Anniversaries commemorated for the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Economics

The formal academies held on 6 February 2025 commemorated 51 years of successful work and development of the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Economics at the University of Banja Luka, the higher education institutions that have been making a significant contribution to education, science, and social development for over half a century.

The Rector of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, said that the Faculty of Law has grown into one of the most important institutions in the field of higher education.

,,People who graduated from this faculty bear the judicial institutions positions in the Republic of Srpska, but also in the region. The quality of education at the Faculty of Law is very high, and there are practically no unemployed lawyers in the labor market at the moment”, said Prof. Gajanin and added that the faculty has optimal working conditions in terms of space and equipment.

Rector Gajanin emphasized he will insist on further strengthening of the teaching personnel, especially assistants, and inclusion of the best students into the academic community. He praised the continuous advance of the Faculty of Economics, pointing out that optimal conditions for working and studying have been provided thanks to the efforts of leadership, teaching and administrative staff.

The Speaker of the Republic of Srpska National Assembly, Nenad Stevandić, who was present at the event in the Faculty of Law, said that the educational institutions are the most important ones, for without them, all other institutions would be less strong and relevant, and unable to answer the future challenges.

“I am confident that the history of law and legal thought in this area, the history of our future legal steps, are tightly connected in cooperation of the Faculty of Law of the University of Banja Luka with the institutions of the Republic of Srpska. By cooperating, we keep the Republic of Srpska and its property, institutions, sovereignty, but also its future, which is not possible without great knowledge”, said Stevandić.

The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Zoran Vasiljević, PhD, reminded that this Faculty, over more than five decades, grew into one of the leading institutions of legal education in the region, and that is of exceptional significance for the Republic of Srpska and functioning of its legal system. “It is proven by a number of graduated lawyers and professors who were, or currently are, on very significant positions in all levels of the government – legislative, executive, and judicial”, said Vasiljević.

He added that the faculty has optimal conditions for work.

,,A lot was invested over the last fifteen years. We got an electronic courtroom and a multimedia hall. Classrooms were modernized, equipped with projectors, new desks and chairs, but now we need the third floor for postgraduate studies, the newly formed life-long learning center, which requires significant investments.”

Assistant Minister of Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, docent Jelena Starčević, PhD, said that the Ministry invested about 40 million KM in the higher education in the last four years, and that many infrastructural and capital projects have been completed at public universities.

Faculty of Economics

The Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Prof. Milenko Krajišnik, PhD, said that 51 years of existence is sufficient tradition, experience and energy for future success.

,,This faculty, thanks to its employees and support from the University and the Republic of Srpska, has become a respectable higher education institution. We are modernizing study programs and introducing new ones. We have just completed accreditation of a joint study program with Polytechnic University from Italy, which means that students will study here and in Italy, and receive our and Italian diplomas”, said Krajišnik, and added that they are working on introducing study programs that will be joint with universities in Germany, Spain, and Italy.

Dean Krajišnik pointed out that the Faculty of Economics increased its first cycle enrolment by 50%, which confirms that the quality of graduated students has been recognized in the labor market.

Graduates were promoted

The formal events were also attended by the Vice-Rectors of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Milica Balaban, PhD, Prof. Dalibor Kesić, PhD, and Prof. Aleksandar Ostojić, PhD. At this event, 68 graduated economists and 8 masters of economics, and 59 graduated lawyers and 4 masters of law were promoted.

Photo: D. Desnica