Lasting Impressions of The Balkans

This is my second trip to the Western Balkans, the first being to Zagreb about 2 years ago. I've also been to several countries which only emerged from behind the iron curtain in the last 20 years: the Czech Republic, Poland and Estonia have featured in my travels. Yet, in many senses, this has been a steeper learning and experience curve than those trips.

Throughout many former Eastern Bloc countries and, indeed, most Western European countries, too, there are memorials to those lost in the world wars or in the struggle for independence. There's evidence of change and loss but mostly it has been preserved or sanitised. Although divisions may still exist, they are largely hidden and the process of "moving forward" is well advanced. In Bosnia & Herzegovina and, to a lesser extent, Croatia the divisions remain, the healing is just starting and the physical scars are all too visible.

Even in Dubrovnik with its relative wealth and large number of tourists, gaps remain where buildings have been hit, the suburbs are poor and there are posters condemning the Serbian/Montenegrin bombing, showing where each shell landed. Indeed, when speaking to people the tensions between Croats and Bosniaks, Serbians etc still remain.

In Bosnia, the poverty is much more evident and the damage has been made safe but barely repaired in places. Again, I gather that the divisions remain with schools on either side teaching only their version of history to their people. Signs are meant to be bilingual but often graffiti wipes out one or other language. Political slogans, dates of importance to one side or the other and symbols (including swastikas) can be seen everywhere there is blank wall a spray can can be used on. This is not a sustainable model for peace where a common understanding, respect and future need to be forged.

These countries were at war from 1991-5 with ongoing skirmishes (e.g. In Kosovo) until recently. War is not an historical thing but something that everyone has a story about. Within two and a half of hours of London is a country which is still working through its troubles.

Yet, despite these harsh social realities, there is a softer side to these countries. The scenery is truely spectacular from the coast roads to the mountain passes, from the pretty town centres to the night time panoramas of cities, from the clean accommodation to the welcoming hosts. This was a holiday where I learnt so much of what this area has to offer.

My father remembers travelling through here after his first year at university with its amazing views; I too take away great memories and can wholeheartedly recommend a self-drive trip to explore the area. And it will not be my last trip: the national parks to the north of Croatia and Zadar are a high priority. A trip to Sarajevo is now top on my travel "to do" list.

This holiday has changed the way I see this part of the world and, as with so many of my trips, inspires me travel more around this diverse, fascinating continent of Europe.

Travel: Learning, experiencing, enjoying

As I walked across Dubrovnik harbour front this morning I witnessed some of the worst stereotypical American tourists. Only they weren't a stereotype: they were the real thing. Loud, dominating any scene, ignoring local practices in ordering a taxi and nearly shouting at the locals who were obviously a bit thick AS THEY DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH.

That said, I have remarked several times how tricky it is to be a self-guiding tourist here. Coach tours turn up outside a venue, wander around, get fed and wander on again. A tad stereotypical again but there's less risk there. As a self-guided tourist we need direction signs (language unimportant), safe accommodation and info on what we are looking at. These things have not always been obvious here. We have not been able to find museums, monuments and hotels without a bit of search or, in a couple of cases, at all.

Yet it is easy to be a snobby tourist, stating that "my way is the only way"; I know that I have a tendency not to engage with the local population but at the same time want to avoid mass crowds. I am more comfortable in a little hotel or B&B than staying with a family or in a big all-inclusive hotel. We all have our comfort zones as travellers. It's being confident to move beyond those so we learn more, experience more and enjoying more of the world around us which has to be some of the reasons we travel for.

Beauty and Hurt in the Balkans

One of the joys of doing a PhD on a European-related theme is that I can justify trips to less known corners of my continent as "research". It's a long shot but makes me feel better about taking time off. That said, in the case of Bosnia and Croatia, the focus of my current trip, it's not that far from the truth. These countries have been the focus of EU Higher Education policies to help their recovery from the 1992-5 war and some of the students involves in my case study come from this part of the world. If Universities can be used as a "soft power" tool to bring about social change, peace and growth - as the EU desires - then this is a prime example of where it can be used. 

I was 9 when the war in Bosnia started in 1992 and remember my Mother trying to explain that this was important not simply due to the deaths but it's proximity to us. A shooting in this part of the world had lead 80years earlier to war across Europe. This is not some far flung land but part of our continent. 

And that has been one of the striking things since we landed in Dubrovnik 36 hours ago. The Dalmatian coast is a little bit Italian, the Herzegovinan river valleys seeming a little like inland France and the rocky mountains like Provence. Of course, this country is unique and its beauty stunning but, in places, this is a land that is familiar.  So to imagine a war raging through this part of the edge of Europe is challenging. 

