COMPONENT 1: Improvement of quality of the formal VET system
Component 1 in brief:
This component focuses on creating a reliable and effective quality assurance system for Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
This brings significant benefits, such as better alignment of qualifications and skills with labor market needs, as well as increased international recognition. It also contributes to building trust among students, employers, and other stakeholders in education and training programs and systems. Within the education system itself, the emphasis is on optimizing the learning processes, monitoring student achievements, and supporting the career development of educators.
The implementation of this component requires a balanced approach that aligns existing capacities, educational traditions, and quality assurance practices in BiH with the European Union’s policies and recommendations in this area.
This component focuses on the key BiH policy document in this field: ‘Improving the Quality and Relevance of Vocational Training and Education in BiH – based on the Riga Conclusions and Osnabruck Declaration’. The aim is to conduct an evaluation of the existing document and its implementation as well as to develop a Strategy/Platform and Action Plan for its implementation, which is now not existing.
Based on the previously developed methodological framework for key competencies, the training of 100 trainers for quality assurance in the VET system will be designed, followed up by acctual training of 200 trainers with cascading training commenced in three pilot sites. The implementation of pilot project and evaluation of the Key Competence Methodology will allow testing of all aspects of the inclusion of key competencies in professional education programs
WORKING GROUPS - the primary mechanism to support the implementation of Component 1:
- Working Group for Strategic Development and Quality Assurance in VET (SDQAWG), which consists of representatives of the following institutions: MoCA, All ministries for education (FBiH, cantons, RS, BD), Pedagogical institutes (from all BiH administrative units), Institute for Adult Education RS, APOSO – Regional unit in Banja Luka, and Association of Employers/Chamber of commerce from FBiH, RS, BD
- Key Competence Working Group (KCWG), which consists of representatives from the following institutions: Pedagogical institutes (from all BiH administrative units); Teachers from VET schools in the FBiH, RS, and BD; APOSO department in Banja Luka; Institute for Adult Education RS; Teachers from adult education organizations.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
In accordance with the Conclusion of the Government of the Republic of Srpska, number 04/1-103-2-880/25, adopted at the Government session on March 13, 2025, it was decided that the institutions of the Republic of Srpska will withdraw from the project "EU for Vocational Education and Skills Recognition in BiH." The decision was submitted to the project team for notice on March 26, 2025.
The project, in cooperation with other partners from the Federation of BiH and Brčko District, continues to implement the planned activities. Former partners from the Republic of Srpska are invited to rejoin the project activities should there be any changes to the aforementioned decision in the future.
