Friday, 26 March 2010
Address by the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski on the International Student Competition
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your Excellences
Young friends
It is my great pleasure to be here today, with you, in the framework of the qualification competition for students of European studies, political science, law, economy, and information technologies.
I am especially pleased with the fact that students from, both, the state and private universities in the Republic of Macedonia participate in this competition, since the high level education and faculties need healthy competition, which, above all, leads to improvement of the quality of the educational, scientific and research processes in the universities.
I would like to express my gratitude to our Austrian friends, above all, the World University Service of Austria and the Austrian Agency for Development and Cooperation, as well as to other European institutions included in this project. The fact that the Republic of Macedonia, together with other countries from the region participates in this competition demonstrates that we are all part of the big European family. In the same time, the future of united Europe lies among you, future academic citizens, who will be bearers of the national development, and of the global, European and if you wish world development.
Dear friends,
“Knowledge is power” is not an ordinary political quote used daily, but it is an axiom old as the human civilization, regardless if we speak about knowledge in physical, technical or social science since the they provide progress when being complementary.
If we look at the fast development of certain states like Ireland, even though this is not an isolated example, we can clearly see that the investment in science, meaning investment in the process of education, from primary to university education, produces significant results. This is why the Republic of Macedonia pays great attention to the process of education on every level. I would remind you that we have introduced obligatory secondary education, Computer for Each Student Project, opened new state universities and strengthened the capacity of the existing universities, these are only fragment of the overall efforts of the government programs in the area of educational, scientific and research process in the country. We have introduces the so-called Bologna System which today is the basis of the European University process of education.
All this is part of our strategic determination, and that is the Euro-Atlantic Integration. I will not speak about the Commission’s Progress Report on the Republic of Macedonia which clearly underlines our progress and I will not speak about why we have not received date on opening negotiation, besides having a recommendation, since you, as academic citizens, especially as social science students know and understand this issue.
The integration process is inevitable and it will happen today or tomorrow. I would like to underline another dimension. Namely, it is very important to be prepared to face every challenge but also to address every obligation brought by the membership in the European Family.
This means that lawyers, economists, political scientists or any other profile of academic education will have to be competitive with his colleague from any European State. Regardless if some of you work in our state institutions or in Brussels, regardless if you are part of big corporative company or owner of your own business, you have to be competitive with your knowledge and successful in your work.
To achieve that we need excellent universities, regular contacts with European university professors, these kinds of competitions which are not about winners or losers but are presentation of the best students and, in the same time impetus and motive for everyone. You know that the visa regime was abolished in December last year. This provides easier travel and closer contact with your European colleagues. I will not speak about the Internet and its advantages, since you all know them. Also, our European friends really help us in the high education processes and our inclusion in the European flows. You are aware that the European Union pays great attention and finances the university education. Even though we are not Member State of the European Union, we have open opportunities for access to these funds through different programs.
This provides good basis for your welfare, but also, you are helping us, politicians to accomplish our duties and to finish our homework for the integration in EU and NATO.
Distinguished,
Reviewing the program for these completions I have noticed that it refers to so-called case- studies in different areas of law, economy, politics, European institutions etc. This is very important since during your studies you can check and confirm your theoretical knowledge in solving concrete issues and problems. In this way you will be efficiently and easily included in the working process. In the same time I believe that this methodology will assist you finding your interests and you will be concretely specialized in theoretical and practical issues through your post graduate studies.
I believe that these case-study examples cause interest of particular institutions, including the Assembly, in the business area since these are today’s European and world trends which provide full development of the society, of certain economic subjects and certainly of your successful professional careers.
Ladies and gentlemen, young friends
Allow me, in the end to which to you, the participants and organizers, successful work. As I have said, I do not see this competition as one of losers and winners but a presentation of the best. I wish success to the best competitor on the Vienna competitions and I believe that with your theoretical and practical knowledge, you will present our country to your European friends, this time through knowledge and science.
Thank you.