Scholarship for BH students

In the postwar period a large number of private faculties have been opened in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose primary interest is to enroll as many students as possible in order to maximize profits. Unfortunately, most private faculties seem to achieve this goal by reducing the quality of teaching and by lowering the criteria for grading, which inevitably leads to a decrease in the quality of education.

In addition to this problem, due to poor economic conditions in the country, there is a problem of brain drain, emigration of able-bodied, highly educated individuals in search of a better paid job or a job with better working conditions. In doing so, one should not neglect the fact that these people would succeed in Bosnia and Herzegovina only to get the opportunity and support they receive in other places, and forget that they are recognized regardless of their ethnic, political or any other background, but only as great talents valuable investments in them.

The very criteria for granting scholarships directly favor students attending better universities and want to stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina after completing their studies. In addition, there are many excellent students in Bosnia and Herzegovina who are not able to study due to poor material status. Since the costs of studying in Bosnia and Herzegovina are not large, small funds could support more students.

This project is a continuation of a very similar project that RC Vienna has been implementing for years in cooperation with clubs from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the earlier period RC Tuzla was a partner of RC Vienna in securing scholarships for students from Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

RC Zenica participated in previous year in the "Scholarship for BH Students" project with Rotary Clubs Tuzla and Vienna. Last three years two clubs, RC Zenica and RC Vienna are actively involved in the implementation of the "Scholarship for BH Students" project.

The students reached the best results and four of them completed their study in academic year 2024/25.

RC Zenica has been providing scholarships to students for six years. In 20024/25 academic year RC Zenica provided scholarships for an additional 5 students. We would continue and expand with this project scholarships for students who are already part of the RC Vienna program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as newly elected students, leading the selection by the already existing criteria.

In addition to material support, scholarship holders also have the opportunity make connections with friends from Austria with possible upgrading in Austria, during their studies trough different student exchange programs. In this way, the acquired knowledge is transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is also a very important aspect of this project.

Collect results from students who received scholarships in the 2024/25 academic year and determine which successful students can continue to receive scholarships.

Determine the number of available places for new students who can apply for scholarships in the 2025/26 academic year.

Define the criteria for the selection of the students, publish the invitation for the students at the public universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, collect applications and supporting documentation from the applicants, conduct an interview (interview in English) with each of the scholarship applicants, select the required number of students who meet the defined criteria, sign the contracts with students and sign the students' declarations that they will continue to work in Bosnia and Herzegovina after their studies. Monitor students' results after the winter and summer semesters, pay scholarships regularly to the students' accounts, publish post and photos on the social networks about all events related to the implementation of the project and make a report of the realization of the project.

Sustainability: 

(How sustainability is granted (e.g. acquired skills, independent continuation, cooperation with local authorities, other partners …)? 

The total budget is Euro 25.000 and it is enough for 24 students’ scholarship for the2024/25 academic year. In November 2024 RC Vienna and RC Zenica organized interview for the applicants and 24 students were elected by the already existing criteria. They had very good results in winter semester and they will probably complete this academic year.

If approved, this project would be nominated by RC Zenica in partnership with RC Vienna for the District Grant in next academic year.

Conditions for awarding scholarship - the competition would be addressed to the public Universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will strengthen the cooperation and increase the rating of Rotary in the academic community of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This project is focused on providing the scholarships for students studying in Bosnia and Herzegovina who will build their career and future here. The most important benefits of this project are: helping young people become highly educated and thus ensure a stable economic status, retaining young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is particularly important for further economic development of our country. Very important motive of the project is increasing the rating of the Rotary organization in the academic community of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Rotary club Vienna