Student mobility

Student mobility has been recognized as one of the strategic objectives of Montenegrin higher education and research system. Students have numerous opportunities for short term and long term mobility.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation awards scholarships for excellence in doctoral education to Montenegrin students enrolled at doctoral programmes at higher education institutions in Montenegro, which allow scholarship holders to spend short-term and mid-term mobility period (of minimum 3 months) at a selected partner institution abroad.

The most popular exchange program that most Montenegrin students take part in is the Erasmus+ Programme. Montenegro has the status of a third country not associated to the programme which allows Montenegrin higher education institutions to participate in KA171 i.e. International Credit Mobility projects. These allow students to spend one or two semetsers at partner higher education institutions for the purpose of studying or a period of exchange for the purpose of doing traineeships. 

Within the action Montenegrin HEIs have established numersous partnerships with higher education institutions from EU in all fields of studies. In addition to semestral exchanges students also have additional opportunities for participating in blended mobilities. 

Erasmus exhanges are open to students of all levels of studies. Their exchange period is recognized upon return from mobility based on the Learning Agreement that is signed in advance in line with the regulations of individual higher education institutions with full respect of ECHE (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education) principles. International Relations Offices of individual universities are in charge of administering the programme.

CEEPUS - Central European Exchange Program for University Studies is the second most popular programme for student mobility. Students of all levels of studies take part in the programme. Scholarships are awarded for minimum of 3, maximum of 10 months for students of bachelor and master studies. Longer study period can be approved for students of doctoral studies. Shorter study period from 1 to 3 months can be approved to students working on master’s or PhD thesis. Students can apply for practical training at commercial enterprises, research centres, government institutions or other organizations in host country, provided that there is a clear and structured plan. The programme is administered by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation.

Visegrad Scholarship Program provides opportunities to students of postgraduate and doctoral studies to apply for a study period of 1 semester (5 months) or 2 semesters (10 months). A scholarship may also be approved for full degree of master studies taking 4 semesters (20 months).

“Go Styria” Program is intended for students of postgraduate, doctoral and postdoctoral studies from the countries of South-East Europe, including Montenegro. Scholarships are awarded for study periods of maximum 4 months but they may also be awarded for shorter research periods of 1 to 3 months.

Within the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program - Global UGRAD scholarships are awarded for a period of one semester for studying at American universities, combined with community service, professional development and getting familiar with cultural content.

Best of South-East Program is intended for students of final years and graduate students of economics and law who wish to acquire international work experience. Scholarships are awarded for one-year internship at Steiermärkische Sparkasse Bank or another Styrian company, as well as for attending the selected courses at University of Graz with a view to completing the final year of studies.

British Scholarship Trust awards Scholarships for study periods in Great Britain of 1 to 3 months.

Scholarships of German foundation “Konrad Adenauer Stiftung” are open to final-year students, students of postgraduate and doctoral studies for complete study cycle at German higher education institutions, as well as for research periods of at least 6 months.

The procedure for the recognition of foreign educational qualifications and qualification equivalence is regulated by the Law on the Recognition of Foreign Educational Credentials and Qualification Equivalence, which is in line with the Lisbon Convention.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation carries out the recognition of credentials on acquired higher education for the purpose of employment through the National Information Centre - ENIC Centre, a special organizational unit of the Ministry. The recognition of credentials on acquired or initiated higher education, or part of it, for the purpose of continuing education is carried out by an adequate higher education institution where education is to be continued. The procedure for qualification equivalence is performed by an institution that carries out a comparable study programme in accordance with the relevant act of the institution.

The Rules on mobility of higher education institutions regulate the basic principles of student mobility recognition. By signing a learning agreement, home institution approves the student’s mobility and undertakes to recognize all the courses, marks and credits specified in the learning agreement and verify the results achieved.

Academic staff mobility

The Higher Education Development Strategy 2024-2027 highlights mobility as key to ensuring higher education quality and a crucial pillar for exchange and cooperation.

Academic staff mobility takes place under bilateral or multilateral agreements between the Government of Montenegro and other countries, as well as under cooperation agreements concluded between the institutions themselves and partner institutions abroad and within exchange programmmes that higher education institutions take part in.

In order to promote mobility, as a segment of internationalization of higher education, staff holding the rank of full and associate university professor are entitled to a yearlong absence, i.e. sabbatical leave, every seven years, aimed at education and professional development. The decision on sabbatical leave is made by the Governing Board, following the prior opinion of the Senate.

Academic mobility is also supported through the internationalization strategies of higher education institutions, which, among other things, emphasize the need to increase the number of foreign lecturers and the number of students and researchers participating in mobility programmes.

Participation of Montenegro higher education institutions in Erasmus+ KA171 action allows numerous possibilities for short-term mobility of academic staff both for the purpose of teaching and training. Additionally, membership in the European University Alliance Ulysseus provides additional training opportunities on various topics important for the modernization of higher education institutions. 

CEEPUS programme allows teaching staff to apply for at least 5 working days, with work engagement of 6 hours a week.

The University of Montenegro has launched a program to facilitate the mobility of young researchers - PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, to prestigious universities, leading research institutions across Europe, and high-profile companies with dedicated research centers through allocation of funds for these purposes. 

The University of Montenegro adopted a Regulation on the Conditions and Procedures for Obtaining Financial Support for Research and Study Stays that supports and stimulates research activities and improvement of research work and contribute to the academic development of beneficiaries. 

Financial support for academic staff mobility is provided by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation which offers funds for co-financing travel expenses in accordance with the criteria of the Call for co-financing tuition fees for Master’s and PhD studies in the country and abroad and travel expenses for study periods abroad. In accordance with the criteria defined by the Call, the Ministry also co-finances tuition fees for students of Master’s and PhD studies.

Even though there are not formal procedures for recognizing period spent abroad the mobility experience is valued on the occasion of promotion into higher academic titles and is informally recognized by the management bodies.

Monitoring is performed through annual reports on mobility and the reports on the overall yearly achievements submitted by individual university units.