As we drove deeper into Bosnia some of the divisions became clearer. Road signs in cyrillic were crossed out or had graffiti on them to correct into what one minority consider the "correct" language. The number of minarets was a little unexpected but with some 48% of the 3.8m population being Muslim, they shouldn't have been. There have been Muslims in this part of the world for 5 centuries. Christians in the UK have left their mark on the architecture of the country with church towers over that time, the same will be true here. At the same time as witnessing the familiar in Bosnia & Croatia, we were seeing new things, too. 

Mostar is one of the places where the divisions in this society were clearest 20 years ago in 1993 when the bridge between the 2 elements of this society was destroyed and crimes committed against the city's populations. The bridge has been rebuilt and is impressive. In the bright autumnal sunshine it is beautiful yet, all around buildings remain bombed out, bullet marks can be seen on buildings and the community remains separated into groups as can be seen by the separate schools, governance and cultural institutions. 17 years may have passed since the peace was agreed and millions invested but there is still much that divides this nation. 

As tourists, we are amongst the minority who come here though numbers are increasing. We strayed from the main tourist sites to small villages or back roads where the divisions become more evident. Schools for one group of children or another. Cemeteries, spray painted slogans, war memorials and, I suspect, local cafes dedicated to one group or another. The infrastructure here is not suited to tourists (the lack of accommodation, food or even signage indicates that) but this is, I feel, what really needs to be seen and talked about. The reality of this country rather than the glossy brochure they want to present. 

And this is where the EU and, in a strange way, my research links back in. This place needs unifying infrastructure and knowledge. The EU has experience of this following the divisions through war, the iron curtain and socio-political shifts. Through the power of schemes like the one I am researching, people learn and engage with new peoples and cultures. The "other" becomes familiar. If this is allowed to continue here, perhaps HE can have a role beyond educating. 

Today I am stunned by the concurrent beauty and still-visible ravages of war in Mostar & Bosnia generally. Tomorrow, perhaps, I can be impressed by the beauty and a country that has continued to move on from its difficult past. 

The Role of A University

I read a blog on my old School's website about how students selected universities, the role those universities play in the UK and I wanted to reply. Here's my reply to the headmaster who is also in charge of the University Brief at the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference which brings together heads of many leading private schools.


Dear Mr Ramsey,

Just to prove how widely your blog is read, I am an OKS from 2001 and keep my eye on your blog for its comments on current eduction trends and updates about Kings. It is a different school to my day but the values seem to resonate through the years.

Since leaving school, I took a degree in French at the Universities of Warwick & Grenoble and a Masters in Broadcast Journalism at Sheffield University before taking a job in International Business Development at Roehampton University, putting together international research and teaching projects. I am currently a Research Development Officer at the University of Westminster where I "sell" research in the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Languages to UK & European Research Councils, foundations, government departments and business as well as helping develop the research culture and preparations for the Research Excellence Framework assessments. In addition to this, I'm 4 out of 5 years through my PhD (in my spare time!) on European Higher Education Policy. Which leads me to a unique (if personal!) view of Higher Education. Which brings me to 2 points on your blog.

1. I agree with your advice on visiting an institution on an ordinary day. That's how I fell in love with Warwick and knew that would be my home. However, I'm not as keen on the National Student Survey (NSS) and it has a mixed reputation amongst universities and Students' Unions. It's not just because it doesn't give the answer we want (!) but issues with the questions asked and how the data is collected. Response rates vary hugely both between institutions and between individual courses at a single institutions. Conclusions are drawn from surprisingly low percentages of students on programmes. I was told by Mr Neal (I think, it could have been Dr Heritage my form tutor) when I applied to look at the percentage of students getting 1st/2:1s as this shows how well academics are teaching the talent they welcome. It's a good metric and the stats from HEFCE are based on entire student bodies on a programme rather than partial snap shots.

2. The main reason for writing is your comment on why our decision makers are based in Business, Innovation & Skills. It makes sense to those of us working in Universities. Though 18 year olds coming for tertiary level education are the focus of our reputation and our media presence, their significance is a bit more mixed. Yes, the majority of our income comes from them but we make more money on Taught Masters which is a sector-wide growth area and the most profitable area is student accommodation lettings. Universities have a rapidly growing portfolio of Continuing Professional Development opportunities and opportunities for more mature learners, a significant market in a country with an ageing population. However, though Government would want us to grow these areas and thus is part of the reason we are included in BIS, the primary reason is Research. Teaching is often only a third of an academic's contract. Academics see themselves as researchers; their PhDs are not for teaching or "knowledge transfer" activities but for their research. Universities offer a lot in terms of economic growth through research and, indeed, it is one of the things that makes us distinctive. Universities contribution is not just about education but about furthering knowledge. Some (more political) people might say it gives us the excellent Willets rather than the more divisive Give but I try not to be as partisan!

I suspect none of this comes as a surprise to you given your role on the HMC but in the spirit of discussion inspired by both the Internet and my education at King's I thought I would send a few thoughts.

With all good wishes to you and the school,
Christopher Grinbergs