The strategic determination of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on the way to the development of the knowledge society was defined shortly after the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union, by which BiH accepted the obligation to apply the European context of lifelong learning. 

The first step on that path was made after the BiH Council of Ministers adopted Strategic directions for the development of education in BiH 2008 - 2015, in which it was specified that "BiH strives to build a society based on knowledge, while enabling the development of the full potential of each individual''. This document provides that the education system has a key task - to help the country get out of the circle of the poor and make it a country that will provide a comfortable and prosperous life. Investment in human resources is seen as the basis for creating conditions for training and improvement of individuals, and the role of employers and the work environment, which should encourage workers and stimulate them to learn, is recognized.

The referenced strategy remains the most recent document adopted at the national level in the field of education, covering all levels of formal education. Given that formal education in BiH falls under lower levels of decision-making in accordance with the country's constitutional framework, all relevant and currently valid documents referenced in this chapter are presented in line with the respective sections and complemented by information from Eurydice reports.