New Act on Higher Educational Institutions

This Act fully replaced the Act No. 172/1990 Coll. on Higher Educational Institutions, as amended.

The new Act on Higher Educational Institutions regulates mission, tasks and status of higher educational institutions, whereas the higher educational institutions are divided into

(a)

public,

(b)

state, and

(c)

private higher educational institutions.

The higher educational institutions provide higher education within the scope of accredited academic programs. Academic programs are performed at three levels. The first-level program is a bachelor's study program. The second-level programs and academic programs combining the first two levels of higher education are master's study (in Slovak: magisterský študijný program), engineering study (in Slovak: inziniersky študijný program) and doctoral study (in Slovak: doktorský študijný program). The third-level academic program is a postgraduate study and specialisation study in medicine.

Furthermore, the Act distinguishes between universities and non-university higher educational institutions.

The universities provide education in academic programs at all three levels. Unlike the universities, the non-university higher education institutions are designated as professional higher educational institutions and provide higher education mostly in the first-level academic programs.

The Act stipulates that the universities and the non-university higher educational institutions are the highest educational, scientific and artistic establishments.

The Act further guarantees accurately specified academic rights and academic freedoms.

The Act exactly specifies establishment and cancellation of a public higher educational institution, scope of self-administration operation of a public higher educational institution, bodies of academic self-administration of a public higher educational institutions and their operation, financial resources, budget and property of a public higher educational institution, as well as requirements for performance of business activities by a public higher educational institution.

As a part of the public higher education institutions, the Act regulates, inter alia, status of special educational institutions of public higher educational institutions serving for practical education in the fields of study in which such education is required.

Under the new Act, the state higher educational institutions are

(a)

military academies,

(b)

police academies, and

(c)

medical schools.

According to the Act, a private higher educational institution is understood as a legal entity with its registered seat in the Slovak Republic established for educational and research purposes and being authorised to act as a private higher educational institution on the basis of an approval granted by the Government of the Slovak Republic.

At the same time the Act defines terms such as field of study, academic program and study plan, whereas it contains provisions on bachelor's, master's, engineering and doctoral academic programs.

In its sixth part, the new Act on Higher Educational Institutions stipulates requirements for study at higher educational institutions, including fundamental admission requirements and requirements for entrance examinations.

In accordance with the Act, the academic program may be accomplished in a daily or external form. The academic program in both forms may be accomplished by three methods:

(a)

attendance,

(b)

distance, or

(c)

combination.

The academic year starts from 1 September of the current year and ends on 31 August of the following year, whereas the study in one academic year can be divided into two temestres or three trimesters. Each higher educational institution stipulates particular division of study in its statute.

Organisation of all levels and forms of higher education is based on a crediting system.

The Act also specifies rights as well as duties of students.

Each higher educational institution is liable to keep a register of its students.

The Act also regulates in details a position of particular categories of employees of higher educational institutions, as well as accreditation process of activities of higher educational institutions and acknowledgement of rights.

At the same time, the Act includes also an issue of higher educational institution financing and a system of social support of students.

In its eleventh and twelfth parts, the Act stipulates powers of the Government of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic in the area of higher educational institutions, as well as their representative bodies.

In its temporary provisions, the Act regulates a process of transformation of fields of study, existing higher educational institutions, transfer of state-owned property to public higher educational institutions and use of academic degrees awarded at particular levels of higher education.

In its three annexes, the Act provides for the lists of existing public, state and private schools.

This Act came into force on 1 April 2002.

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