Message from the Dean

The Faculty of Pedagogy “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Skopje is a modern institution for university education. It is the fundament of an educated society, and it follows Kliment’s vision of an all-educated world.

The Academy of Pedagogy had a rich and long tradition and was founded fifty years ago. The creative, educational and scientific activities ofthe Faculty of Pedagogy “St. Kliment Ohridski” began twenty-one years ago, when it was founded. The Faculty trains preschool and elementary school teachers in Macedonian, Albanian and Turkish language of instruction. Also, it is the only faculty in the Republic of Macedonia with studies of Librarienship.

Thousands of years have passed since our patron Kliment Ohridski passed away. Now, his literary school is a reminder of a time and part of history, which take a prominent place in Macedonian spirituality and education, the founding grounds of the Faculty of Pedagogy “St. KlimentOhridski”. Kliment’s university had around four thousand students. It was founded in the distant 886, as Ohrid Literary School, better known as “The First Slavonic University”. The spirit and the work of St. Kliment Ohridski live on, and today there are over fifty thousand graduates, who work in the educational institutions in the Republic of Macedonia and abroad. In 1947 it began as a School of Pedagogy, later it became an Academy of Pedagogy and it was finally transformed into a Faculty of Pedagogy. Our institution underwent this development as a result of the social conditions and needs. Macedonian, Albanian and Turkish have been used as languages of instruction. Special attention has always paid to multilingualism. This allows us to say that the Faculty of Pedagogy “St. Kliment Ohridski” depicts the social reality, multiculturalism and the cultural cohesion in our country.

It is my pleasure to emphasize that our institution has been and still is the place of work of many renowned professors, distinguished in the academic, professional and educational circles, exceptional artists, whose works and ideas are deeply embedded in the history of education and the current practice in our educational system. The Republic of Macedonia is a country where the civic society and education thrive as a result of the strong bond between the light of the East and the wisdom of the West.

The Faculty of Pedagogy “St. Kliment Ohridski” provides rich and diverse education, vital for the further development of the democracy in our country and the progress of science, which is essential for the development of all forms of social awareness. Knowledge is acquired and attained through all forms of the educational process, and this is a guarantee for proper development of the individuals and the society. Education is essential and crucial for the development of both the individual and the society. It incorporates both the present and the future of the modern civic society. In other words, people can become individual, family-oriented and social beings only if they are educated, which is the noble mission of the Faculty of Pedagogy “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Skopje.

The Faculty of Pedagogy “St. Kliment Ohridski” collaborates with all other related faculties in the country and abroad, such as: the Faculty of Pedagogy in Bitola, the Faculty of Pedagogy in Tetovo, the Faculty of Pedagogy in Stip, as well as all other units of the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”. Our Faculty takes part in many conferences in the country and abroad. For many years we have been collaborating with the faculties of pedagogy in Edirne, the Republic of Turkey, Stara Zagora, the Republic of Bulgaria, and Zagreb, the Republic of Croatia. It is our intention to expand our association in other Balkan and European countries. We have a continuous collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science, the Bureau for Education Development, the State Education Inspectorate, partner schools, kindergartens and libraries, as well as nongovernmental organizations, such as OBSE and USAID. Our goal is to create affirmative and modern tendencies in the educational process. The following centers are part of our Faculty: the Didactic-Methodological Center, the Center for Pedagogical Research and Analysis, the Center for Lifelong Learning-Permanent Education and the Career Center. They will contribute in the activities of the Faculty dealing with research work, methodological training of the teachers and permanent development.

Our Faculty also has second cycle studies for preschool and elementary school education, as well as library studies in Macedonian, Albanian and Turkish languages of instruction. Our Faculty will also open independent doctoral studies for early childhood education, education of teachers (in primary education) and library studies. Instruction will be carried out in three languages (Macedonian, Albanian and Turkish). The main emphasis will be on the high-quality lectures. In order to cover all areas of instruction, the Faculty will employ external staff from the country and abroad. Also, our Faculty will organize pedagogical training for candidates from non-teaching faculties.

Dear admirers of wisdom, kind words and knowledge, the greatest driving forces of people and society, I kindly ask you to pay respect to the patron Saint Kliment       Ohridski, Plato’s God of education – Academus, our University, our country and all its citizens. I also kindly ask you – the students, my colleagues, employees, all of you, dear friends, and collaborators, that when you enter the yard of the Faculty you reflect on the character and work of Saint Kliment Ohridski and show respect and love to the eternal educational work of our patron, Saint Kiment Ohridski.