Aplicant students in public universities decline

Initially, the senior from Ferizaj was willing to register at Pristina University (UP), in the direction of Jurydik, but says the late opening of the competition prompted her to give up her application at the UP.

I've had a great success and I've been able to get into the UP, but the deadlines have opened too late... to enter the exam and wait for it, wait for next year, didn't sound logical”, she tells Radio Free Europe.

At least three public universities this year have dropped the number of students who have applied.

The reasons, according to officials and experts, range from migration and technical issues, though the blame is being put on the latest opening of competitions at these universities.

Pristina University “hasan Pristina” this year opened the competition for new students on 6 August.

According to data, since this university has been offered to Radio Free Europe, the number of applications in the competition for acceptance of young students in Bachelor studies, for the academic year 2021/22, is 7,741.

In the preceding year, a total of 8,364 students had applied for admission into basic UP studies. Meanwhile, a year before that, we had applied over 9,000 students.

According to officials at UP, among the causes that may have contributed to the decline in the number of applications is the fact that in the past two years, only regular students and not students with corruption have enrolled.

Also, the number of seniors at the country level has declined, and this has reflected in the number of applications at UP”, says the response of Pristina University “hasan Pristina”.

Opening the students' competition in UP this year was later compared to other years, when the competition was opened during July.

The reason for this is the delay in the accreditation process that was caused by the State Quality Council (KSHC).

In July, the Public University Rectors' Conference had appealed to K The SHC to complete accrediting procedures so that the opening of the contests would not be delayed.

In Kosovo, seven public universities operate in Pristina, Peja, Gjakova, Prizren, Mitrovica, Gjilan and Ferizaj.

Prizren University “Uktin Hoti”, in a response to Radio Free Europe, has indicated that 900 applicants for 1,530 countries were submitted in the first term this year.

According to this university, a total of 2,021 candidates for 1,680 free countries were submitted in last academic year.

Prizren University, in response sent to Radio Free Europe, has said it believes that one of the reasons has been the <x0-second vacation time August, when the” competition has been opened.

“We believe that in the supplementary term all free places” will be completed, said in response.
On the other hand, at Mitrovica University “Isa Boletini” in the first term of this year's competition has applied a total of 648 candidates for admission into studies, while in the past year there were 942 candidates.

The possible “Indications, mentioned also by the Kosovo Statistics Agency, as the rationale for the decline in the number of applicants can be mentioned: demographic aspect; internal movements and foreign movements of the Republic of Kosovo”, the response of the University of Mitrovica submitted to the REL.

The University of Gjakova has shown that this year there has been an increase in the number of programmes, and according to this institution, there can still be precise calculations if there has been a decline in the number of applicant students.

However, according to the University of Gjakova, the general subx0 circumstances that are developing in the country have reduced the motive of new generations to pursue studies and live in Kosovo”.

Even Gjilan University “Kadri Zeka” has claimed there is a decline in the number of students.

Other public universities until publishing this article have not answered Radio Free Europe questions on the issue.

“Do research on causes of reducing the number of applicants”
Although the decline in the number of applicants for studies in public universities, experts say, it is disturbing and should be studied.

Youth Qehaja from Institute “Ed-Guard” says that “failure to recruit students presents responsibility for public university management”.

“Arsyet may be different from the demographics of reducing students; lowering studies by graduate students of professional schools; to increased student awareness of quality studies with more favourable study conditions, while instructing a greater number of privates since the first term”, says Qehaja.

On the other hand, Debra Hoxha from the Organisation for Quality Growth in Education (ORCA) says he doesn't think there is any corruption based on the decline in student interest to apply to public universities and delay the opening of competitions at these universities.

He says there's a need to be researched or compared to why the interest has fallen.

Hoxha appreciates the expectation that public universities have done for opening contests until they have received answers to accredited programmes.

This shows the high accountability of these public institutions, along with those in private that leave much to desire in this direction”, Hoxha says.

The youth migration has been praised as a major problem in the country in researching some nongovernmental organisations.

The non-governmental organisation “Democracy Plus” in research called “Youth Emigration Costore” points out that from population evacuation, an annual loss in gross domestic product of 519m euros is generated.