International Cooperation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

In July 2025, a staff mobility of the Department of Tourism at the Faculty of Central European Studies of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (UKF) was carried out within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action KA171 (application number: 2022-1-SK01-KA171-HED-000078497), at the Faculty of Economics, University of Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The delegation from the Faculty of Central European Studies was represented by the Vice-Dean for Education, PhDr. Lenka Štvrtecká, PhD, and the Head of the Department of Tourism, Assoc. Prof. Ing. Norbert Beták, PhD. Other actively participating members of the department included: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Mgr. Ľubomíra Strážovská, PhD, Ing. Hana Bieliková, PhD, RNDr. PaedDr. Ján Veselovský, PhD, PhDr. Viktória Bíziková, PhD, MBA, and Mgr. Szilvia Néveri Varagya, PhD.

The UKF delegation was officially welcomed by the leadership of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Bihać, namely the Dean, Prof. Dr. Mirela Kljajić Dervić, and Vice-Deans Prof. Dr. Dijana Vuković and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elvira Ćatić Kajtazović, who expressed genuine interest in further strengthening institutional ties and deepening academic cooperation between both institutions.

The main objective of the mobility was to establish a strategic partnership in the field of education and research in the tourism sector. Discussions focused on exchanging teaching practices, identifying opportunities for joint pedagogical and scientific-research activities, including staff and student exchanges, cooperation in research projects, and collaborative publishing.

During the programme, the staff of the Department of Tourism addressed a number of current topics such as sustainable tourism, the development of rural and cultural tourism, and the digitalisation of services. The expert discussions with colleagues from Bihać proved to be mutually enriching and laid a solid foundation for future joint initiatives in education and research.

The mobility significantly contributed to the internationalisation of the Faculty of Central European Studies at UKF and further strengthened its position within the European Higher Education Area. From the perspective of the partner institution, the cooperation with UKF was assessed as highly beneficial, promising, and worthy of continued development.

The collaboration between Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra and universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents a meaningful step towards building a globally interconnected academic environment. Bosnia and Herzegovina, with its strategically important geographical position at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, offers a unique space for regional knowledge exchange, intercultural understanding, and the sharing of best practices in education, research, and innovation.

In this context, the Erasmus+ KA171 action plays a particularly important role as a key instrument for fostering partnerships between EU Member States and so-called third countries. KA171 supports international mobility, interdisciplinary collaboration, and joint research initiatives, while also enabling the transfer of innovation and the development of global competencies among participants. Through this programme, universities such as UKF are able to broaden their academic impact, enhance their research activities, and establish long-term and sustainable international partnerships.

Through such initiatives, UKF in Nitra actively fulfils its vision of an open, collaborative, and internationally engaged university that is ready to face global challenges and contribute to shaping an educational space based on the values of cooperation, inclusion, and excellence.

Gratitude is extended to the Slovak Academic Association for International Cooperation (SAAIC) for its support in implementing the Erasmus+ KA171 programme in the field of higher education, to the Vice-Rector for International Relations and Institutional Erasmus+ KA171 Coordinator, Assoc. Prof. PhDr. Martina Pavlíková, PhD, MBA, for her long-standing support of the internationalisation of education at the Faculty of Central European Studies, and to Mgr. Michaela Ivaničová from the UKF International Relations Office, whose substantial contribution ensured the comprehensive administrative coordination of staff mobilities under this programme.

Text: RNDr. PaedDr. Ján Veselovský, PhD.
Photo: doc. Ing. Mgr. Ľubomíra Strážovská, PhD.