Update to the contribution to the progress report on the process of accession of the republic of macedonia to the european union

3.25 SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

Research policy

The bylaws deriving from the Law on scientific and research activity (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 46/08) are being prepared by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Law amending the Law on scientific and research activity was adopted on a Parliament session, on the 25 July, 2008. (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 103/08)
The provisions of this law introduce rewarding the staff from the public scientific and research institutions, on the basis of publishing scientific writing in eminent international journals with impact. The amendments regulate changes in the area of the associate titles. By the year 2011, respectively by 2013 the associate titles will be abolished, and for the purposes of performing the educational process and the science and research activity, the election of associates – researchers out of the students enrolled in the third cycle of studies, will be introduced by the year 2011.

In September the Ministry for Education and Science, following the competition for technological development projects, approved 45 projects.

Scientific and research cooperation

As part of the regular activity of the Ministry of Education and Science, within the last open competition for financing technological development projects, 60 mid-term projects have been approved and their implementation already started.

On 12th of July 2008 the Ministry of Education and Science in collaboration with CIHEAM Mediterranean Agricultural Institute from Bari, announced an open scholarship competition for training improvement courses in the area of the sustainable development of the agriculture in the Mediterranean countries. This competition is still running and representatives from National research centres, public administration, universities and agricultural institutes from the Balkan countries are eligible to apply and participate.

Seventh framework programme

The Ministry of Education and Science continued with the presentation of the Seventh Framework Programme. On the 5 of June, an Info day for the specific sub - programme, PEOPLE was held at the Macedonian Academy for Sciences and Arts. On the same event, a presentation of the Euraxess Services portal was delivered, as well as the new the European research mobility network.

On the 30 of June, at the Technical Faculty in Bitola, a presentation of the FP7 in whole was delivered. A special aspect of the FP7 focusing on the IC technologies, was also presented by the National contact point from Macedonia, specialised in that area.
On the 26 of September, Skopje, an event called Researcher’s night was held, at the town square. The event was organised by the National Agency for European educational programmes and mobility in cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Secretariat for European affairs, following the example of other European countries that have been organising this kind of event in their capitals for several years. The Researcher’s night is a part of a project financed within the 7 framework programme called RENIMA. Before the actual event taking place, a media campaign for promotion was launched as part of the RENIMA activities. Several scientific institutions, higher education institutions, and companies participated, with presentations of their scientific and technological accomplishments, demonstration of their scientific and research work, scientific experiment performances etc.

European Research Area

Euraxess Services

The project MCS - Macedonia is being realised by the National Agency for European educational programmes and mobility, as a FP 7 project. The Euraxess Services network aimed at providing logistics and mobility for the Macedonian researchers, is being created and functioning within the frames of the National agency for European educational programmes and mobility.
Four Euraxess Services Centres were formed at the State Universities in Skopje, Bitola, Stip and Tetovo.
EUREKA net-work

Republic of Macedonia joined EUREKA (Pan–European Network for Market Oriented Industrial Research and Development), as a cooperating National Information Point (NIP) country under the Slovenian Chairmanship in October 2007.

On the EUREKA 2008 Ministerial Conference in Ljubljana on 6 June 2008, Republic of Macedonia’s full membership in the network was confirmed, which will enable further participation in the network’s projects at a higher level.
During the Conference a Memorandum of Understanding was signed. Full membership in the EUREKA network will offer wider concrete possibilities for the research and industrial organisations from our country to take part in international innovation actions. It will enhance the joint activities of the small and medium–sized enterprises, large companies, research centres, universities and public administration in developing market oriented projects indispensable for the economic growth of the country. In order to encourage the participants to apply with sustainable market oriented projects, a special fund aimed at financing EUREKA projects is going to be formed.
The Ministry of Education and Science already established a EUREKA liaison office to be in charge of providing support for participation in the network.
With this initiative, The Ministry of Education and Science makes the efforts to bridge between the science and the business sector, having in mind the inconsiderable presence of the science in this area so far.

3.26EDUCATION AND CULTURE

Primary and secondary education

Law on Primary Education was adopted by the Parliament on the 17 of July 2008. The law transposes the Council Directive 77/486/EEC of 25 July 1977 on the education of the children of migrant workers.

