2022
Modernisation of higher education
In March 2022, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Resolution on the National programme of higher education 2030. The key strategic goal is to raise the level and quality of the higher educational qualification in Slovenia, improve the responsiveness, flexibility and attractiveness of the higher education system irrespective of economic needs, non-economic requirements and expectations of the society; accelerate its integration internationally; improve the accessibility of education and open up opportunities for continuous education and lifelong learning in higher education, all over Slovenia. Furthermore, one will strive to increase the intensity of research and innovation, facilitate the transfer of knowledge to the societal environment.
Other policy developments
In February 2022, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the draft Professional Titles and Academic Science and Art Titles Act. The draft law specifies among other the method for forming art titles in doctoral study programmes, professional and research titles in English, as well as use of research titles awarded in the third cycle study programmes at an international educational institution of which the co-founder or full member is the Republic of Slovenia. The draft law (to be adopted by the National Assembly) introduces: • common platform for forming professional and research titles in all study fields, namely titles should indicate the type and level of educational qualification; • considering the academic tradition in applying individual terms to form professional titles in individual study fields (for example engineer) and professional titles of graduates in study programmes of medicine, dental medicine, veterinary science and pharmacy; • international recognition and comparability.
In January 2022, the minister responsible for education adopted the new Rules on the call for enrolment and enrolment in higher education. It introduced among other enrolment places for Slovenians without the Slovenian citizenship. Until now, a specific number of places was reserved together for the latter and foreigners from non-EU countries, and limited to their quotas. Places for graduates (for which the school fees apply) remain only in integrated master study programmes; for other first cycle study programmes, they have been done away. The Rules also amend the calls for enrolment in master and doctoral study programmes with number of places foreseen for candidates enrolling under signed bilateral agreements among universities.
Response to the COVID-19 pandemic
In March 2022, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Ordinance on the temporary measures for the prevention and control of infectious disease COVID-19. It waived the condition for wearing facial coverings for basic school, upper secondary, higher education students and staff during the provision of the education programme. The condition still applies for participants in practical lessons and work-based clinical training. In February 2022, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the new Ordinance on the temporary measures for the prevention and control of infectious disease COVID-19. It waived the condition of recovered/vaccinated/tested proof in education, as well as doing self-tests in schools, both for staff and students.
2021
Modernisation of short-cycle higher vocational education
The Government of the Republic of Slovenian adopted in April 2021 the Recovery and resilience plan (sl). The Ministers EU approved it end of July 2021. It includes several projects to support the process initiated in February, namely the process of modernisation of short-cycle higher vocational education. One plans to modernise and/or develop new study programmes (continuous education and training programme, too) with foucs on improving and/or integration of digital, sustainable and specific vocational competences, improving financial literacy, increase flexibility, individualisation in development of cooperation with providers.
End of March 2021, the Minister responsible for education adopted the Rules amending the Rules on norms and standards of preschool education provision (sl). It gives basis for all kindergartens to classify until September 2021 and employ a technical staff – maintainer of learning technology and/or computer equipment. Kindergartens with several children with Roma background enrols will classify a Roma assistant. Further, we plan to strengthen cooperation between the education system and labour market to support a successful and faster transition of young people to the labour market. Projects will include the development and setting up an application for monitorying of emyployability of higher vocational college graduates.
Modernisation of higher education
The Ministry responsible for education consulted the public in August 2021 on the draft National higher education programme 2021–2030 (sl). Its main objectives:
- raise the quality of educational qualification in Slovenia
- develop further the ability to response
- increase flexibility and attractiveness of the higher education system as to the needs of the commercial and non-commercial sector, and overall society
- boost its position internationally
- improve accessibility of education and throughout Slovenia
- intensify the research and innovation, as well as
- provide for better transfer of knowledge.
Other policy developments
In November 2021, the ministry responsible for education consulted the public on the Act amending the Assessment and Recognition of Education Act. The proposed amendment relate among other to: • regulation of a assessment and recognition procedure for candidates who fail to submit all the documentation required; • using foreign address in the Republic of Slovenia; • waiving legalisation and (sur)verification of documents on education in the assessment and recognition procedures; • extending the right to exemption from paying the procedural fees to persons under approved international protection and applicants for international protection in the Republic of Slovenia, and for holders of Slovenian documents on education.
In September 2021, the Rules on educational qualification of higher vocational college teachers and other education staff in short-cycle higher vocational education adopted by the minister responsible for education came into force. The amendment regulated the educational qualification required to become a higher vocational college teacher and other staff who carry out the continuous education study programmes and training in short-cycle higher vocational education.
