In Montenegro, learning to participate is a core objective of the national youth policy, aiming to empower young people (aged 15–30) as active, democratic citizens. This process is facilitated through a blend of school-based education, state-run youth services, and non-formal initiatives led by civil society.

Policy Framework

The legal and strategic architecture supporting youth participation is primarily governed by:

• Law on Youth (2019): This legislation defines youth work and sets the legal requirement for institutional mechanisms like the Council for Youth to ensure young people's voices are heard in policy-making.

• Strategy for Youth 2023–2027: This is the key strategic document that identifies "active citizenship" as a priority, aiming to increase youth involvement in community life and democratic processes.

• National Youth Action Plan: Managed by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, this plan provides the operational steps and budget for realizing the goals of the national strategy. 

Formal Learning

The formal education system, overseen by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation, incorporates participation learning through:

In schools, students are offered the opportunity to study Civic Education and Media Literacy as elective subjects, which further strengthens their understanding of democratic processes, critical thinking, and their ability to participate responsibly in society. Furthermore, the Education Reform Strategy 2025–2045, developed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation in cooperation with UNICEF and the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, places a strong emphasis on the development of modern competencies among young people. These include soft skills, green skills, and digital literacy, as well as the strengthening of youth participation in educational and broader societal processes.

This strategic framework aims to enhance the overall quality and inclusiveness of the education system, align it with European standards and the needs of the contemporary labour market, and foster active citizenship, social cohesion, and sustainable development.

In addition, schools have student parliaments and debate clubs through which students can become more actively involved in school life, strengthen their voice, and further develop their civic engagement and communication skills. At the university level, student parliaments also exist and are highly active, playing an important role in representing student interests, contributing to decision-making processes, and fostering academic dialogue and participation within higher education institutions.

Non-formal and Informal Learning

The labour market in Montenegro has undergone significant changes in recent years, particularly affecting young people. The development of new technologies, changes in business practices, and increasing employer expectations have shown that formal education alone is no longer enough to secure employment. While a diploma remains an important foundation, young people today are expected to possess much more than theoretical knowledge acquired through formal education. Practical experience, communication skills, digital literacy, and the ability to adapt to the modern labour market are becoming increasingly important.

Youth unemployment continues to represent one of the major social and economic challenges in Montenegro. Young people often face difficulties such as a lack of work experience, strong competition in the labour market, and a mismatch between the knowledge gained through formal education and the skills demanded by employers. In this context, non-formal education plays a particularly important role by enabling young people to gain additional knowledge and develop competencies that are highly valued in today’s labour market.

Non-formal education includes organised learning activities outside the formal education system, such as training courses, workshops, seminars, youth programmes, and other forms of professional development. In Montenegro, many youth organisations, institutions, and international programmes provide opportunities for young people to participate in such activities, helping them develop their competencies and actively engage in society. One of the key advantages of non-formal education is its flexibility and focus on practical knowledge and experience.

Through youth work and non-formal learning programmes, young people develop communication and organisational skills, learn how to work in teams, take responsibility, and make independent decisions. These experiences are often highly valued by employers, as they demonstrate initiative, proactivity, and a willingness to learn and grow. Participation in projects, volunteering activities, and youth initiatives allows young people to gain practical experience, build self-confidence, and better understand professional environments.

In modern society, so-called 21st century skills are becoming increasingly important. These include critical thinking, problem-solving, digital literacy, communication, and adaptability. In Montenegro, as in the rest of Europe, the labour market is rapidly changing, and employers increasingly seek young people who are ready to continuously learn and develop throughout their lives. Non-formal education provides young people with the opportunity to acquire and strengthen these skills through practical and interactive learning methods.

In addition to non-formal education, informal learning also plays an important role. Young people often gain valuable knowledge and experience through everyday activities, volunteering, work experience, online learning, and social interaction. Although this type of learning is not always formally recognised through certificates or diplomas, it significantly contributes to the development of practical competencies, independence, and resourcefulness, all of which are highly valued in the labour market.