The provisions of the law regulate the right to primary education of the children that are citizens of the Member states under equal conditions as the children citizens of RM.
The law regulates the right of the children of a national of another Member State, who is a resident that has preformed or performs some self contained activity, or worker that carries on or has carried on an activity as an employed, to get knowledge of the mother tongue and of the culture of the country of origin.
Also the provisions regulate the nine year mandatory education concept more precisely, create legal grounds for working with the pupils that accomplish higher results, improve the organisation and the quality of the education of the pupils with special needs, etc.
“Law on schoolbooks for the primary and the secondary education” was adopted by the Parliament on the 25 of July 2008. The provisions of the law regulate the procedure for issuing schoolbooks and determine the administrative bodies competent for conducting the procedure.
By means of this law it is provided for that, from the school year 2010/ 2011on, the pupils enrolled in the public primary and secondary schools will be granted free of charge set of schoolbooks for the appropriate class. This school year, free of charge sets of schoolbooks will only be given to pupils deriving from families exposed to social risk.
Implementation

The pupils in the secondary schools were the first generation which took the State matriculation exam. On 12 June 2008, pupils took the exam in mother language, as one of the 2 external subject that the exam consists of and on the 14 June, the second subject, in which case they were given the choice between taking the exam in mathematics or in foreign language. The two internal subject’s exams the pupils took in the period between 16 and 28 June. During the August session the pupils that failed or partially passed the state matriculation exam, were given the chance to take the exam again. The final results of the exam are planned to be published until the 12 of September.

The implementation of the mandatory secondary education concept started from this school year. From the total of 27.280 pupils that graduated from elementary school, 21.496 enrolled in secondary schools, during the first admission period. In this moment the second admission period is being realised. The Ministry of education and science undertakes measures for stimulating the further enrolment of pupils that haven’t yet been included in the compulsory secondary educational system.
For the purposes of facilitating and successful implementation of the nine year mandatory concept in the primary education and the compulsory secondary education, organised transportation will be provided for the pupils, with special attention brought to the pupils with special needs, as well as providing transport for their accompanists.
Regarding the realisation of the project “Computer for every pupil”, the activities are continuously ongoing, and by this moment in 95% of the secondary schools the computers have already been installed and are ready to be used. The installation of the computers is underway in the primary schools, also.

The "Sanitary Facilities Rehabilitation" Project, whereby the health and hygienic conditions will be improved at schools in the Republic of Macedonia with the overall objective of improving of the working conditions at the primary and secondary schools is being implemented in the reported period.

Until now, the realisation of the sanitary rehabilitation is underway in 27 secondary schools. 335 primary schools have already been transferred the finances needed for realisation of the project, and some of them are already in process of undertaking the work on the sanitary facilities.

Vocational education and training

The activities of the Centre for vocational education and training in the previous period:

- the occupational standards for the vocations of welder, goldsmith, the filigree vocation, stonecutter, carver, electrician and electrical fitter, mechathrone system server, plumber, and gas and water installation keeper, hairdresser, cosmetician, masseur and make up artist were prepared, before preparation of modular packages for these occupations.

- Modular packages for further training and re-training for several occupations in the frames of the Project for employing in collaboration with “RUEN” factory were prepared for argon welder, electrician and electrical fitter, mechathrone system server, plumber and gas and water installation keeper. The realisation of these modular packages will be in the following vocational schools “Mihaljo Pupin”, “8-th of September”, and “Vlado Tasevski.”

- 15 norms for the teaching staff for each vocation were prepared as well as 15 norms for the equipment and educational materials for occupations for the education in duration of four years for every vocation.

Centre for vocational education and training prepared modular packages for the following vocations: mechanical, electro- technical, forestry – woodwork, geological – mining and metallurgy and personal services for training and retraining, with participation of the social partners.

Working group was formed for creation of the Methodology on preparing standards.
Working group for preparation of the Concept for post secondary education was established.
Draft versions of the Concept for vocational education and the concept for the vocational education in duration of two years were prepared. The draft versions were discussed with the social partners. The work on these two concepts is in progress

Higher education

Law amending the Law on Higher education was adopted by the Parliament, on a session on the 25 of July, 2008. (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 103/08). The amendments of this recently adopted law refer to several aspects. Rewarding the staff from the higher education institutions, on the basis of publishing scientific writing in eminent international journals with impact factor was introduced. Provisions on linking theoretical and practical teaching were set out, proscribing the amount of practical lectures that are to be taught by experts that practice in the appropriate area, which represents 10 percent in the mandatory and 10 percent of the optional subjects.

