UBT Gjilan

The governance of UBT College Branch Gjilan is regulated by the Statute of the UBT College. As a private bearer of higher education, UBT College Branch Gjilan statutory regulations respond to the requirements and practices sanctioned by the Law on Higher Education, the Administrative Instruction for the Accreditation of Private Bearers of Higher Education (PBHE), Administrative Instruction for the Licensing of PBHE.

UBT Branch Gjilan is governed by respective UBT Faculty Councils and the Director of the Branch. Every statutory body has standing and ad-hoc structures, sub-committees, and working groups. The Director of the Branch is responsible for the management and control of affairs of the Branch and for ensuring that an effective system of internal control and representation is implemented in the branch. UBT Faculty Councils are responsible for the management of academic affairs within the study programs of the branch that fall under the responsibility of each independent Faculty Council. The program coordinators in the branch report to the Dean of respective Faculties at UBT College.

Quality Assurance Committee – Branch Level

The main teams and individuals with responsibility for quality assurance are: The Governing Body, President, Academic Council, Quality Assurance Committee, Quality Assurance Manager, Heads of Faculties and Departments, Faculty Councils, Academic Staff, branch director and Students. The Quality Assurance Committee regulates the academic and administrative service evaluation, quality improvement and approval of quality standards, preparation and supervision of the self-evaluation process. It makes the necessary preparations for the external evaluation of the institution, reviews policies and procedures in the context of quality improvement, coordinates internal control standards, identifies performance indicators, develops improvement activities and conducts periodic monitoring and evaluation of academic programmes, student services, resources and stakeholder engagement policies.

Head of the Branch

The administration of the College is responsible for completing professional and service tasks in support of teaching, research and professional development in the institution. The administration is represented by the UBT Peja Branch Head of the Branch who reports to the Rector for all assignments which may imply certain responsibilities, completes tasks adhering to the usual administrative regulations, rules and standard operating procedures. The Head of the Branch is also responsible for resolving administrative procedures of the first instance.  The Head is appointed by the Rector on the basis of the publicly advertised job vacancy.

Academic Council  – Branch Level

The Academic Council is the principal academic body of the branch. It is responsible to deliver the academic policies, implementation and control academic performance. The body is authorized and responsible to adopt policies in relation to academic affairs, adopt study programs, propose the establishment of new academic units, authorized the award of scientific degrees, determine the admission process and study performance, promote academic studies, confirm academic appointments, represent the institution on academic issues, prescribe the policy for the award of scholarships and monitor the academic performance of the institution. The Quality Assurance Committee, the Head of the Branch, and the Academic Council collaborate with the Rector of UBT who is is responsible for the general administration of the college.

There are also seven other administrative divisions within the branch

The Statute of UBT, which is applicable to the Branch, too defines that the Academic and Administrative Affairs in the College are differentiated. Deans are responsible for the day-to-day management of Faculties and studies. Faculties are responsible for unit academic strategy, student examination, teaching and learning, research and development, links with industry, operational and procedural aspects including quality policy implementation. The number of Faculties is jointly proposed by the Dean and Academic Council. Proposals for establishing new Faculties and/or programs are approved by the Governing Board. Faculties govern the study programs delivered at the Branch level and oversee the delivery of study programs through program coordinators.

The Branch has the following structure:

• Branch Administrator (reports to UBT Secretary),
• Responsible Person for IT Office – Branch in Gjilan (reports to the IT Office of Main Body and to the Branch Administrator),
• Responsible Person for Student Services Office – Branch in Gjilan (reports to the Student Services Office of Main Body and to the Branch Administrator),
• Responsible Person for Finance Office – Branch in Gjilan (reports to the Finance Office of Main Body and to the Branch Administrator),
• Heads of Faculties
• Quality Assurance Office

Industry Advisory Board is also an important tool of UBT Branch in Gjilan.

Figure 1. The Administrative and Academic Structure of UBT Branch in Gjilan

Branch Administrator

Each faculty/program is responsible to the Branch Administrator of UBT Branch in Gjilan on managerial affairs whilst the responsibly for academic affair is delivered to the Heads of Faculties.

Branch Administrator is appointed by the Governing Board of UBT. The competition is transparent and open to all. The tenure of Branch Administrator is five years with the possibility of re-appointing.

