The National Qualifications Framework Council of the Republic of Serbia, one of the key bodies for quality assurance in the field of qualification development, has been operating in a new composition since March of this year. To help the new Council members better understand their duties, a workshop was organized within the IPA project “Increased Supply and Diversification of Accredited Training in the Field of Informal Education and Providers of Adult Education Training.” During this workshop, they were provided with detailed information about the system, institutional framework, and procedures of the NQF. The goal of the workshop was to ensure the informed involvement of Council members in the preparation of new and revised legislative and sub-legislative acts related to the quality assurance system for qualification development.
Professor Gabriela Grujić, Director of the Office for Dual Education and NQF, initially addressed the participants, briefly outlining the planned next steps in the development of the National Qualifications Framework and highlighting the importance of the Council’s work for its continuous improvement. Following that, the event was greeted by Aleksandar Bučić, Project Director of “Increased Supply and Diversification of Accredited Informal Courses and Providers of Adult Training Services” KPMG.
The workshop opened with a session led by the Project Team Leader, Elido Bandelj, and Project Expert, Vladimir Bojković, who presented the institutional and legislative framework of the NQF and detailed the position and role of the Council. The subsequent discussions focused on the steps for preparing and adopting qualification standards, with Dr. Vesna Fabian, Assistant Director of the Office for Dual Education and NQF, emphasizing the need to ensure the quality of these procedures and processes.
Jane Rexworthy, an expert from the international organization People 1st International, presented the findings of research conducted within a project supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the activities carried out to systematically improve the work of sector councils, highlighting the need to strengthen councils and other sectoral bodies for the entire quality assurance system.
The workshop concluded with a discussion of existing solutions and procedures, and suggestions from participants for more efficient operations. During the cocktail session that followed, participants summarized their impressions, defined needs for further support, and considered possibilities for more effective inter-institutional cooperation.