The amendments also abolish associate titles by the year 2011, respectively by 2013. For the purposes of performing the educational process and activity, the election of associates out of the students enrolled in the third cycle of studies is envisaged.
The Government of the Republic of Macedonia is realising its objective to expand the higher education institution network and raise the rate of higher educated population. In this regard, several laws establishing universities and faculties were adopted on a Parliament’s session on the 30 of June, 2008. A University for information technologies was established in Skopje. Establishing of several faculties is envisaged within this university for the next year: Faculty for computer science and engineering, Faculty for network and communication technologies, Faculty for information society and technologies, Faculty of applied sciences and technologies. The Faculty of robotics, Faculty of information systems and services, Faculty of biomedical engineering and Faculty of media technologies were also established, but it is envisaged that they would start functioning from the school year 2010/2011.
Also, three more faculties were established in the frames of the “Ss. Kliment Ohridski University” of Bitola as dispersal studies: the Technological – technical in Veles, the Veterinary faculty in Bitola (that will be open from the school year 2009/2010) and the Faculty of Law in Kicevo, by adopting the Law establishing the Technological – technical faculty, the Veterinary faculty and the Faculty of Law (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 81/08).
On the same session the Parliament adopted the Law establishing the Faculty on Security within the University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Bitola (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 81/08).
With the Law amending the Law establishing the State University “Goce Delcev” in Stip (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 81/08), a Faculty of medical sciences and a Faculty of philology were established in Stip. The following faculties established within this University, as dispersal studies are: Faculty of Tourism and Business Logistics in Gevgelija, Technical Technological Faculty in Probistip, Mechanical Faculty in Vinica and Electro Technical Faculty in Radovish.
The Parliament adopted the Law amending the Law establishing the State University of Tetovo (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 81/08) and established: The Faculty of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of arts, the Faculty of business administration in Kumanovo as dispersal studies, Faculty of sports, Faculty of foodstuff technology and nutrition and Faculty of applied sciences.
For the purpose of strengthening the administrative capacities of the State Universities and Institutes, the Ministry of education and science on 23rd of July 2008 launched open competitions for employment of teachers and scientific staff at the following Universities and faculties that are still ongoing: all the Faculties within the University of "Goce Delcev" in Stip; The technological - technical Faculty in Veles, The Faculty of law in Kicevo-University of "St.Kliment Ohridski";
Scholarships

The Government of RM started a project for granting scholarships for specialisations at the 100 best ranked USA universities (their medical centres or the hospitals affiliated with the universities) beginning with the school year 2009 / 2010 and for specialisations at the 10 best ranked universities in Europe, to the young doctor’s staff. The Government of the RM will fully cover all the expenses within the programme, as well as the expenses for the preparation trainings on passing the standardized entrance examinations (MCAT and TOEFL), and the specialized entrance examinations for the Europe universities.
The period for submitting the applications has already started. The doctors that are going to be granted the scholarships will sign agreement with the Government of RM and will be obligated to work in a public health institution a certain period of time depending on the time they have spent studying. The Government is willing to prioritize the employment of the doctors that are not working in the moment in one of the public health institutions, but have succeeded in qualifying for one of the offered specialization programmes.
The supplementary budget that was adopted envisages increasing the finances allocated for implementing the reforms in the educational system.
Community programmes

On the 9-10 of June, in Brussels, a meeting of the correspondents for the sub - programmes Comenius and Grundtvig was held. The Republic of Macedonia, along with Croatia, was introduced as new participant. A presentation of the realised activities so far and the obligations for future participation was given. At the meeting the challenges that the countries face in managing the activities in the frames of these two sub - programmes were discussed.

On the 10 of June, in Brussels, a working meeting was held between representatives form the National agency for European educational programmes and mobility and the DG education and culture, where the Working programme of NA was discussed as long with other preparatory activities necessary for the two programmes becoming accessible to our country.
Between the 12-13 of June, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the Annual conference titled “Quality in Mobility” took place, in the frames of which, two important official meetings took place: the meeting of the Life-long learning programme Committee, and the meeting of the Directors of the national agencies, and it is the first time that representatives from Republic of Macedonia participate at this level. Two workshops on “Mobility for all – removing the barriers” and “Mobility of staff - motivation for changes “were organised in the frames of the conference.
Between the 19 -20 of June, in Brussels, section meeting for the Erasmus programme was held in the premises of DG Education and Culture. Republic of Macedonia participated as an observer. All representatives from the National agencies that implement the Erasmus programme were present discussing the different aspects of implementing this sub - programme.
On 24 of June, within the frames of the fifth anniversary of establishing the ERA-MORE, the European research mobility network, organised by DG Science and Research, presentations of the national ERA-MORE networks(from this moment further, re-branded as Euraxess Services) were delivered. The Macedonian network was represented by the Macedonian delegation, headed by their national coordinator.
Representatives from the National agency for European educational programmes and mobility participated in the Annual DAAD Conference, in Bonn, on the 27 of June, for the Erasmus programme. In the presence of high representatives from the field of education from EU members states and national authorities from Germany, the harmonisation in the Macedonian’s legislation with the Bologna process, the implementation of the ECTS system, the working programme of the NA for European educational programmes and mobility in the previous preparatory period and the expectations from a future accreditation of the agency were discussed.
During July a representative from the NA delivered two presentations on the possibilities offered by the programme Youth in action in Ohrid and Strumica.