The administration is represented by Branch Administrator of UBT Branch in Gjilan who acts as Head of Administration in same time and reports to the Secretar of UBT (main body) for all assignments which may imply certain responsibilities, completes tasks adhering to the usual administrative regulations, rules, and standard operating procedures. The Branch Administrator is also responsible for resolving administrative procedures of the first instance.

From a quality perspective, the Branch Administrator takes responsibility for the overall delivery of quality service to stakeholders, including students, staff, employers and the wider community within the region of Gjilan. Specific assurance procedures are implemented during the life cycle of our programs to ensure the delivery of a superior and consistent product.

The Branch will be represented at the regular meetings of UBT College through the Branch Administrator.

The Branch Administrator uses a management structure, which supports stakeholder involvement. In this regard, IT Support Office, Students Services Office and Finance Office are among important tools which will help the Branch Administrator to reach Branch’s objectives in the given terms. However, it is to be said that the given offices also report to relevant offices of UBT Main Body.

The Branch Administrator takes responsibility for the overall delivery of quality service to our stakeholders – students, staff, and employers at the branch level. The Responsible Person of Student Support Services has the responsibility to ensure that their practice and operation are delivered in accordance with the highest standards.

Responsible of the Student Services Office in branch level if responsible for the following services: library and information services, computing services, student support services, technical services, communications. The responsibility for quality assurance in student support services rests with the Quality focal point at the Student Services Office. The quality assurance processes in Student Support Services are detailly elaborated in respective chapter.

Responsible for the IT Office in branch level is responsible for all required support to staff and students in terms of using the IT. The IT Office permanently works on using of new technologies, for new software and application needed for teaching and research. They also take care that old components can use for practical training or experiments. For all the processes of using the information system as well as other electronic devices, we have developed the relevant procedures.

Responsible for the Finance Office leads and coordinate all financial topics related to the branch, including preparing the financial plan, income and expenditures. The finance officer in cooperation with the management of UBT Branch in Gjilan prepares the draft budget. The budget proposals are made during October-November and are reviewed for adjustments during May-June each year. The Responsible Person of the Finance Office of the Branch falls under the umbrella of the Head of Finance of UBT College (Main Body) and reports also to the Branch Administrator.

The Heads of Faculties have the responsibility to ensure that the Guidelines of the Central Academic Councils and Quality Committee are implemented in accordance with internal standards on teaching and learning.

Quality Assurance Office

The Quality Manager is the administrative officer responsible for coordinating and implementing the policies adopted by the Quality Assurance Committee. The institutional Quality Assurance Office is fully staffed and has a separate budget line to implement all quality assurance processes. The Quality Assurance Committee of UBT College regulates the academic and administrative service evaluation, quality improvement and approval of quality standards, preparation and supervision of the self-evaluation process, make the necessary preparations for the external evaluation of UBT Branch in Gjilan as well as reviews policies and procedures in the context of quality improvement, coordination of internal control standards, identifies the situation and performance indicators, develops improvement activities and periodic monitoring and evaluation of academic programs, student services, resources, and stakeholder engagement policies. The institution has recruited Quality Assurance Officers in all Faculties and Departments. Quality Assurance processes at the faculty level are overseen by Quality Assurance Sub-Committees. The similar process will be implemented in the UBT Branch in Gjilan. Programs delivered at the branch level are part of Faculties at the same level. Branch Quality Officers are responsible to guide the Quality Committees of the faculties.   

The role and the authority of Quality Officers is clear and specified as stated in the Quality Assurance Regulation Article 12, p 12.7 (Named Quality manager).

Hence, the quality assurance processes at each study program are overseen by the respective Quality Assurance Sub-Committees of each faculty falling under umbrella of the Branch in Gjilan.

The Quality Manager is responsible for administrative support and implementation of quality assurance processes. Every Faculty has its respective Quality Assurance Sub-Committee and Quality Assurance Officer.

At the UBT central level and at the branch level the quality management offices are established within the institution’s central administration. The quality assurance office is equipped with as displayed in the Table-Standard 5.7 of this document, with resources and administrative support.  The office in UBT Branch in Gjilan will operate affectively similar to the UBT central quality assurance office. The environmental and other branch specifics will be taken into account.