The ministry responsible for infrastructure modernised with the Act amending the Road transport Act (sl) as of 1 September 2021 the system of subsidised tickets for upper secondary and higher education students and adult education learners, as well as it introduced the subsidised ticket for integrated public passenger transport. The ticket at a common price of EUR25 for one month and/or EUR200 for a year will allow students to travel unlimitedly on the public transport intercity routes in Slovenia. That means between not only the place of residence and place of education, but on routes all over the country.
In June 2021, the Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia signed with the Government of the Republic of Slovenian the Annex to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia. It amended and/or stipulated the time lag for the salary, namely to be paid out on day 10 of the relevant month at the latest. Further, it amended the commuting, meal and holiday allowances, amount of daily and off-site allowances, allowance per kilometre covered by a personal vehicle for work, holiday allowance, allowance for meals, compensation for upper secondary and higher education students in compulsory practical training, and threshold for acquiring the right to solidary help for members of the representative union. Now, the amount of the allowance for meals will be adjusted twice a year, the amount of the separation allowance, daily allowance for business travels within the country, long-service bonuses and solidarity help once a year, and for the years of service taken into account when acquiring the right to long-service bonus one shall also take into account years of service at concessionaires that pursue activities in the public service network.
Response to the COVID-19 pandemic
In October 2021, the Slovenian quality assurance agency for higher education adopted the Instrument amending the minimal standards in awarding titles: higher education teachers, research fellows and higher education fellows at higher education institutions. Among other, the amendments specified that to be awarded a title professor and research counsellor the requirement of a 3-month activity abroad should be deemed fulfilled also for candidates who had to discontinue the activities abroad due to SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. For associate professor, senior research fellow and lector this provision had already been in force in 2020 and 2021, and has now been extended to 2022.
The Ordinance on the approach to meeting the recovered-vaccinated-tested requirements to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (sl) came into force on September 6. It imposed self-testing on the students in grades 7, 8 and 9 and upper secondary students, adult education learners, and higher education students. Self-testing is imposed on children and young people enroled in institutions for education and training for SEN children (institutions for children with emotional and behavioural disorders), and students at third to sixth level of special education programmes unless objective reasons exist against it. Basic school and upper secondary students, adult education learners and higher education students self-test with antigen testing kits at one-week intervals. They receive free test kits at the pharmacist’s. The antigen testing kits shall be state funded.
The ordinance imposed on education staff and other staff at all levels of education the recovered-vaccinated-tested requirement. The results of antigen self-testing kits taken at one-week intervals apply, as well. Employers in education provide funds for self-testing and specify the time and place of self-testing, it can be at home or at work. Employers can according to the ordinance act against the employees who do not meet the RVT requirement, namely according to the rules on occupational health and safety, rules on employment relations, and respective collective agreements. Persons and employees who fail to meet the RVT requirement shall not be allowed to used services and participate or be present during the provision of the service.
By the Distance teaching decision (sl) the distance teaching and learning in basic and upper secondary schools will take place if: Temporary restriction or prohibition of crowding in educational institutions, organisation of educational activities adjusted to epidemiological restrictions (alternate lessons etc.), and the competent inspectorate decides that the institution does not meet the defined restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 or quarantining of individual classes.
On 1 April 2021, the deteriorated epidemiological situation and by the relevant ordinance of the Government (sl) all higher vocational colleges and higher education institutions closed. On 12 April 2021 welcomed back students for a study process in smaller groups and for taking exams. On 21 May, they welcomed back all students according to the relevant ordinance (sl) .
In April 2021, the Minister responsible for education adopted the Decision on the status extension for higher vocational college students and progressing (sl). It allowed higher vocational college students who were not able to complete practical training due to the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to extend their status to the academic year 2021/2022 and progress possible progression. The underlying basis was protection of rights and legal benefits of students in vocational education.
In February 2021, the Minister responsible for education adopted the Rules on the method of funding the protection equipment and room disinfection for providers in education and science (sl), namely from the state budget. The funding criteria are the number of employees and number of children and students subject to the standard cost per employee and participant. The period of funding eligible costs of protection equipment takes from 1 March 2021 until the stop of compulsory use of protection equipment and disinfection of rooms for spread prevention of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
In February 2021, the National Assembly adopted the Act on Additional Measures for Mitigation of Consequences COVID-19 (sl). It gave students with permanent residence in the Republic of Slovenia and pursuing in the academic year 2020/2021 education at a non-domestic higher education institution the right to a single solidarity benefit of €150. According to the Ordinance on the temporary prohibition of assembly in educational institutions and universities (sl) as of February 2021, studies resumed in part at the higher education institutions and higher vocational colleges. Namely, students could now sit exams, participate at seminars of up to ten participants, laboratory work, and individual lectures and/or clinical and cabinet work, and other activities at which one needs to use specialised equipment and instruments). The Ordinance further specified that the staff of educational institutions have to get weekly rapid SARS-CoV-2 test.