For young people in Montenegro, investing in additional training, skills development, and participation in non-formal education programmes can be an important step towards greater employability and professional growth. In a rapidly changing society, lifelong learning is no longer just an option, but a necessity and an opportunity for young people to build a more secure and sustainable professional future.

There is a significant number of initiatives implemented by state institutions, such as the Parliament and the Ministry of Sports and Youth, as well as by international organizations including UNICEF, UNESCO, the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro,  RYCO, OSCE and others. In addition, national non-governmental organizations play an active role by organizing various training programs, workshops, and educational activities.

These initiatives aim to strengthen the capacities of young people and raise their awareness about the importance of active participation in society, civic education, and the development of critical thinking skills. A particular focus is placed on topics such as recognizing and understanding fake news, improving media literacy, and developing competencies for the responsible use of both digital and traditional media.

Through these programs, young people are encouraged to become more engaged citizens, to better understand democratic processes, and to take a more active role in their communities. In the long term, such efforts contribute to the strengthening of civil society and the promotion of a more informed and resilient democratic culture.

Quality Assurance/ Quality Guidelines for Non-formal Learning

The process of ensuring and improving quality is one of the fundamental goals of education system reform in Montenegro. This process is based on the General Law on Education, specifically Article 17, which stipulates that the quality assurance and improvement of educational work is carried out annually by institutions in individual areas, and every two years in its entirety (self-evaluation).

The same principles, procedures, and standards of quality assurance also apply to non-formal education and training for young people, as well as to adult education. This means that youth education providers are also expected to implement regular internal and external quality assurance processes under the same framework.

Quality assurance and improvement of educational work in institutions is carried out at least every four years by the Centre for Vocational Education and the Bureau for Education (external evaluation).

In accordance with the General Law on Education, the tasks of determining and ensuring the quality of educational work in the field of vocational education, adult education, and youth non-formal education are carried out by the Centre for Vocational Education.

The Centre for Vocational Education performs quality assurance and improvement of educational work in institutions at least every four years, based on the Methodology for ensuring and improving the quality of educational work in institutions of vocational education, adult education, and youth non-formal education.

When it comes to self-evaluation, an institution in which adult education, vocational training, or youth non-formal education takes place should pay special attention to the following quality areas: leadership and management, teaching/learning and training, achievements of learners (students/participants in vocational, adult, and youth education), as well as the needs of social partners.

External quality assurance of educational work in an institution can be regular or extraordinary. Regular external quality evaluation of an institution is carried out at least once every four years. Extraordinary evaluation is carried out as needed and upon a justified request of the Parents’ Council, the validity of which is assessed by the Centre, or upon request of the state administration body responsible for education affairs.

The evaluation team consists of permanently employed inspectors/external evaluators at the Centre for Vocational Education, as well as external associate evaluators, who may come from educational institutions or from the economy (industry/business sector).

All evaluators, in addition to having relevant work experience, must meet minimum competency standards for evaluators and must complete training provided by the Centre for Vocational Education.

The Law on National Vocational Qualifications defines that the assessment of the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for obtaining a professional qualification is carried out by an Examination Commission, composed of examiners. The Commission is formed by the Examination Centre, consisting of licensed examiners listed on the official register of examiners. If there are no licensed examiners for a specific professional qualification, the Commission may include examiners licensed in a related field. The list of examiners is established separately for each professional qualification, and the Examination Centre forms it based on a public call.

The assessment of knowledge, skills, and competencies required for obtaining a micro-qualification or key competence is carried out by a commission formed by the education provider. In the case of a micro-qualification, the commission consists of examiners who meet the conditions prescribed by the education programme, whereby two members are appointed by the education provider and one member is designated by the Centre for Vocational Education. For the acquisition of a key competence, the commission consists of licensed examiners.

By the end of 2025, the Examination Centre had issued public calls for all professional qualifications and key competences for which examination catalogues and programmes exist.

In addition, software has been developed for monitoring the acquisition of national professional qualifications.