Assistant Minister for Higher Education Jelena Starčević and Assistant Minister for Scientific and Technological Development Zoran Bjelaјac attended ceremonies today marking 51 years of operation of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Banja Luka.

Speaking at the ceremony at the Faculty of Law, Starčević said that the Ministry has invested around 40 million BAM in higher education over the past four years, adding that last year saw a significant number of infrastructure and capital projects at the University.

Dean of the Faculty of Law Zoran Vasiljević said that this higher education institution, which over more than five decades has grown into one of the leading institutions for legal education in the region, is of exceptional importance for the Republic of Srpska and the functioning of its legal system.

Rector of the University of Banja Luka Radoslav Gajanin said that the Faculty of Law has developed into one of the most important institutions in the field of higher education.

"Graduates educated here hold positions within judicial institutions both in the Republic of Srpska and across the region. The quality of graduates from the Faculty of Law is very high, and there are currently virtually no unemployed law graduates on the labour market," Gajanin emphasised.

As part of the marking of the 51st anniversary of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Banja Luka, 68 graduate economists and eight Masters of Economics were awarded their degrees today, and new developments in international scientific cooperation were announced.

Assistant Minister for Scientific and Technological Development Zoran Bjelaјac emphasised that the Faculty of Economics is now a reputable higher education institution which, over more than half a century, has produced distinguished experts in the field of economic sciences.

Dean Milenko Krajišnik said that 51 years represent sufficient tradition, experience and energy for future success.

"We are modernising study programmes and introducing new ones. We have just completed the accreditation of a double-degree study programme in cooperation with a polytechnic university in Italy, meaning that students will study both in Italy and here, and will receive both our diploma and an Italian diploma," Krajišnik said.

He added that preparations are under way for another such accreditation, in cooperation with a university in Germany, as well as one university each in Spain and Italy, which will enable students to obtain three diplomas.