2020
Modernisation of short-cycle higher vocational education
In July 2020, the Ministry of education submitted to the Government of the Republic of Slovenian Draft Short-cycle higher vocational education Strategy for the period 2020 to 2030 (sl).
In April 2020, one adopted the Rules on public documents and call for enrolment in the supplementary study programmes of short-cycle higher vocational education (sl). It specified the relevant procedures.
Response to the COVIC-19 pandemic
In December 2020, the National Assembly adopted the Act Determining Intervention Measures to Assist in Mitigating the Consequences of the Second Wave of COVID-19 Epidemic (sl). By this law, the higher education students with permanent residence in the Republic of Slovenia and pursuing education in the academic year 2020/2021 in officially recognised study programmes had the right to a to a single solidarity benefit of €150 that could have been paid out to them until end of January 2021, namely from the state budget.
In November 2020, the Ministry responsible for education adopted the Decision to allocate funds for information-communication technology and licence purchase to public higher education institutions in 2020. On this basis, the higher education institutions received additional funds for ICT needed because of the increase in using ICT to deliver educational activities and carry out the study process. One made allocation in the state budget for funding the protection equipment required for students in health and social welfare education and/or study programmes at public educational institutions and higher education institutions with a concession.
In October 2020, one adopted the Act Determining Temporary Measures to Mitigate and Remedy the Consequences of COVID-19 (sl). The new law makes provision for higher education institutions to amend in the academic year 2020/2021 the compulsory elements of the study programmes that will take effect in the academic year 2020/2021 for all students enrolled. It further specifies that one will not apply in 2021 the indicators for the calculation of the variable part of the reference column of funding the institution. By new law, the application and all the accompanying evidence documents will be submitted digitally through the information system eVŠ in the relevant enrolment procedures for the academic year 2021/2022 and the decisions taken in the procedure returned the online portal eVŠ.
In October 2020, the Government adopted the Ordinance temporarily prohibiting gatherings of people in educational institutions and universities and independent higher education institutions (sl). In the second wave of the pandemic, the Ministry responsible for education communicated to universities and higher education institutions the guidelines for the adapted delivery of study activities in the winter semester of the academic year 2020/2021 (sl). The Ministry recommended to deliver study activities live only for those parts of the learning units that had been defined as indispensable on the relevant priority lists (for example laboratory, clinical or computer work), and to transfer the greatest part of lectures to the virtual environment.
In October 2020, one adopted the Act amending the Communicable Diseases Act (sl). According to the amended law, all candidates for upper secondary programmes and higher education study programmes in the field of health, education and social welfare, have to be vaccinated as specified by the Minister responsible for health. Otherwise, the candidate, the enrolment of the candidate will be declined, except for candidates with a decision on exemption from vaccination for valid health reasons.
In the school year 2020/2021, the educational activities in preschool, basic and upper secondary education started on 1 September as normal and according to B model (all go to school). The Ministry of education and National education institute together with the National institute of public health released the publication "Education in the Republic of Slovenia in reference to Covid-19" (sl). It introduced four possible models of school instruction and recommendation about how to plan and implement educational activities. Most of higher vocational colleges pursue their activities as part of school centres, so the guidelines for upper secondary schools apply as appropriate to them.
In September, the Ministry of education and National institute of public health together with relevant stakeholders started to outline the guidance for starting the new academic year in higher education institutions.
With the improvement of the epidemic situation, as of 18 May 2020, kindergartens, basic schools, upper secondary schools and higher vocational colleges reopened their doors: kindergartens for half of the children, basic schools for students of grades 1 to 3, and upper secondary schools for students of final years; higher vocational colleges reopened doors for all their students. To read more about gradual opening of schools see subparagraphs 14.1, 14.2 and/or 14.3.
Instructions and resommendation for school education, inlcuding short-cycle higher vocational education, were developed in April and May, namely as a joint project of the Ministry of education, Ministry of health, National institute of public health, National education institute, Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for vocational education and training, Slovenian institute for adult education, representatives of the head teachers associations, representatives of the relevant union, and other stakeholders. The documents are available online. The relevant institute also published the Information and recommendation for activities of the adult education organisations (sl).
