Assessment on the Quality of Distance Learning in Higher Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the COVID-19 pandemic

The study was done to learn more about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as it is clear that the impact has been dramatic and transformative. The research focused on the assessment of the quality of learning, given that previously only one study was conducted on the quality of the teaching process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and fundamental assessments of the quality, shortcomings and challenges of higher education institutions for the implementation of distance learning are necessary in terms of increasing the capacity and readiness of higher education to systematically respond to this and future crises. Data for analysis were collected from available secondary sources as well as through semi-structured interviews with relevant persons and through separate surveys for students, teachers and representatives of higher education institutions. Based on the findings, it is clear that the quality of distance learning in higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the COVID-19 pandemic is far from ideal conditions and quality.

The study was carried out within the framework of the United Nations (UN) Socio-economic recovery plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), within which the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UN Volunteers developed the project "Reimagining Education for Marginalized Girls and Boys during and post COVID-19 in Bosnia and Herzegovina".