Description

Experience the magical blend of old and new worlds by diving into our past and learning from the best professors at the American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Indulge yourself with tastes of the Orient, right in the heart of Europe; explore different customs and religions; stand in the exact spot where World War I began; walk through the capital city that hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics; enjoy the clean, fresh air of our mountains and river valleys; search for the Bosnian Pyramids, and so much more. Let Bosnia and Herzegovina be the next adventure of your student life.

Potential students have the opportunity to attend a Fall/Spring semester, an academic year, or to take part in a specially designed four week summer program at the American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participation in these programs will give international students a rare opportunity to enjoy Bosnian culture, history, and traditions in an exciting environment. The summer abroad program combines an intensive language study with thematic courses and regional travel.

Summer program:

American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina (AUBIH) offers students an exciting opportunity to study the past and present of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of Balkans in the making, influences of ancient events and cultural differences on the present, the history of Balkan wars, crimes and genocide, post conflict reconciliation and Bosnian megalith sights. The history of Bosnia and Herzegovina is fully entangled, sometimes fortunately and mostly unfortunately, with some of the most important historical events in this part of Europe. Starting with the first Slav settlers and colonization, trough the age of Bogumils and Christianization, medieval Bosnian Kingdom, the coming of the Ottoman Empire and settlement of Sephardic Jews expelled from medieval Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina gradually became a country on the crossroad of political, religious and cultural worlds. After becoming a part of the Austo-Hungarian Empire, Bosnia and Herzegovina retained its autonomous status until the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, an event that marked the beginning of World War I. In the period between the world wars Bosnia and Herzegovina literally disappeared only to become reestablished as a country in 1943 during the fight of Communist Partisans against German forces and their local allies in Croatia and in Serbia. After 1945, Bosnia and Herzegovina gained its status of a sovereign republic in a multiethnic former country of Yugoslavia ruled by Josip Broz Tito, and enjoyed 50 years of economic and social development. In 1992, following referenda, Bosnia and Herzegovina gained its independence by majority vote, a fact that led to and immediate attack by Serbia and later on Croatia,resulting in a three years long siege of Sarajevo by Serb forces and the genocide over Bosnian Muslims. The war was ended by Dayton Peace Agreement imposed by the United States and its allies.

During summer school, students will learn about the historical influences on past and presence of Bosnia and Herzegovina; about the events that led to the war and genocide as well as its consequences; at the same time they will discuss internal dynamics and challenges of nation building in a post-conflict society, which is striving for a membership in the European Union. This program also offers a unique and exciting opportunity for students to learn about the history, politics, religion and culture of the whole of Western Balkans, a place where longstanding traditions of Catholicism, Islam, Eastern Orthodoxy and Judaism blended together to make the capital city Sarajevo arguably the most eclectic cultural mixture of all the capitals of Europe.

Summer Program lecturers:

1.Balkan History ( Prof. Selmo Cikotic, Phd.);
2.Genocide, War Crimes and Transitional Justice (Prof. Asim Jusic, Prof. Edina Becirevic, Phd.);
3.Post- Conflict Resolution and Development (Prof. Sven Alkalaj, MA);
4.Bosnian Megalithic Sites (Prof. Sam Semir Osmanagich, Phd)