[spectre] EU-ro process

[Ana Peraica]

Education on a black market exchange (Bologna process)

7 years in a prison of postgraduate studies in EU

Ana Peraica

Bologna process in Croatia (AZVO Zagreb) seems to function only for 
formal gestures in a realm of acceptance to the EU, I have found out 
starting a process of diploma recognition of the Jan Van Eyck Akademie 
(post-academic centre for fine arts, design and theory) and then a 
request for recognition of years of study at Amsterdam School of 
Cultural Analysis, University of Amsterdam.
First one, for which I was awarded UNESCO-ifpc, was rejected while the 
second could not be as Croatia has signed collaborative documents with 
Dutch ministry of education. Still it was underestimated legally. So, 
the University of Philosophy in Zagreb has calculated that three full 
years spent on ASCA are being equal their own single one. Amazing? When 
those programs are compared, it is also visible that postgraduate study 
in film in Zagreb is having actually only a year and a half of lectures 
and the rest is filled with; „excursions“ „exchange“ „writing,“ 
whatever, while ASCA has a full program of coures.
Comparing programs of a post-socialist country that has hardly invested 
in own libraries for decades, without CC magazines, while PhD was more 
of the political function, it seems really notorious, and especially 
once the selection board is checked for their own academic work. Despite 
names of the board members were not mentioned in any of documents 
(Croatian practice), it was possible to find them out browsing the 
archive of the University. Well, well… no comment.
By the experience, I can note, Romanian education was indeed producing 
“scary” intellectuals; not only talking perfect English with amazing 
British accent, but also having a amazing general knowledge base 
compared to other participants on any of those studies. In regard, 
Zagreb University where I have graduated myself too, was not paying 
attention even on the literacy of graduates (I did not know what is an 
essay form until arrival to the Netherlands) being awarded BA in 
philosophy and art history. Fortunately I started writing before my studies.
The last reason might be that Croatia has abolished socialistic free 
education. Postgraduate studies cost 10 000, 00 kn (cca 1300 E) a 
semester, with no possible state assistance while the estimated salary 
for someone can range only half of it per month, at its best. That seems 
to be the only criteria of allowing someone to continue studies.
But, a political gesture of inviting intellectuals schooled in the EU, 
sponsored and basically completely funded by other states, usually 
sympathizing with young scholars from the Balkans region, is done. Still 
– what happens once they arrive is they are destroyed (maybe someone 
thinks they are EU spies?) Though, when ones are needed to approve and 
sign something they are invited (I have myself wrote two programs).
At the end a process of objections can start. Of course who would would 
be in peace when someone decides to take away 7 years of ones life (as 
if I was in prison, while on all job applications they ask for 5, at the 
same time!) to give you only one recognized instead, with no diploma 
awarded, and furthermore ask another 40 000 kn + 10 000 kn (totally 
around 9 000 E) to finish your studies again.
But, then a bureaucracy starts to play.. with a Ministry of science 
lawyer that defends she has no time, that is more than she can do, some 
applications wait for a year, that is “extra work unpaid” you are faced 
directly with an invitation to pay for the extra work (that is how the 
corruption is done). Well, if everyone is earning on foreign students, 
why wouldn’t she?
It is all it seems about money, but the Euro conversion on the black 
market seems to be converted more fairly.

Read more http://anarchiva.blogspot.com/