STRATEGY OF

DEVELOPMENT OF

EDUCATION IN SERBIA

HIGH EDUCATION IN SERBIA

The first degree studies are:

Basic academic studies;

Basic applied studies.

The second degree studies are :

Master academic studies;

Master applied studies;

Specialist applied studies;

Specialist academic studies.

The third degree studies are Doctoral academic studies

Academic studies

Applied studies

Types of institutions and their status :

1. University;

2. Faculty (Academy of Arts);

3. Academy of Applied Studies;

4. Three-year college;

5. School of Applied Studies.

SCHEME OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

State Private Total

Number of universities

8 9 17

Number of faculties 88 44 132

Number of three-year colleges (schools of applied studies)

48 18 66

Number of students 203467 35478 238945

Number of employees

15478

85.15 % of the total number of students study in state higher

education institutions, while 14.85 % of them study in private ones.

ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS

Total Budget Self-financing

The first degree studies 193255 85211 108044

Basic academic studies 145711 67131 78580

Basic applied studies 47544 18080 29464

The second degree studies

37133 19153 17980

Master + integrated 33214 19109 14105

Specialist applied studies 2921 27 2894

Specialist academic studies

998 17 981

The third degree studies 8557 2120 6437

Doctoral studies 6281 1646 4635

Former curriculum 2276 474 1802

Total RS 238945 106484 132461

On all the levels of Academic studies there are 188,480 students or

78.88%, while on all the levels of applied studies there are 50,465

students or 21.12%.

In the Academic studies there are 44.24% of budgeted students,

while in the Applied studies there are 35.80% of them.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Total Budget Self-financing

The first degree studies 16502 7101 9401

Basic academic studies 6318 3405 2913

Basic applied studies 10184 3696 6488

The second degree studies 27557 15198 12359

Master + integrated 25785 15176 10609

Specialist applied studies 1464 9 1455

Specialist academic studies

308 13 295

The third degree studies 750 145 605

Doctoral studies 750 145 605

Former curriculum 2988 1195 1793

Total RS 47797 23639 24158

On all the levels of Academic studies there are 36,149 graduate students

or 75.63%, while on both levels of Applied studies there are 24.37%

graduate students.

CURRENT SITUATION OF APPLIED

STUDIES

Higher professional education has a developed network of 66 schools,

48 state and 18 private ones, located in most of the cities and

municipalities.

6618

48

State

Private

48+18

ANNUAL ENROLLMENT QUOTA (The enrollment

quota of the sector of applied studies is 41% of the total annual

enrollment quota of students)

145711

47544

Sector of appliedstudies

Sector ofacademic studies

The number of graduate students

in 2013 (24,37% students

graduated in the sector of applied

studies)

6318

10184

Sector of appliedstudies

Sector of academicstudies

VISION OF DEVELOPMENT OF APPLIED

STUDIES

1. The scope is based on the geographical coverage with the network of

schools of applied studies harminized with the structure of the

economy and based on diversification and flexibility of the study

programs;

2. At least 41% of students enrolling the first year of studying enter the

applied studies;

3. The average study process is one year longer at the most as compared

to the planned time according to the curriculum, and in this period at

least 70% of them graduate;

4. There is 15% drop-outs at the most;

5. A large number of schools of applied studies are integrated into

Academies of applied studies.

QUALITY

1. Applied study programs provide expert competencies to graduate

students defined by the National Qualifications Framework;

2. All the five scientific and professional fields are included in the study

programs of basic applied studies in the areas that show the need for

educated experts in the labor market;

3. The curricula are internationally recognized in the regional,

European and wider frameworks;

4. The organization of the educational process is based on a high quality

didactic and methodological approach;

5. A system for measuring performances based on European indicators

has been established;

6. Improved resources which enable students to acquire necessary

practical knowledge and skills.

7. Significant improvement of teaching staff competencies;

8. More than 50% of teaching staff possess Ph.D.s and relevant scientific

or professional results in the area they teach in;

9. Engagement of experts from the real and public sector in the

realization of the study programs on the one hand, and education and

training of the teaching staff on the other, enable a two-way

cooperation with the economy and higher quality of professional

education.

SOCIAL RECOGNITION

1. A large number of joint programs with higher education institutions

from abroad have been developed;

2. A coherent structure of a two-level studying process has been

established and harmonized with the Bologna declaration – Basic,

Specialis and Master Applied Studies;

3. Professional titles have been harmonized in the legal framework

which defines work relations;

4. The Conference of Academies of Applied Studies has become a

framework of organizing, reprezenting, promoting and afirmation of

professional higher education (constituted in 2011);

5. The Student Conference of Academies of Applied Studies significantly

affects the status and development of applied studies (constituted in

2010);

6. Titles of teaching staff are harmonized with the world practice and

criteria for teachers’ promotion.

COOPERATION Cooperation is represented by realization of the following strategic

goals:

1. Participation in projects of international cooperation in the area of

education;

Involvement in European associations (EURASHE, UAS,

Copenhagen process);

2. Connection and cooperation with the national bodies from the area of

education;

3. Expanding of cooperation with the world of work;

4. Improvement of communication with the Ministry Sector for Higher

Education;

5. Starting a dialogue with the academic studies and realization of

cooperation.

MODERN SYSTEM

The modern system of Professional higher education consists of :

1. Enlarged attractiveness and competitiveness on the national and

regional level based on the quality and harmonization with the

EHEA;

2. Enlarged number of enrolled and graduate students;

3. The Conference of Academies of Applied Studies as a framework of

organizing, reprezenting, promoting and afirmation of the subsystem;

4. A more significant impact of the Student Conference of Academies of

Applied Studies as the highest level of organization for protection of

students’ rights;

5. A system for measuring performances of the subsystem based on

European indicators has been established;

6. Integration of schools of applied studies and constitution of the

Academy of Applied Studies.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to realize strategic relations in the ares where applied

studies appear as a source of highly educated professional working staff .

In this respect, economy, health sector, cultural sector, public

administration, army and the other segments of the society are equally

significant.

The basic concept of this cooperation should be working on

developing and improving of the study programs in accordance with the

labor market needs and defining competences of graduates. This

cooperation can be realized through:

1. Applied research;

2. Usage of technological and organizational resources for the needs of

the teaching process;

3. Engagement of staff for the teaching process;

4. Professional development of the teching staff.

This cooperation should include active involvement of the National

Employment Service, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and representatives

of the professional system of commerce.

Applied studies should realize more international cooperation and use

help existing in European Union for projects in the area of education.

Internationalization of professioanl higher education is necessary

through:

1. Harmonization with the reforms and trends of the European Higher

Education Area (EHEA);

2. Upgrading of compatibility of the national system with EU systems;

3. More cooperation with higher education institutions from the region

and European Union;

4. Starting joint study programs with higher education institutions from

EU and the region;

5. Upgrading mobility of the teaching staff, students and researchers, and

6. Membership in working and coordinating bodies of EU institutions.

THANK YOU!

Mirjana Vesović, Ph.D. Belgrade

March, 2015