Also the NA started the preparation activities regarding the organisation of the event “Research night 2008”.

The draft - documents regarding the National Agency for European educational programmes and mobility, including the statute, the systematisation act, the working programmes for Life Long Learning and Youth in Action, budget tables have been prepared and continuously communicated and consulted with the representatives from the Directorate General for education and culture.
Youth
Concerning the preparation of the Action plan on implementation of the National strategy on youth - The Draft- Action plan was prepared and the document entered in inter- sectorial consultation. The national committee gathered the opinions for the draft action plan, submitted by the governmental bodies, the international organisations and the non governmental sector in the country. They will be considered on the next committee session when the final version of the Action plan is planned to be consolidated
Creating Local youth strategies - a process of analysing and reaching a way to integrate and embed the relevant policies and priorities in the filed of youth in the local youth strategies is underway.

Culture

The Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with a NG organisation, organised several seminars for the purposes of training the staff in the cultural sector. The training was focused primarily on preparing project applications and project plans; facilitate the access to the European funds and foundations in order to increase the number of successful applications. The seminars were delivered in five cities: Ohrid, Bitola, Strumica, and Skopje, in the period from 9 June until the 2 of July.

Cultural cooperation
Following the World Conference on Inter-religious and Inter-civilization Dialogue on the topic “The Contribution of Religion and Culture to Mutual Respect and Co-existence”, that took place in Ohrid from 26 to 28 October 2007, in organisation of the Ministry of Culture, in the frames of The Decades of UN and UNESCO, in collaboration the World Conference for religion and peace, the Ministry of Culture issued a publication dedicated to the Conference. Except in Macedonian language the publication, was also translated in four different languages including Albanian, English, French and Russian. A promotion of the publication is planned for the 16^th of October 2008 on which occasion the representatives form the international committee of the Conference and from UNESCO are invited.

Community programme Culture (2007-2013)

The activities of the CCP (Cultural Contact Point) Macedonia office regarding implementing the planned activities of the Working programme are continuously ongoing during the period of June. The web site of the CCT started to fully function the first week of June and can provide the cultural operators and others interested in participating in Culture programme, about specific details regarding the programme Culture, preparing the project applications, the calls for proposals, useful links, etc.

The leaflets with the basic information for this programme were also designed and prepared as planned.
On the 16 of June, the Ministry of Culture of Republic of Macedonia in collaboration with the Cultural Contact Point from Germany organised and delivered a seminar and a workshop on the Culture programme (2007-2013) - Call for proposals for 2009.
By the end of June, the entry ticket for participation of RM in the programme Culture (2007-2013) was paid.
The implementation and promotion of the programme performed by the Culture contact point continued in the course of July.
Seminar on the topic Culture Programme 2007-2013 was delivered by the CCT, in Strumica, and was attended by cultural operators from several cities other than Strumica such as, Gevgelija, Stip, Radovis, Valandovo, Berovo, Kavadarci, Negotino, Delcevo and Pehcevo.
A representative of the CCP from RM participated on the one of the regular meetings of the Culture contact points, which was organised in the frames of the French chairmanship with the EU, in Avignon, in the period from 10 -12 of July 2008.
The public call for applications for 2009 was published in the printed media in July.
In the course of September the Culture Contact point organised several activities promoting the programme:

On 3 September a seminar and work shop on the topic Culture programme (2007-2013) was held by the CCT, in collaboration with the CCT from Slovenia. Within the seminar, a workshop session was also held on how to prepare a successful project application, aimed especially for the cultural operators.

On the 18^th of September, the CCT delivered a seminar in several cities in the country, presenting the concept of the Culture programme to the local cultural operators.
On the 19^th and 20 of September, the CCT participated at the Congress for the development of tourism and culture, held in Bitola. Presentation of the programme was delivered. A comparison between the IPA programme and the Community programmes was also made within the session.
A media campaign promoting the programme Culture (2007-2013) was launched on the radio channel “Free Europe”.