The aim of mentoring is to foster intellectual independence and a sense of curiosity in our students within a unique studying experience. The institution therefore takes pride in the one-on-one mentoring system it has developed.

For undergraduates, we look at academic performance and other cultural indicators of their capacity for success, such as essays, obstacles overcome, and extracurricular activities and work. For graduate students, we include research experience, test scores, letters, essays, working experience, scientific publication record, and a range of other variables to assess students’ potential to succeed.

You will soon find that our professors and assistants are truly available to their students. (However, to make sure you make the most of their time, we ask you to make an appointment if you seek to meet them outside of office hours). Our ultimate aim is to enable our students to study not only before the exams, but throughout the entire semester, via coursework, lab work, projects, and seminars. In order to achieve excellence, professors and students work together in an intellectually stimulating atmosphere and, in doing so, students are prepared for their future endeavors, be they academic or professional. Finally, students are given a chance to choose mentors for their GBE projects during the third year of undergraduate studies and pursue their careers in a specific direction in the future.

Apart from mentors, students have academic advisors available to them. Academic advisors are there to help and guide students in different aspects of their studies. This may include the registration process, finding internship opportunities, finding the most suitable field for their further development, but it may also include any other needs the student may have. During the upcoming academic year, the following staff are appointed as academic advisors:

Assistant Professor Dr. Adna Ašić for the third year students
Email: [email protected]
Office: 107
Phone: 033/944-463

Teaching assistant Sabina Halilović for the first year students
Email: [email protected]
Office: GBE Corridor
Phone: 033/944-492

Larisa Bešić for the second year students
Email: [email protected]
Office: 107
Phone: 033/944-416

The GBE Project is a requirement for undergraduates in their last year of BSc studies who wish to graduate. (We highly recommend thinking about the project before the third year.)

GBE Project coordinator Sabina Halilović
Email: [email protected]
Office: GBE Corridor
Phone: 033/944-492

We designed the student guide to be students' source of information regarding any and all frequent questions they may have. In it you can find administrative information such as our attendance policy as well as information regarding current ongoing research projects and many other helpful and exciting information about the Genetics & Bioengineering department. It was designed with much love and care to be a helpful resource - read it often and refer to it as much as possible.

Academic success is closely related to students’ presence and involvement in lectures, which is why attendance is strictly upheld. Should a student’s attendance drop below 70% in any course, and their absence remains unexcused, they are not permitted to enter the final exam for that course. Consequently, the student is expected to re-take the course in the following academic year. (Laboratory attendance is not regulated by this rule, but can be considered on a case-to-case basis if needed.)

Absences due to illness may be excused medically. It is the student’s obligation to submit a medical excuse with a valid letterhead by the health institutions and that is signed and stamped by a medical doctor no later than a week (five working days) after the first day of the student’s return after her or his absence. Medical excuses that are received later than five business days are not accepted. Students are expected to strictly abide by the policy on medically excused absences, and a lack thereof will be subject to academic evaluation by the Department Head. Absences from academic exercises, for whatever reason, including representing the University in extracurricular and athletic activities, do not excuse nor relieve a student from responsibility for any part of the work in the course required during the period of absence. Upon her or his return, the student is expected to make up any and all missed work in an appropriate time frame to ensure success in the course.

Registration is open, and students may register, through the end of the second week of lectures. In the case of a missed deadline, the Office of the University Rector will be notified. The aforementioned rules also apply to transfer students who transferred before the end of the second week of the semester.

Transfer students may apply for transfer and start attending the lectures at any time before the mid-term exam week. However, it is advisable to transfer as early as possible in the semester as mid-terms are obligatory. Transfer requests may be submitted to the Faculty secretary, after which the Head of the Department appoints a committee that determines course equivalence and makes a decision.

Students may cancel up to two grades during one academic year. Please note that grade cancellation refers to the cancellation of the final exam grade, which the student has a chance to retake. We understand that students are not always ready to take the exam on the scheduled exam date. If that is the case, and you plan on not taking the final exam and instead plan to take the make-up, you must notify the professor of that course and go through an appeal process with the Head of the Department, as well as the Faculty secretary. Once your appeal is approved, and you take the make up exam instead of the final exam, please be aware that this counts as a final exam grade cancellation.

Grading structure at the International Burch University is organized as follows:

10 (A) – outstanding performance without errors or with minor errors, carries 95-100 points

9 (B) – above average, with few errors, carries 85-94 points

8 (C) – average, with notable errors, carries 75-84 points

7 (D) – generally good, but with significant shortcomings, carries 65-74 points

6 (E) – meets minimum criteria, carries 55-64 points

5 (F) – performance does not meet minimum criteria, less than 55 points.

A minimum of five students is needed in order for the Department to open an additional course during the summer school. Any one student may take a maximum of three additional courses, should they have taken them during that semester and failed. Additional classes last seven weeks, during which intensive lectures are organized twice a week. During additional classes, students are given a chance to improve their attendance, term paper and mid-term exam points, while final exam from the course is taken in September.

All students receive an International Burch University identification card that is the property of the University and is intended for University purposes only. The card is required for entrance onto the University campus, and, in addition to serving as an ID, helps maintain student safety as well as campus security. When the first term students arrive on campus, they must bring government issued identifications to facilitate photo and identity validation before they can receive their International Burch University ID cards. Every student will keep their ID card while they are enrolled at IBU and is responsible for his or her ID card and the consequences of its misuse. ID cards are not transferable; a student may not allow any other person to use his or her ID card for any purpose. A student who alters or falsifies his or her ID card or produces or distributes false identification cards of any kind is subject to disciplinary action. Lost cards should be reported immediately. A replacement fee is associated with the loss of an ID card, and it will be determined by University administration.

Weekly Instruction Schedule 2019/2020 Spring Semester