On the occation of the International Education Day, on January 24, the European Union (EU) project for Vocational Education and Recognition of Skills in BiH reaffirms its support to improving the education systems in the country to better address the current needs of the modern labor market. Based on the premise that education is the cornerstone of every prosperous society, improving its quality and accessibility is crucial for successfully tackling the socio-economic challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The project focuses on enhancing vocational education and training (VET) and establishing a reliable skills verification system in BiH. By strengthening the VET sector, young people will gain better prospects for entering the labor market, while simultaneously improving the quality of the education system in line with EU standards and modern trends, including digitalization and entrepreneurial skills. Additionally, by developing a system for verifying non-formal education and informal learning, workers' qualifications will be recognized, making it easier for them to find employment.

In Sarajevo, on the International Education Day, a meeting of the project’s Working Group for the Development of Key Competencies was held. The goal of this group is to establish an effective quality assurance system in the vocational education and training sector and to enhance the development of key competencies through formal education.

Miomir Despotović, leader of the project Component for Improving the quality of the formal vocational education and training programmes, while having in mind this significant international date , commented on project activities:

"Today at the Working Group, we discussed the possibilities of applying the European quality assurance system and creating ways of integrating key competencies into vocational education programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The development of education in BiH through our project has a key role in strengthening the quality and relevance of the education system. The component I am responsible for focuses on harmonizing educational standards with European quality frameworks and the needs of the labor market, which directly contributes to the efficiency of the education systems in BiH, improving the skills of young people and their employability.

This is important both for individuals and for the long-term economic and social progress of the country, because quality education is the basis for economic competitiveness and sustainable development of BiH."

The three-year project “EU for Vocational Education and Recognition of Skills in BiH” is being implemented from September 2023 to September 2026. Its  main beneficiary is the Education Sector of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH. The project is funded by the European Union with a total value of EUR 3.1 million.

The EU’s support for this project demonstrates its strong commitment to strengthening education systems in the country and fostering societal development through high-quality vocational education and training.

The project “EU for Vocational Education and Recognition of Skills in BiH” is implemented by DAI Global Belgium (the main partner), in consortium with the companies WEglobal, ENOVA and INNOVA.