The fifth round of scholarships for master’s and doctoral studies in nursing ended this year with the awarding of scholarships to 26 nurses. During the previous five years, the project supported a total of 64 master/doctoral students at public faculties in BIH, and provided funds for 130 semesters of studies in the total amount of 166,235.91 KM. By helping the academic development of the profession and strengthening the education system, the project contributes to better quality of health services in BiH.

Following the example of EU countries, the education of nurses is being raised to a higher level in BIH as well, so nurses get the opportunity for academic progress. The first undergraduate studies in nursing BIH were introduced in 2002, and today they exist at nine public higher education institutions. This was followed by the introduction of Master studies and doctoral studies.

Although in the transition period the majority of lecturers at master and doctoral studies in nursing will be medical doctors, after the completion of the II or III cycle of studies nurses should be elected to academic titles. Their number is slowly growing, and there are quite a few nurses elected to the teaching titles of professors and assistant professors and already pursuing academic career. For adequate transfer of knowledge to future generations of students, a sufficient number of such teaching staff is necessary. Only once the majority of lecturers at the nursing faculties have education background in nursing, the education system will be in compliance with EU Directives and standards.

The project supports the improvement of higher formal education of nurses in several ways. By revising the curricula in accordance with the EU Directive, a significantly higher number of practical hours are included, providing students with more adequate training for future work with patients. In the equipped clinical skills labs and under the guidance of mentors trained with the support of ProSes, students now have the opportunity to practice diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and interventions on modern models-simulators. To help the academic development of the profession, scholarships for masters and doctoral studies have been awarded.

Since 2017, the project has supported a total of 64 nurses, and covered tuition costs for one or more semesters per nurse, in the amount of 50-90% of the total costs. Financial resources have been provided for a total of 65 semesters of master's and 65 semesters of doctoral studies. By awarding scholarships to 18 master's students and 8 doctoral students in health care in 2021, the project ended this type of support.

The support of the project was a driving force for local institutions to take over part of the tuition costs, which range up to 3200 KM for a master's degree, and 15’000 KM for doctoral studies. The project hopes and expects that they will recognize the importance of the academic development of the nursing profession, and during the planning provide funds and continue to award scholarships. Today, more than ever, BIH authorities need to respond to the health needs and expectations of their population, investing in the development of the nursing workforce, raising both the level of education and the number of nurses who can care for those in need.

A brief overview of the awarded scholarships can be found on our website.