirety of higher education, from the state university to private universities and faculties. In this way, a unified framework for strengthening the code of ethics is established with regard to managing conflict of interest risks,” Kaluđerović explained.
According to her, conflict of interest and systemic corruption risk accompany the entire trajectory of an academic career. She noted that CGO has submitted numerous initiatives pointing out irregularities, controversial appointments, and non-transparent hiring calls.
“Recently, we had a situation where a job competition was published at a faculty that was written specifically for a particular individual. We are pointing out and will continue to point out all patterns we recognize as problematic everything we believe is not in the public interest. There have been instances where a planned candidate withdrew or stepped aside until a new competition was opened. We have submitted many proposals to the University's Ethics Committee to determine breaches of academic integrity. There were positive decisions, meaning we succeeded in proving what we pointed out. However, we also face disappointing situations where obvious violations of academic integrity or the code of ethics were simply ignored,” Kaluđerović highlighted.
She views the problem of fake and suspicious diplomas as a critical issue for the state system.
“The Government, specifically the Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation, sent a recommendation to other ministries to verify the diplomas of all employees. We also submitted initiatives for members of the Government and Parliament to publish their biographies. It is not just about the level of education, but about seeing the quality of the institution that produced a given staff member. We also submitted an initiative to municipalities to create a database where the highest level of education of employees can be found. A lot can be seen from that, and it is crucial to know what kind of workforce we have at our disposal,” Kaluđerović said.
She recalled that a Ministry of Interior commission once handled data concerning nearly 150 suspicious educational credentials within its ranks, but no one knows what happened to those individuals.
“We don't know what happened to them whether they left the profession, were dismissed, or are still in the police forces. Just as we don't know what those commissions are doing now, whether we have a final list or a database so that someone else can determine what is legitimate and what is fake or purchased. It is positive that this issue has been opened as problematic, but even today we have no clear data or trace. Regardless of how many suspicious diplomas exist, it remains a serious problem,” Kaluđerović said.
Commenting on the 3+2 study model (comprising a three-year undergraduate program plus two years of master's studies), which has been in place since 2017, she stated that students finishing undergraduate studies with 180 ECTS credits faced major issues due to the misalignment of systemic laws with the labor market. The intended reform was never fully carried through by harmonizing the labor market with the national qualifications framework.
“They completed their undergraduate studies and earned 180 credits, but in practice, job vacancy announcements still required a 240-credit undergraduate degree. This caused immense harm on the ground, and the worst damage is when young people leave the country because another system recognizes 180 credits, causing us to lose our best talent,” Kaluđerović pointed out.
“We must improve the legal framework, stick to regulations, and enforce them. Without practical implementation, any reform is in vain,” Kaluđerović concluded.
When asked about the changes Montenegro's entry into the European Union will bring, she replied that the EU cannot look into every room and that “we must clean up our own yard.”
“They have their own problems and worries. Time and again they point out various issues we need to solve, but I fear we either don't hear well or don't want to hear. We are a small country, and the risk of corruption is constantly visible. Things operate on a 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' basis, and resolving this is not easy. We know how things should be done, but it seems to me that certain things are deliberately kept out of regulations,” Kaluđerović remarked.
The twelfth episode of the podcast was produced as part of a sub-grant under the project "Society Against Corruption in Montenegro and the Western Balkans Region."