Foundation Education in Action

Governance of United World College in Mostar – summary May 2023

 Background

The work that lead to the founding of the UWC-IBO Initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to the opening of UWC Mostar as part of it in 2006 was legally first organized under the representative office of UWC Adriatic in BiH. In 2006 a non-profit organization was registered in Finland to govern the work as an independent legal entity as no state level legal solution in BiH was available. in 2011 the foundation Education in Action was registered under the new law in BiH which was on the national/state level. 

From the start two issues have been considered as critically important in the governance structure and content reflected in the statutes:

• UWC work in BiH is governed on state or international level, not on local ethno-nationally divided political levels.
• UWC-IBO Initiative was set-up with broader goals and impact requirements than single UWC schools have typically been founded including teacher training role in BiH and the region. This approach, fundamental to the work and goals of UWC Mostar, is reflected in the statutes of Education in Action Foundation which is the legal founder of UWC Mostar. UWC Mostar is the main implementing instrument of the Foundation. In addition there has been various smaller projects and development work can also be foreseen in the future.

Foundation regulations, aims and activities – summary

Foundation is registered as non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organisation. It operates within the entire territory of BiH in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. The

Foundation is entered in the Register of Foundation of the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and

Herzegovina on 20.12.2010 (ID 4201612480001). The founders of the Foundation are Elisabeth Rehn and Lamija Tanović. It is possible to add people as founders. Members of the Governing Board of the Foundation cannot be at the same time the Founders.

The Governing Board of the Foundation is the highest authority of the Foundation. It has 4 members. The first chairman and members are appointed by the Founder. The members are appointed for a four-year term with the possibility of the re-appointment. The election of the new Board members is conducted by the current members of the Board. The Board members then propose a new Chair and select one among them.

Some of the aims and activities are: 

• achieving a peaceful and sustainable future in BiH and the region through education
• contributing to educational reform in BiH and advocate for contemporary teaching and learning methods in the curriculum
• educating students from Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries within the UWC Mostar
• encouraging liaison and cooperation with other IB schools in BiH and the region in order to establish a network of schools committed to the same aim
• connecting young people to develop mutual understanding and cultural, religious and national tolerance;
• organizing events and activities between IB and non-IB schools in BiH and the region;
• organizing summer school courses for students and educators
• running the Centre for the Professional Development of Educators, which will organize workshops, study visits and conferences for educators, including teachers, head-teachers and other persons or institutions connected to the field of education.

Formal relationship between the Foundation and UWC Mostar based on the legal set-up • Foundation board nominates the College Board members as stipulated in the UWC Mostar statutes

• Foundation board appoints its representatives (min 2) to the UWC Mostar College Board
• Foundation boardapproves the appointment of the Head of the College (consent for the proposal of the College Board) as well as any changes to the College’s Statutes as stipulated in the statues of the UWC Mostar
• The Foundation approves annual budgets of the College

 The relationship is described in the Decision on the establishment of the College as well as the Statute of the Foundation and College.