“All previous activities of the project’s Working Group (WG) on Strategic Development and Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (VET) have led to this training for master trainers on the implementation of the European Quality Assurance Framework in VET (EQAVET), which is currently underway! Our goal is to develop a handbook that we, as master trainers, will be able to use in our future work — namely, in the subsequent training of quality coordinators in schools who operate directly in the field,” said Denis Suljendić, physics advisor at the Pedagogical Institute of Tuzla Canton and a member of the WG, who took part in this training held on Jahorina from September 30 to October 3, 2025.

Over four intensive days, participants developed theoretical and practical knowledge on working with adult learners, learned about the phases of the quality assurance cycle in VET and the application of EQAVET quality indicators, and exchanged individual experiences through interactive workshops and practical exercises.

The training gathered dedicated professionals from various institutions, including pedagogical institutes, ministries of education, and secondary vocational schools from Sarajevo Canton, Tuzla Canton, Bosnian-Podrinje Canton, and Brčko District.

One of the participants was Senad Osmanović, Head of the Department for Education in the Government of Brčko District, who emphasized that this training provides valuable experience for improving the education system—particularly in the field of adult education, teachers' training, and, consequently, the learning experience of students.

“Our department has been involved in this project since its very beginning, and I personally decided to attend this training to show support for the activities you are organizing. From the start, I believed this project has strong potential and can bring tangible benefits to end users and, consequently, to our District.
In the upcoming period, we also intend to participate in trainings for the validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNFIL), which are currently being prepared. The goal of our education authorities, and my own as well, is to open Brčko District towards the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Although small, we have competencies equal to those of the entities, and we want to be present and included everywhere,” said Senad Osmanović.

Through this training, master trainers are gaining knowledge that they will soon transfer to future school quality coordinators. This means that they will introduce coordinators to the relevant competencies, adopted standards, and quality indicators as defined by EQAVET. The trained quality coordinators will later monitor and record these defined indicators and report back to the master trainers, who will compile the data into progress reports on BiH's advancement in education as part of the European Union (EU) accession process.

“Evaluating the quality of school work is something our education system urgently needs, but we must keep in mind that it is also a very sensitive topic, as it involves assessing someone’s professional work. That’s why I believe we need many more training sessions in this field — it’s a complex and comprehensive process. Indicators and evaluation instruments are essential for us, but it’s equally important that they are assessed on multiple levels,” said Stanislava Matić, Senior Associate for Secondary Vocational Education at the Institute for the Development of Pre-University Education in Sarajevo Canton and a member of the same WG.

“For years, we haven’t evaluated school performance, so we now have a situation where students’ average grades are rising year after year, while their knowledge, competencies, and skills are declining. We must find answers to how this is possible and where the real problem lies.
If we don’t enter the schools themselves, if we don’t assess the curricula, teaching practices, and teachers' advancement, we won’t be able to answer these questions or solve the problems,” explained Stanislava Matić, underlining the importance and significance of this process.

The traning of the master trainers — and the upcoming training for school quality coordinators on the implementation of the EQAVET framework — represents a major step forward in strengthening he VET system in BiH and aligning it more closely with EU standards. This alignment will make Bosnian qualifications and skilled workers better recognized and more employable across Europe.

The training for the second group of master trainers is scheduled for October 21–24, 2025, and will include participants from Una-Sana Canton, Zenica-Doboj Canton, Posavina County, Central Bosnia Canton, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, and West Herzegovina County.

The training on implementing the EQAVET framework in BiH is being carried out through the EU funded project “EU for Vocational Education and Skills Recognition in BiH.”

The project aims to enhance employability and improve the alignment of education systems with labour market needs and the broader economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It primarily focuses on strengthening VET and establishing a reliable system for skills validation in BiH. This approach seeks to improve employment opportunities for students and skilled workers, providing young people with better prospects for entering the labour market, while simultaneously raising the overall quality of the education system in line with EU standards and modern trends, including digitalization.