Pursuant to the regulation on the promotion of academic staff and quality assurance and also as described in the annual plan of the Quality Assurance Office, the evaluation instruments in the institution will be presented to all stakeholders, starting from students, academic staff, administrative staff, alumni and industrial partners. These instruments consist of questionnaires designed in a specific way for each respective stakeholder group. These questionnaires are prepared and approved by the Quality Assurance Commission in a special meeting. Assessments in the institution are expected to be conducted regularly (per semester, per academic year). Types of internal and external evaluations: feedback, formal and informal, from industry partners and others, feedback from students, academic and administrative staff, graduates, reports of internal auditors, Faculty Council meetings, etc. The Branch will be represented at the regular meetings of UBT College through the Branch Administrator.

Industry Advisory Board

UBT College branch in Gjilan has established the Industrial Advisory Board which consults with business representatives on issues of skills, teaching, research and strategy. The Board meets three times a year and includes representation from local private companies, public sector companies and innovative SMEs as well as representatives of the Municipal Directorates for Economic Development and the Municipal Director of Education.

One of the most important objectives for the Industrial Advisory Board is to contribute to the strategic success of UBT Branch in Gjilan  through proposals and labor market needs for attractive study programs, ie in the best possible connection of study programs with business and industry.

UBT GJILAN COLLEGE:

UBT branch in Gjilan has a capacity of 1,519 m2, and at this point meets all the necessary conditions for the implementation of programs and those who are subject to accreditation to the standards required for carrying out activities at levels.

The facility of UBT College in Gjilan offers:

• 6 Classrooms
• 2 Nursing Laboratory
• 1 IT Room – Computer Science
• 1 Library
• 6 Projector and other Infrastructure

384 – full number of seats in classrooms

215 – maximum proper capacity allowed in classrooms upon completion of Covid 19

SWOT Analysis – East Region – Anamorva

1. Strengths | S – Advantages
2. Cross-Border Region (Kosovo, Serbia and Northern Macedonia)
3. Young peoples and the need for education
4. Providing a quality education
5. Dynamic staff and international experience
6. Coordination of theory and practice as well as scientific research
7. Market needs for these profiles – Regional Economic Development
8. Cooperation with educational institutions, public universities, private buildings

1. Weaknesses | W – Weaknesses
2. Relatively new institution
3. Lack of staff with academic degrees doctor of science
4. Lack of activities between departments and students.

1. Opportunities | O – Opportunities
2. The potential of SMEs as a tool for Regional Economic Development
3. Attractiveness of curricula at the regional level
4. Possibility of free movement of staff and students through agreements reached with higher education institutions inside and outside Kosovo.

1. Challenges | T – Threats
2. Migration of young people abroad
3. Unfair competitor from the Public University

At the UBT branch Gjilan, every year before the academic year starts, lecturers have to review the syllabus. The lecturers are encouraged to make changes up to 30% of the syllabus, by including new literature and the recent publication in the field. Lecturers are obliged to make new literature available to the students by guiding them, how to find it. New books are requested to be bought by the library administration, whereas journal publications links are given in the syllabus.

The UBT Branch in Gjilan emphasizes the transparency of research outcomes that encourages its academic and research staff to post their publications on academic platforms like research gate and Google scholar. Moreover, the UBT Branch in Gjilanas part of the Knowledge Centre when it starts to function fully, it will be a platform where all the research outputs of academic staff and students will be available.

The UBT Technology Transfer Center (TTC), of which UBT Branch in Gjilanis part, supports staff and students of UBT, how to protect intellectual property. The office reaches out to industry and the business community to develop partnerships to commercialize ideas developed by staff or students. This will enable the industry to benefit from the world-leading teaching, research, and infrastructure within UBT. The Center supports and enables the research community at UBT to translate innovative research excellence into outputs for maximum societal and economic impact.

TTC ensures that great ideas, concepts around a new product, services and processes, and inventions find their way to the public and to the people who will benefit from solutions. It’s about obtaining a patent, trademark, copyright, industrial design, making industry contacts, completing license agreements, or fostering collaborations beyond campus. TTC also provides networking, mentoring, and market research service, and working with our partners, help strategize around the patent application process that protects you and your technology against the possibility of failure in securing intellectual property rights.

