Making student government in Kosovo matter
"As the international community works to strengthen democracy in Kosovo, students demand a university more representative of their needs."
By Carolina Bartczak
Issue date: 11/17/05 Section: News
The few students that actually take the time to look at their student invoices probably ask themselves why they pay a student societies fee of $187.95. Most students quickly calculate what else they could have bought with that money before moving on to the next item on the invoice.
The roles of student governments are less obvious when they are found in stable countries like Canada. Ask a student from Kosovo whose university has been plagued by war, corruption, economic instability and ethnic conflict, what a strong student society could do for them. You probably won't get an answer that includes anything about intramurals or subsidized metro passes.
As the international community works to strengthen democracy in Kosovo, students demand a university more representative of their needs.
Through a program sponsored by the new Canada Corps Program of the Government of Canada and implemented by UofT's Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, four UofT students are working with six Kosovo Albanian students to strengthen student government at the University of Prishtina.
Kosovo's students have always been at the forefront of political life. The student union was a key player in providing clandestine education to Albanian students after the government in Belgrade banned Albanian education in the 1990s.
Following the Kosovo war in 1999, the university administration took control of student government finances, seriously curtailing students' democratic representation within the university. Since then, the elected student leaders find themselves under the heel of the university administration anytime there is an attempt at reform.
The UofT and Kosovo team met in Montenegro in early October to strategize on how Canadian expertise can be best applied in Kosovo and to exchange information about each others' universities.
"When we think of Canadian universities, we imagine a society without any problems and a place where everyone can succeed", admits Bekim, a member of the team from Kosovo.
The root problem of the student government is that their entire budget is under the control of one administrator making it important for students not to step on any toes. On the rare occasion that a student project is approved, it gets paralyzed by an excessively bureaucratic system. It can take up to six months to get a simple ski trip approved.
One student from Prishtina describes how brains and effort won't necessarily get you anywhere at the University. "The opportunity is not always there to succeed. You will eventually hit roadblocks in your education" says Visar, a medical student. His faculty may well soon be on strike due to a corrupt dean. Corruption is among the problems faced by students. Another Prishtina student describes how some students get academic advantage based on family connections.
The roles of student governments are less obvious when they are found in stable countries like Canada. Ask a student from Kosovo whose university has been plagued by war, corruption, economic instability and ethnic conflict, what a strong student society could do for them. You probably won't get an answer that includes anything about intramurals or subsidized metro passes.
As the international community works to strengthen democracy in Kosovo, students demand a university more representative of their needs.
Through a program sponsored by the new Canada Corps Program of the Government of Canada and implemented by UofT's Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, four UofT students are working with six Kosovo Albanian students to strengthen student government at the University of Prishtina.
Kosovo's students have always been at the forefront of political life. The student union was a key player in providing clandestine education to Albanian students after the government in Belgrade banned Albanian education in the 1990s.
Following the Kosovo war in 1999, the university administration took control of student government finances, seriously curtailing students' democratic representation within the university. Since then, the elected student leaders find themselves under the heel of the university administration anytime there is an attempt at reform.
The UofT and Kosovo team met in Montenegro in early October to strategize on how Canadian expertise can be best applied in Kosovo and to exchange information about each others' universities.
"When we think of Canadian universities, we imagine a society without any problems and a place where everyone can succeed", admits Bekim, a member of the team from Kosovo.
The root problem of the student government is that their entire budget is under the control of one administrator making it important for students not to step on any toes. On the rare occasion that a student project is approved, it gets paralyzed by an excessively bureaucratic system. It can take up to six months to get a simple ski trip approved.
One student from Prishtina describes how brains and effort won't necessarily get you anywhere at the University. "The opportunity is not always there to succeed. You will eventually hit roadblocks in your education" says Visar, a medical student. His faculty may well soon be on strike due to a corrupt dean. Corruption is among the problems faced by students. Another Prishtina student describes how some students get academic advantage based on family connections.
