3.8 Development of entrepreneurship competence
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Policy framework
The Law on the Foundations of the Education System (Zakon o osnovama sistema obrazovanja i vaspitanja) recognizes entrepreneurial competence as a cross-curricular competence at all levels of education in Serbia. This means that entrepreneurial competence is recognized as an important educational outcome that should be achieved through integrative teaching and learning and the interconnection of different subjects.
The Strategy for the Development of Education 2030 (Strategija razvoja obrazovanja i vaspitanja u Republici Srbiji do 2030) recognizes not only the importance of entrepreneurship at the pre-university level of education, but also highlights the importance of fostering this competence in higher education through the development of new study programmes focusing on entrepreneurship, as well as through fostering cooperation between universities, employers, industry, the public sector, etc.
Entrepreneurship is a separate subject in many secondary school vocational profiles, which is regulated by the curriculum. Additionally, the Law on the Foundations of the Education System recognizes the possibility of establishing student companies in schools as a form of organizing that allows students to develop and improve their entrepreneurial skills and test their orientation towards this career option.
Formal learning
In Serbia, entrepreneurship is incorporated into the curricula of secondary education, but it can also be fostered through extracurricular activities or through the activities of student companies.
The subject Entrepreneurship was first developed and introduced in 50 experimental schools from five fields of work in the first phase of the Secondary Vocational Reform Programme (2003–2005):
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agriculture and food processing,
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health and social protection,
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construction and geodesy,
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mechanical engineering, and
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electrical engineering.
The subject curriculum was tailored to match each of the educational profiles involved. This subject aims to develop entrepreneurial and business knowledge, skills, behaviours, values, and an entrepreneurial way of thinking (See: Study Entrepreneurship Education – Preduzetničko obrazovanje – Komparativni pregled obrazovnih politika, modela i prakse). It also covers the knowledge and skills necessary for professional development, job hunting, and self-employment (including the development of a simple business plan). The subject has a multidisciplinary approach and focuses on practical work. Since then, the subject has been further adopted and introduced in other educational profiles.
Top-level authorities provide an official list of approved textbooks for the curricula, including entrepreneurship education, thus attributing a certain quality label to the selected teaching materials.
Non-formal and informal learning
One of the large-scale initiatives that supports the development of entrepreneurial competence, alongside other career-related skills, is the Youth Guarantee, launched in 2023 in Serbia. Through a series of comprehensive outreach measures, the programme aims to identify, engage, and support young people, and then either re-engage them in education and training or facilitate their integration into the labour market. The programme is currently being piloted in a couple of municipalities, with the goal of integrating it into the system-level framework after the pilot phase.
Other than the Youth Guarantee, several national-level initiatives promote entrepreneurial competence, innovation, and youth achievement through competition-like activities. One such initiative is the Competition for the Best Technological Innovation, implemented by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation. This competition is designed to promote entrepreneurship in Serbia and raise awareness of the importance of innovation, modern technologies, and organizational solutions. Entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprises, high-tech companies, secondary schools, and student teams can participate. The competition provides an opportunity for individuals, legal entities, secondary schools, and student teams to evaluate and compare the quality of their business ideas against others.
Junior Achievement Serbia (Dostignuća mladih) is part of the global Junior Achievement Worldwide network and has been implemented in Serbia since 2005. Through a combination of theoretical and practical learning, as well as competitions, students gain entrepreneurial and financial literacy skills and develop their own business ideas.
The programme is delivered by teachers trained through accredited courses and receives strong support from the business sector through mentoring, lectures, and funding. Participation is free for both students and teachers and includes numerous national and international competitions and fairs each year. After completing the programmes, students can remain involved through the alumni network, which supports ongoing activities and bridges education with professional life.
The development of non-formal programmes that support the growth of entrepreneurial competence is backed by the Ministry of Tourism and Youth through annual calls for programmes promoting employability, self-employment, and entrepreneurship among young people. In the 2025 call, 61 youth organizations received financial support in various capacities, totaling 98 million RSD.
Educators support in entrepreneurship education
The support for educators and youth workers in the field of entrepreneurship is offered mainly through projects and professional development courses although the availability of these opportunities may vary from year to year.