Support to Human Capital Development and Research

Building a national competence framework in education; strengthening the capacity of teachers, schools, and education policy-makers

Reform initiatives in almost all areas of education emphasise the increased need for Serbia to catch up with European practice. Deliberate and inclusive processes typical of contemporary education are reflected across all areas of policy development. The 2009 Law on the Foundations of the Education System defines the goals of education; these include acquisition of high-quality knowledge and skills necessary to live and work in a modern society.

Our Human Capital project in Serbia — a.k.a. 'Razvionica' — has supported these reforms by means of a holistic approach. The project intervention has been in line with current EU trends in education, enabling teachers and education practitioners to participate directly in the various EU learning and research activities.

Major achievements of this project include:

  • Development of National Curriculum Framework (NCF) in primary and secondary general education in Serbia. The NCF is focused on national standards and building key competencies, and shaped around a learning-centred and competence-based practice aligned with EU standards. 
  • Raising the professional standards of teachers across Serbia. Professional development and building competences for teachers has been a key deliverable. The project has developed and delivered training for 13,000 teachers, including study tours to France, Finland and Portugal to highlight case studies of educational transformation.
  • Strengthening the use of research-based evidence in future educational policy development. The Project has worked to build a sustained relationship between research, policy and practice — to assist in the monitoring of education reforms so as to continuously improve education policies. Over 10,000 practitioners have been trained in the use of evidenced-based approaches in their practice.
  • Development of an infrastructure framework — a network of Practice Schools — to guarantee the legacy and permanence of project achievements in the Serbian education system. The Project has established and equipped practice schools — as teaching bases for professional development of teachers for pre-service and in-service training, where practitioners have an opportunity to practically apply and test educational methodologies. The introduction of interactive smart boards allows for higher teacher creativity and greater contact with student, to connect and form thematic units in different subjects, to deliver dynamic lessons, to engage different learning styles, and to respond more fully to student needs. A total of 41 schools have been equipped, with EUR 3.2 million worth of equipment, and 1,400 teachers have been trained in mentoring student teachers.

Project brief

Title: Support to Human Capital Development and Research
Location: Serbia
Sector:
Education, Employment & Health
Client: EU
Start: Jul 2012
Duration: 36 months
Status: Completed