The EU-funded project for vocational education and skills recognition in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) kicked off May with a high level of activity.

On May 6, the eighth meeting of the Project Steering Committee was held in Konjic, during which a series of important documents—developed over the past several months by the project’s working groups—were officially approved.

Among these was the Manual for Implementing the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL), a comprehensive resource offering clear guidelines for establishing a VNFIL system in BiH. This process is particularly valuable for individuals who have been unemployed for extended periods and wish to have their informally acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies officially recognized through a qualification or certificate that is accepted on the labor market.

Based on the newly developed methodological guide, the project will also launch a training program for a group of 150 potential VNFIL practitioners. To test the VNFIL model, three pilot projects will be conducted at selected locations across BiH.

At the Steering Committee meeting, number of documents, developed under Project Component 1 “Improving the Quality of the Formal Vocational Education and Training (VET) System”, were also presented and adopted. These documents are essential for the continued success of this component and include: the Methodology for Integrating Key Competences into the VET System in BiH, Guidelines for Competence Integration, Framework for Licensing and Quality Assurance in Vocational Education, Methodology for Quality Assurance in VET Schools, Scenario for Licensing and Quality Assurance, Quality Assurance Implementation Roadmap, a Comparative Analysis of Accreditation and Quality Assurance Models in Selected Countries, and an Assessment Report on the Current Quality Assurance System in BiH.

As part of Project Component 3 “Enhancing Key Digital and Entrepreneurial Competences”, members of the Steering Committee were also introduced to the Digital Competence Integration Program and its accompanying Implementation Action Plan. These materials were unanimously approved as the foundation for upcoming pilot activities. Final versions will be adopted following evaluation of the pilot phase.

In parallel with the Steering Committee meeting, a three-day session of the Working Group on Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning took place in Konjic on May 6–8. Discussions focused on the development and implementation of a training program for recognizing prior learning, targeting 150 teachers and trainers. Participants also offered constructive feedback on a draft communications campaign designed to promote this field across BiH. The goal of the campaign is to raise public awareness of the VNFIL benefits, and to encourage individuals to participate in validation programs once they become available.

Over the course of three days of intensive collaboration in Konjic, participants shared knowledge, outlined next steps, and further strengthened cooperation among all actors involved in the EU project for vocational education and skills recognition in BiH.