Policy framework

The BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs holds a coordinating and international role in the education sector, including responsibilities related to learning mobility. Its main functions include:

• Coordinating education-related activities among the entities, cantons, and BD,
• Representing BiH in international processes, such as Erasmus+, the Bologna Process, and cooperation with EU institutions,
• Participating in the preparation of strategic and normative documents related to the recognition of qualifications, student mobility, and alignment with EU standards,
• Overseeing national-level agencies with direct roles in supporting mobility, including:
• CIP – Centre for Information and Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, responsible for the recognition of foreign qualifications,
• HEA – Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance, engaged in international mobility processes through quality assurance and recognition of programmes.

There is currently no single national law on learning mobility. However, several legal and policy documents provide a basis for supporting international mobility:

• Framework Law on Higher Education in BiH (2007): Supports student and academic staff mobility in line with European principles and ensures compliance with the Bologna Process (ECTS, mobility recognition, three-cycle study system),
• Law on the Recognition of Foreign Higher Education Qualifications (2023): Regulates the process of diploma recognition and implements EU directives on the recognition of qualifications, critical for return mobility,
• Decision on the Adoption of the Action Plan for Establishing the Qualifications Framework in BiH (2015): Supports mobility by aligning national qualifications with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF),
• Law on the Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance: Mandates HEA to cooperate with European bodies responsible for recognition and mobility,
• CIP BiH: Serves as the national ENIC/NARIC centre, providing information and managing qualification recognition procedures, thus enabling student mobility and the validation of study periods abroad.

The BiH Law on Foreigners prescribes the conditions and procedure for the entry of foreigners into BiH, including the visa and visa-free regime, travel documents for foreigners, the stay of foreigners in BiH, the removal of foreigners from BiH, the reception of foreigners and the placing of foreigners under supervision, as well as the jurisdiction of authorities in application of this law, and other issues related to the residence of foreigners in BiH. Article 53. of the Law regulates “temporary residence based on education”. Accordingly, it can be granted for the purpose of: 

• a) primary and secondary education,
• b) higher education,
• c) unpaid internship, and
• d) volunteer work.

According to the Mobility Scoreboard 2022/2023, BiH has made limited progress in promoting international student mobility across six key areas. The report identifies key shortcomings, including the absence of a centralized online platform, tailored advisory services, structured engagement of former mobile students, and systemic support for vulnerable groups.

In relation to the European Inventory on Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (2023), BiH demonstrates low visibility and limited acceptance of validation practices in both the education sector and broader society. While strategic EU-oriented documents (e.g., VET reform outcomes based on the Riga Conclusions 2021–2030) mention validation, its practical implementation remains marginal. 

Over the past years, isolated pilot initiatives—mostly supported by international donors and NGOs—have been implemented, mainly within vocational and adult education in selected regions (e.g., RS or certain cantons in FBiH). These pilots employed diverse methodologies without shared national standards for assessment, documentation, or recognition of prior learning. No national guidelines have been adopted, and each project applied its own validation procedures. Despite their pilot value, these efforts were not legally embedded and lacked formal certification bodies aligned with the qualifications framework. There was also a lack of assessor and counsellor training.

Nearly all pilots were donor-driven. Upon project completion, activities were rarely continued due to the absence of national political and financial support. Although some adult education centres attempted to recognise work experience through interviews and testing, no institutional accreditation was granted.  Additionally, project activities conducted under the VET reform process (Riga 2021–2030) included elements of validation but were not formally adopted.

Main cross-border mobility programs for students in formal education

By continuing to participate in the new phase of the Erasmus+ program, BiH continues to use the funds and opportunities intended for the Western Balkans to participate in activities within the international dimension of the Erasmus+ program. The activities of this program offer solutions for issues of quality, modernization and employability, by increasing the relevance and adaptability of education to green and sustainable socioeconomic recovery, growth and well-being in third countries that are not affiliated to the program, and at the same time contribute to human and institutional development, digital transition, growth and increasing the number of jobs, good governance, and peace and security. The part of the Erasmus+ program related to formal education is an extensive segment of the program that includes many opportunities for cooperation and capacity building among institutions of formal education, students, and cooperation with organizations. Only a few of them are highlighted below, while a detailed and complete description can be found in the Erasmus+ Program Guide. The National Erasmus+ Office in Sarajevo is responsible for the implementation of the program in the segment of higher education in BiH.

• International Credit Mobility (ICM);  Student and staff mobility projects between member states of the European Union or associated third countries and non-associated third countries. A period of study or internship abroad must be part of the student's study program in order to obtain a degree. BiH can participate as a partner.
• Erasmus Mundus joint master studies (EMJM); International integrated master's programs with scholarships funded by the European Union to attract exceptional students. BiH can participate as an applicant/partner.
• Projects for the preparation of Erasmus Mundus joint diploma master's studies (EMDM); Possibility to design and establish joint master's programs. BiH can participate as an applicant and partner.
• Capacity building projects in the field of higher education (CBHE); Support for the modernization and reform of higher education institutions and systems in countries around the world. BiH can participate as an applicant and partner.
• Jean Monnet actions (JMA); Excellence in teaching and research in the field of European Union studies worldwide. BiH can participate as an applicant and partner.

Since 2007, BiH has been included in the Central European exchange program for university studies - CEEPUS III, within which more than 100,000 monthly scholarships have been provided in 15 European member countries of the Program. The CEEPUS III program is primarily aimed at the development of mobility, as well as the connection of scientific research areas and the development of academic cooperation through the creation of university networks that will, among other things, work on joint programs and the acquisition of rights to joint diplomas. The program is directed towards the construction of the area of European higher education and the use of regional academic mobility as a strategic program for the implementation of the Bologna goals.

The BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, as a signatory to the CEEPUS Agreement, is responsible for the implementation of the Program and the coordination of program activities in BiH, while the entity ministries of education are responsible for the implementation of financial obligations, i.e. payment of scholarships to visiting students and professors. 

BiH did not have an established monitoring and quality assurance system in the field of cross-border mobility in formal and non-formal education at the state level.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) plays a key role in cross-border learning mobility for BiH. Through its Information Centre in Sarajevo, DAAD provides scholarships, advisory services, and mobility information to students and academic staff seeking study or research opportunities in Germany. Bosnia and Herzegovina is eligible for specific DAAD programmes tailored to countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including approximately 40 scholarships annually available through the BAYHOST fellowship scheme for young academics from BiH, and around 30 scholarships per year in the German language and literature scholarship programme targeted at Bosnian students. DAAD - sponsored programmes include full-degree and short-term scholarships, summer schools, research grants, and internships, helping hundreds of BiH participants annually to study in Germany, develop professional networks, and enhance institutional cooperation. The DAAD office in Sarajevo also regularly organizes outreach events, university presentations, and public consultations, offering direct information and guidance on available opportunities.

Promoting mobility in the context of non-formal learning, and of youth work

When it comes to the implementation and promotion of mobility in the context of informal learning and work with young people, BiH does not have programs coordinated by the ministry or a monitoring system that ensures quality at the state level. All programs for promoting mobility in the context of informal learning and working with young people, from the local to the state level, were designed and implemented by civil society organizations through various projects. Most of these activities and projects were selected through the European programs described in Chapter 2.

Quality assurance

Currently, there is no available information in BiH on the existence of any quality assurance system for the validation of non-formal and informal competences.