Higher education institutions have autonomy to decide on the method of assessment, extending the academic calendar and promotion requirements. At institutions, they analysed and reviewed internal documents, as well as implemented relevant amendments to the calendar for the academic year 2019/2020 within the framework of the higher education law (in particular for setting the exams). During epidemic time, the institutions implemented the distance study process via online classrooms, videoconferences, videoclips of lectures and other forms of the process, e-mail, other forms of two-way crowd communication, handouts, as well as additional material for students. Recorded lectures and other material are stored in online classrooms. If necessary, the higher education teachers were available to students for individual or group consultations via online tools for teleconferencing and online chatrooms, e-mail.
In July 2020, one adopted the Act on Intervention Measures to Prepare for the Second Wave COVID-19 (sl). It amended the provisions of the Scholarship Act in reference to reimbursing employers the part funding of sponsorship scholarships, and to obligations of the students receiving scholarships as to employment. In accordance with law, the beneficial students have the right in 2020 to part-funded meals from July 15 until and including July 31, namely during the time otherwise not applicable.
In May 2020, one adopted the Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Mitigate and Remedy the Consequences of the COVID-19 Epidemic (sl) that made provision to extend, in the epidemic times, the application-enrolment deadlines for higher education institutions, the continuation of electronic enrolment application and documents reled to knowledge recognition for continuing education in higher education, as well as to consider extreme circumstances in the procedure of obtaining and maintaining the right to scholarship.
In April 2020, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia adopted and amended the Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences for Citizens and the Economy (sl) It provided legal background for the provision of distance teaching and possibility for the minister to amend only with the relevant decision the school calender (academic calendar for tertiary educaiton), assessment, completion of education, final dates to exercise the rights, as well as fulfilment of obligations of all subjects in basic, upper secondary and higher education.
The Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences for Citizens and the Economy specified that the higher education instututions can amend certain compulsory components of the study programmes during the academic year 2019/2020, made provisions for the extension of the student status in the academic year 2020/2021 for students who had failed because of the emergency situation to complete all study obligations in due time, as well as for the single solidarity levy of €150 paid out to all students in officially recognised short-cycle vocational higher education and higher education study programmes in Slovenian who have permanent residence in the Republic of Slovenia and are unemployed.
End of March, the Higher education enrolment Rules have been completed (sl). It gave the Minister responsible for education the right to extend in circumsented of natural and other accidents and/or in extraordinary circumstances the deadlines as specified with the enrolment procedure.
According to the Ordinance on the temporary prohibition of assembly in educational institutions and universities, as well as independent higher education institutions (sl), all kindergartens, school, and most of institutions of education of SEN children, all adult education organisations, universities, and independent higher education institutions, residential halls for basic school, upper secondary and/or higher education students, and music schools closed their doors and have remained closed since 16 March 2020. All childminder, too stopped their operations, as well.
The Ministry of education and National Education Institutor Slovenia (ZRSŠ) communicated to basic schools and upper secondary schools the recommendation on how to organise and provide distance learning. At the state’s level, a coordination group was set up. The group coordinates and steers the activities of state institutions in terms of providing support to schools. A single entry point for head teachers and teachers to look for support and guidance, namely at the Slovenian educational network (SIO). In view of the coronavirus epidemics SARS-CoV-2, several deadlines have been extended: enrolment in short cycle higher vocational education programmes and higher education study programmes; application for several calls; cancellation of professional examination for education staff, etc.
Most schools organised distance learning already on the first day after closing, namely supported by the ZRSŠ and ARNES, content wise and technically respectively.
The universities and other higher education and higher vocational colleges provide different forms of distance educational activities.
In August 2020, one adopted the Rules amending the Education staff promotion Rules (sl), namely to honour the agreement signed between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia of December 2018. The Government committed to modernise in cooperation with the Union the career development of education staff. The Rules provide for education staff in short vocational higher education to be promoted to the highest title, as well.
In February 2020, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, according to the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, adopted the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NEPN) (.pdf, sl). It applies to higher education, as well, in particular within the action of promoting training and staff building, as well as activities for the involvement of MIZŠ and educational institutions (universities, etc.), as well as in the instrument for the promotion of research and innovation in transition to climate-neutral society.
The Government authorised the integrated strategic project of decarbonisation of Slovenia in way of transition to circular economy, namely with the cooperation of the European Commission and European Institution of Innovation & Technology EIT Climate-KIC. It will combine different fields and strategies. It is planned for the first phase to do the analysis of the higher education realm or study programmes, namely to determine to what extent the relevant contents have been integrated and to set up the proper facility (data warehouse) for analitics and commercial decision taking (cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration).