Singidunum University, which commemorates two decades of existence this year is the first higher education institution in this part of the world to have a significant cooperation agreement with the prestigious Franklin University of Ohio
Our students have an opportunity while studying in their own country, to acquire an American diploma and simultaneously a diploma of Singidunum University, both of which are recognised worldwide. The teaching of undergraduate academic studies lasts four years, while MBA studies take about a year and a half.
The motto of your university is “Knowledge is valuable, join the best”. Are young people really cognisant of the importance of knowledge?
– The world now finds itself in the fourth industrial revolution, and the economies of the most developed countries of the world are based precisely on knowledge and innovations.
We at Singidunum University recognised the importance of acquiring practical knowledge that students should learn to apply during the course of the studies. The generations of young people today emerging in Serbia have many ideas about how to launch their own businesses and entrepreneurial projects, and it is our obligation to help them in that. We thereby enable generations of young people to stay in Serbia and contribute to the country’s accelerated economic development.
Professional work experience practise in a company operating in a domain applicable to the student’s
education represents an obligatory part of studies
That’s why all professors of Singidunum University are very committed to lecture halls being places where students will not only acquire theoretical knowledge but also practical, personal and business skills because that’s precisely what makes them more competitive on the job market.
We are very proud of the ever increasing number of young people who choose Singidunum University, recognising all the opportunities brought by studying with us.
The beauty of our calling as professors are that we can motivate young people to work on improving their knowledge and skills while simultaneously watching them mature and grow into academic citizens and successful businesspeople. This is probably the most important part of our work, and the greatest responsibility that we have when it comes to the future of new generations.
What can you tell us about American studies of Franklin University at Singidunum? How are lectures organised, how long does the programme last etc.?
– Internationalisation is the strategic orientation of Singidunum University, where more than five hundred foreign students from all over the world currently study, in accredited study programmes in Serbian and English, at all levels of study.
Our students will have an opportunity, while studying undergraduate or MBA courses in their own country, under the programme of a prestigious American university, to simultaneously acquire an American diploma and a diploma of Singidunum University, both of which are recognised worldwide. Franklin University was founded in 1902 and has a tradition dating back nearly 120 years. It today has its own campuses around the world and is accredited by the prominent International Accreditation Council for Business Education and the Higher Learning Commission of the USA.
The teaching of undergraduate academic studies lasts four years, while MBA studies take about a year and a half and are harmonised with the best standards worldwide.
Who can enrol in Franklin University and under which conditions?
– Enrolment requirements are identical to those of any other study programme. Students can include anyone who’s completed the previous level of education, in Serbia or anywhere else in the world. That’s why I’m glad that, from the very beginning, there has been a significant number of future students enquiring on a daily basis about the possibilities of studying at Singidunum University within the scope of the Franklin University programme, which is called the Franklin Pathway.
Who are the lecturers?
– The lecturers are eminent professors from Franklin University and Singidunum University who have significant academic and scientific references in relevant fields.
These are professors who have plenty of experience working with students and whose approach corresponds to the conditions of contemporary education.
Singidunum has a long tradition of cooperating with some of the world’s most successful universities, and the partnership with Ohio’s Franklin University represents an important step in that direction
Students are able, via interactive teaching with renowned professors, to solve specific practical problems and thereby develop their creativity, skills and abilities. One significant opportunity is for students to spend their final year of study at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, which will contribute markedly to their vocational and professional development, and a more successful position when it comes to securing employment.
After completing the programme, students receive a diploma from Franklin University. Does it have the same gravitas as one issued in the United States? How highly valued is that, both in our country and abroad?
– You are right: students receive a Franklin University degree, which is verified by the relevant institutions in the U.S. and recognised worldwide.
One of the main indicators used today around the world when it comes to the quality of higher education is the labour market mobility of graduates and their employability. It is interesting that as many as 80 per cents of students who completed the MBA programme secured employment within a year of graduating and managed to find the job with an average annual salary of $81,000 to $127,000.
This is among the reasons why there’s already significant interest in these study programmes among future students around the world, and Singidunum University is the first higher education institution in this part of the world to have a significant cooperation agreement with Franklin University.
To what extent are your study programmes adapted to the needs of the business environment?
– Singidunum University, which this year commemorates its 20th anniversary, cooperates successfully with more than 700 business enterprises, state institutions and organisations where our undergraduate and master’s studies students carry out professional work experience practice. This means that, upon graduating, every student can already boast of having gained their first practical work experience during the course of their studies.
A large number of our students gain employment already during their studies, which makes us particularly proud, while some of our former students now occupy key managerial positions in large domestic and foreign companies, as well as in state institutions and international organisations. With the active learning of two world languages and the acquiring of competences in the IT field and business skills, they cope much more easily and successfully in dynamic business conditions.