In today’s rapidly changing world, knowledge and skills gained outside formal education are becoming increasingly important. The modern labor market demands a flexible, competent and adaptable workforce, while education systems strive to respond to these needs — not only through formal schooling, but also by valuing skills acquired through work and life experience.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, many people have acquired valuable skills over years of work, volunteering and everyday life — but they lack formal recognition of what they know. The component “Validation of Non-formal Education and Informal Learning (VNFIL)” within the project “EU for Vocational Education and Skills Recognition in BiH” is designed precisely for them, as well as for anyone wishing to advance their career and unlock their full potential.

The aim of this component is clear: to identify and validate knowledge gained outside the classroom, strengthen the connection between education and the labor market, and support the creation of a more competitive economy aligned with modern European standards.

We spoke with Jasminka Marković, Senior Expert and Lead of the VNFIL project component, about the achieved results, ongoing challenges and the importance of this process for citizens and the education sector.

– It is now autumn 2025, and our project “EU for Vocational Education and Skills Recognition in BiH,” together with its VNFIL component which you lead, has entered its third year of implementation. Could you tell us more about the main activities and key achievements that the project team and its partners have accomplished in this area over the past years?

This year, the project component focused on the validation of non-formal education and informal learning (VNFIL) has become central to implementation, because the planned activities introduce important innovations that make the vocational education and training system in Bosnia and Herzegovina more flexible and better aligned with real labour-market needs. To be more specific, our focus over the past years has been on building the foundations for a functional and sustainable VNFIL system that enables individuals to formally validate the skills and knowledge they have gained through work, volunteering and other experiences outside formal education.

During this period, several important results were achieved: a comprehensive VNFIL Guide was developed, clearly defining principles, procedures, standards and steps for establishing the VNFIL system, as well as the roles of advisors and assessors within it. A training programme was also created, through which more than 180 future advisors and assessors will be trained — and some of them will further disseminate this knowledge, becoming a sustainable resource for training all future VNFIL practitioners.

In addition, four locations were selected where schools will be identified to pilot the VNFIL system.

What I am most pleased about is that the project has established strong cooperation between key education institutions, labour-market representatives and other partners. The jointly designed VNFIL system is something that will remain long after the project ends, because we all agree that this activity is not merely a project task — it is essential and genuinely reform-driven, opening new opportunities for people in BiH.

– Why was it important to include the VNFIL component in this project? What is the broader significance of this process for BiH, and what are its main goals and purposes?

Including the VNFIL component was essential, as it serves as a bridge between learning that happens in various settings and the formal qualifications system. This allows Bosnia and Herzegovina to respond to the needs of the modern labour market and to create new opportunities for all – especially for the unemployed, those undergoing retraining, members of vulnerable groups, and people with years of work experience but no formal certificates.

In short, there are many people in BiH who have been working for years, who possess valuable skills but lack a formal diploma or certificate. Through participation in VNFIL, they gain the opportunity to formalise what they have already learned through life and work, acknowledging that they are not starting from zero – and that idea is at the heart of this process.

– Why is it important to align BiH’s VET system with EU and international education trends? And why does the EU support topics such as education and employment?

Alignment with European policies and practices is not merely a technical requirement – it is a strategic commitment of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Harmonisation with EU standards is not just about procedures; it is about providing tangible benefits for citizens – particularly the unemployed, young people who left education without qualifications, women, migrants, and many others.

The European Union recognises the importance of lifelong learning and of qualifications based on demonstrated competences – which is especially relevant today, in a time of rapid change and increasingly flexible career paths. The EU’s message is clear: learning happens everywhere and throughout life. We want Bosnia and Herzegovina to be part of that story.


– This autumn, the project, together with its partners, also launched a campaign to raise public awareness about the importance of the VNFIL process. Why was this step important?

Yes, we have launched an information campaign because it is crucial that citizens, employers, and educational institutions understand both the opportunities and the value that VNFIL brings. Raising awareness and changing perceptions are key steps towards the full acceptance and implementation of this system in society.

– Every major undertaking comes with challenges, including this one. What were the main challenges you faced, and how were they overcome?

Of course, the process was not without its challenges – from the need to harmonise approaches across different administrative levels, to the fact that not all curricula are currently based on qualification standards, which is necessary for VNFIL. Another challenge was introducing key stakeholders to this relatively new concept within the VET system and explaining the need for certain legislative changes.

However, through strong cooperation among all actors, expert support, and the dedication of our partners, these challenges were successfully overcome.

– One of the characteristics of this project is the broad cooperation among numerous institutions across BiH. Representatives of these institutions participate in different project working groups (WGs) that jointly develop materials, instruments, and make key decisions. Could you tell us more about the work of the VNFIL Working Group that you lead, and why this collaboration is so important?

The VNFIL Working Group has been a great example of successful multisectoral dialogue. Educational institutions, labour market representatives, pedagogical institutes, and experts worked together to align solutions and develop instruments, building a strong sense of partnership, trust, and shared purpose.

– The project is scheduled to conclude in mid-September 2026. What concrete results do you expect the VNFIL component to achieve by then, particularly regarding its legacy for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s education sector and its beneficiaries?

By the end of the project in September 2026, we expect Bosnia and Herzegovina to have a tested and ready-to-implement VNFIL model, trained counsellors and assessors, and clearly defined procedures and standards.

The greatest legacy of this process will be the creation of a system that empowers people to have their real competencies recognised, enabling their professional advancement – and with it, the modernisation of education and the labour market in Bosnia and Herzegovina.