N QF SERBIA 2009 current state and SWOT analyses

1. NQF SERBIA 2009current stateandSWOT analyses Ljubljana, 29-30 June 2009

2. Serbia joined the Bologna Process in 2003. Legal background The Law on Higher Education (LHE, 2005) gives a legal basis for full implementation of the Bologna Declaration and the Lisbon Convention. • Ministry of Education • National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), • Conference of Serbian Research Universities, • Conference of Academies of Applied Studies • Commission for Accreditation and Quality Assessment (CAQA) • National Team of Higher Education Reform Experts – HERE

3. Structure oftheHigher Education (HE)System in Serbia • Total number of students in HE: 202,000 (2008-9) • Unified higher education system consisting of: • 7 public universities (105 faculties), • 6 universities established by non-state founders (53 faculties) • 80 Academies of Applied Studies • The implementation of the Bologna Process formally started in academic year 2006/2007 • The higher education institutions offer programmes of • First cycle (3 or 4 years) • Second cycle (1 or 2 years) • Third cycle (3 years)

4. Higher education in Serbia • Two mainstreams: • academic studies • applied studies • Three degrees (cycles): • First cycle : • academic studies and applied studies • Second cycle : • master and • academic and professional specialization • Third cycle : doctorate cycles

5. NQF in Serbia • National Council for Higher Education (NCHE ) has been working on the Serbian national qualification framework (SQF) draft since July 2008. • SQF draft accepted at the NCHE meeting held on November 14, 2008. • Workgroup appointed by Ministry of Education, was mandated to create the SQF at the higher education level. • The SQF workgroup includes all stakeholders (ministries, HE intitutions, students, employers, trade unions). • Upgraded at several meetings of the workgroup, supported by Council of Europe • CoE Project "Strengthening HE Reforms in Serbia“

6. NQF draft Principles • Independently define SQF for higher education levels • Take into account • legislation in Serbia • Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) • Include • all present levels of higher education • descriptors of learning outcomes • Dublin descriptors are already included into standards • Generic descriptors are included in the first draft of the SQF. • ECTS • prerequisites and access to subsequent levels

7. NQF draft Introductory text • Bodies responsible for adopting SQF • Basic legislative • Basic goals • What does SQF define? • SQF and quality control • Compatibility with EHEA and EQF

8. NQF draft Structure • Academic • VA-1a – basic, three years (180 ECTS) • VA-1b – basic, four years (240 ECTS) • VA-2a – master/diploma (60 or 120 ECTS) • VA-2b – academic specialization (60) • VA-3 – doctoral • Applied • VS-1 – basic, three years (180 ECTS) • VS-2 – professional specialization (60)

9. NQF draft NQF summary (fine-tuned)

10. NQF draft Items • Title (applied/academic/scientific) • Prerequisite • Minimal ECTS credits • Access to subsequent level • Descriptors of learning outcomes • Compatibility with Bologna cycles (EHEA) • Compatibility with European Qualification Framework (EQF)

11. NQF draft Sample

12. To be done • Get response from • Conference of Universities • Conference of Academies of Applied Studies • Ministry • European experts • Finalize the document • Accept by the National Council for Higher Education and/or Ministry for Education

13. SWOT: SERBIA NQF STRENGHTS • Very quick mobilization of all higher education institutions to get acquainted with the Bologna framework. • The Law on higher education (2005) and corresponding bylaws regulating quality assessment and accreditation introduced the Dublin descriptors that enabled the definition of the list of qualifications with expected learning outcomes. • Therefore, the programs of higher education institutions could be tuned to the list of qualifications and expected learning outcomes, although the NQF did not exist formally.

14. SWOT: SERBIA NQF WEAKNESSES • Discontinuities in the decision-making process due to frequent changes of government. • The stakeholder structure is incomplete: higher education institutions, professors and students are involved. Stakeholders from companies and other employers are not yet included to the necessary level. • Most stakeholders are in a precarious situation due to the weak economic situation, falling employment and restrictive fiscal policy.

15. SWOT: SERBIA NQF OPPORTUNITIES • Using the experiences of countries ahead in NQF development, the skillful support of the Council of Europe. • NQF development could greatly advance if pre-accession strategies of the EU concerning Serbia would become operational as soon as possible, including higher education for the knowledge society. • That would create the ground for defining economic, scientific and technology development strategies which, in turn, would help all stakeholders to cooperate in the development of higher education strategies to correspond to the needs of economic and social development.

16. SWOT: SERBIA - NQF - THREATS • Worsening influences of the world economic crisis and delays of Serbia`s accession to the EU. • Worsening economic and political tensions in the Balkans. • That would greatly prevent the creation and implementation of any longer-term national or regional strategy, including higher education.