Teaching will be disrupted at several Slovak universities on Monday, 21 February. The reason for this is their disagreement with the amendment to the higher education law, which is being discussed in the Slovak parliament. The Council of Higher Education of the Slovak Republic has called on the academic senates of the faculties and universities to symbolically join the protest this way. The rector of the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava, Oliver Moravčík, granted the students rector's leave for Monday. On Monday, classes will be also interrupted at Comenius University in Bratislava, some faculties of the University of Economics in Bratislava, the Faculty of Law of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, the Jessenius Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Martin, as well as at some faculties of the Alexander Dubček University in Trenčín and at several faculties of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. For example, some faculties from the University of Prešov or the University of Constantine the Philosopher in Nitra, as well as the University of Trnava, will also join.
Even though the Council of Higher Education positively perceives a number of changes brought about by the draft amendment, it notes that the submitted draft amendment does not solve the fundamental problems of higher education in Slovakia, such as the fact that a significant portion of young people are leaving to study abroad.
Another critical topic concerns the powers of academic senates and university management boards, and the election of rectors. Universities and employers have differing views on this. Under the new legislation the board would have a say in decisions concerning the budget and the election of rector, but would not be able to veto the election of rectors, while it will also be more difficult to remove board members. University rectors see this as a threat to their academic autonomy.
Meanwhile, the Students Council of Higher Education approves of the proposed amendment and highlights the more transparent election of the rectors. At the same time, they stress the need for the additional funding of universities.
Source: TASR, The Slovak Spectator