There are clear policies, procedures, and relevant structural units to ensure the safeguarding of ethical principles in research within the UBT branch in Gjilan. Academic staff is required to carry out their research in compliance with all statutory, ethical, and contractual obligations. Research is to be published in a publicly available form, exceptions only with the approval of Deans. Such considerations include the need to observe any contractual, confidentiality, or privacy obligations entered into with respect to the research or the need to ensure the protection of any intellectual property arising out of the research. The UBT branch in Gjilan conducts a plagiarism check for Bachelor and Master Thesis as well as the submitted articles to an international conference organized by UBT. In the case of suspected plagiarism, the paper is refused to be published both in the book proceedings and UBT journal. This paper and any other paper from the same authors can never be published on the mentioned platforms again. Moreover, if the student submits an assignment, term paper, or a take-home final that does not pass the plagiarism check, the student is subject to provide his/her defense to the departmental ethical committee. The student has a right to appeal to the institutional ethical committee.

Violations of ethics in research are dealt with by the UBT Branch in GjilanCode of Ethics and handled by the Ethics Committee – The body is responsible for the implementation and promotion of responsible ethical code of conduct and diversity policy among staff and students on teaching, research, learning, and management. The body will be responsible to implement and promote ethics and handle instances of code breaches among academic staff, administrative staff, and students. The Committee is composed of seven members: two members are proposed by the Governing Body, two members of proposed by the Academic Council, two members are proposed by the Dean, and one member by the Student Union.

UBT College, Gjilan Branch will ensure that the Library meets the academic and research requirements of all students and faculty with specializations in the study programs offered by this Branch. The procedure also aims to ensure that the library has adequate physical and online resources in line with the development of the library. The resources will be in line with the specializations of the Branch study programs, so that the entire computer program is selected to reflect on and improve the learning outcomes of the modules taught in the academic programs offered in the Branch. The IT manager will seek to obtain additional software or more efficient methods of using the software, prior to the start of each academic year. Financial resources from the Institution will be provided to finance a large cadre of library service staff, access to the E-Library (Payments each year to access online databases, including EBSCO, SAGE Journals and J -Store) and international trainers for UBT College Library Staff and Library staff to be deployed at the Gjilan / Gnjilane branch. Students and staff will have access to the electronic library through their student and UBT staff accounts at the link https://moodle.ubt-uni.net/

Library of UBT College

Library of UBT College operates during the whole year. From Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 22:00, and on Saturday from 09:00 to 14:00. The same working hours we will apply in UBT Gjilan also because it is the time that will suits to student.

UBT Branch in Gjilan

UBT Branch in Gjilan will provide disability support for students with disabilities and a great level of assistance to this student category aimed at achieving their educational goals. Students with physical disabilities and ongoing illnesses or short term illness or injury are required to register accordingly, on admission to the College to ensure they receive the appropriate assistance during their studies. In so far as is possible, College staff endeavor to assist students with disabilities in meeting their full academic potential. UBT College infrastructure have both been certified as meeting the minimum standards for students with special needs.

UBT Branch in Gjilan will have the chance to benefit from 2 large projects initiated by the central institution that are creating value for our customers. Furthermore, we are organizing MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) national championship that is open free of charge for all Kosovo citizens that are between 15 and 22 years old, and UBT College is paying their certification and training. Project goal is to identify 4 persons that will represent Kosovo in World MOS

Championship in USA on July 2021. The second project has to do with joint competition called DATA ANALYSIS HAKA-THON, this competition is organized by UBT College and Raiffeisen Bank. And right to participate have all Kosovo students and best three teams will receive monetary reward and employment at UBT College or its respective branch and Raiffeisen Bank.

The UBT Branch in Gjilan places special emphasis on capacity growth and strive for additional new services that bring additional value for the customers. Students of the Branch will profit from free courses and certifications from UBT College Executive Academy.

UBT Branch in Gjilan benefits from over 400 international partnership agreements that the central institution has with numerous universities ranging from joint-programs, research, staff development and exchange, student exchange and knowledge transfer. The main focus is offering a globally relevant and culturally rich experience by connecting our student to the global student body and encouraging all students to undertake curricula and extra-curricular activities with an international perspective.

UBT Branch in Gjilan has contributed to the organization of central Summer Academy of UBT College, which serves as a great platform to expand students’ network and to keep them in touch with lecturers from world-leading faculties and with excellent backgrounds. It includes a series of credit awarding summer sessions with rich academic program which can be transferred to students’ home institutions. Moreover, a range of international students participate in the summer academy and this serves as a great opportunity to expand students’ international network as well as enrich their cultural experiences. In addition, it gives added value to students’ personal career network, by enhancing career prospects and giving them the chance to stand out. Guest lecturers from public institutions and private well-known companies join us every year and share their views on the most pressing issues that nowadays concerns the world and science. Also, professors and students of UBT Branch in Gjilan contributed to the organization and participated in the different summer academies organized at the UBT College level

Link :  ( http://sa.ubt-uni.net | https://fest.ubt-uni.net/2021/akademite-verore/ )

The Branch also contributes and participates in different professional International Days related with their field of studies and as link between Academia and Industry.

Porwerpoint Link: UBT Gjilan

Following one of UBT’s main policy for regionalization, the UBT Gjilan Branch’s Mission is to offer a dynamic and innovative 21 century academic environment in Kosovo’s Eastern Region. It also aims at providing a supportive and challenging opportunity for the students, faculty and staff in participatory and self-governance setting. Building on an approach of teamwork between Students, faculty, staff and administrators, UBT Gjilan Branch is committed to enhance its participation as an active member of community by providing learning opportunities driven by teaching and research excellence, intellectual interaction and creativity. UBT Gjilan Branch aims at becoming a preeminent centre of intellectual and cultural activity in Kosovo’s Eastern Region, improving the region’s quality of life through the skills, knowledge, experience and engagement of its faculty, staff, students and alumni. UBT Gjilan Branch will be a leading contributor to the growth, and strategic development of Kosovo’s Eastern Region. It will serve the region, by preparing leaders for the 21st century with a global outlook and the skills needed for educational, social, economic, political, environmental and cultural advancement.

It is only based on this commitment that UBT Gjilan Branch aims at focusing on most necessary areas of studying, in order to give a direct contribution towards sustainable development of the given region.

When it comes to these certain fields of focus, it is to be said that the Branch’s methodology for development and improvement is built on a continuous responsive process that looks for improvement of outcomes. In this regard, the strategic plan is drafted in close consultation with the academic community at the institution, as well as external stakeholders and private sector (Industrial Board). Certain ideas, opinions and proposals shared among the said stakeholders are reflected on the Strategic Plan and this common admission of the plan constitutes one of its strongest points. It is to be said that only after long open discussions and only after serious assessment of shared ideas and proposals, the stakeholders have suggested the UBT Gjilan Branch to get focused on certain fields which would help the future development of Kosovo’s Eastern Region. In this regards, getting focused on fields like Economy, Agriculture and Food Science, Nursing and Public Health are among most common proposals and suggestions given to the Branch Management. These proposals and suggestions were taken under consideration and this 3 year Strategic Plan was prepared with a significant role and contribution of mentioned stakeholders.

Furthermore; UBT Gjilan Branch’s diversified services and products aims at attracting students from various areas of Kosovo, with a particular focus on its Eastern Region, students of both genders and under-represented groups. The provision of education and training activities have been catered and tailored to meet the demands of contemporary developments in the industry and society. The branch also aims at co-operating with UBT’s other locations and branches, including using their libraries and laboratories. The domestic/horizontal co-operation includes co-operating with UBT’s following campuses, centres and offices in Kosovo and abroad.

UBT Branch in Gjilan Research Strategy

UBT Branch in Gjilan Strategic Plan

The governance of   UBT Branch in Gjilan is regulated by the Statute of the UBT College applicable to branches. As a branch of a private bearer of higher education, the statutory regulations respond to the requirements and practices sanctioned by the Law on Higher Education, the Administrative Instruction for the Accreditation of Private Bearers of Higher Education (PBHE), Administrative Instruction for the Licensing of PBHE, Administrative Instruction for Business Registration of the Ministry of Trade and Employment Law of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.   UBT Branch in Gjilan shall be governed by respective UBT Faculty Councils and the Director of the Branch. Every normative act and every decision taken by the governing bodies shall respect the academic freedom of the College members, shall refrain from actions that prohibit the application of the law, refrain from actions that can inhibit the teaching and research advancement, avoid conflicts of interest and respect ethical norms issued under the authority of the Statute. The governing mechanism at the branch level implement protection policies from any form of discrimination and prohibit the infringement of gender balance and refrain from political agenda.

UBT BRANCH IN GJILAN – ORGANIZATIONAL CHART