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EACEA National Policies Platform
Serbia

Serbia

6. Education and Training

6.4 Validation of non-formal and informal learning

Last update: 28 November 2023

On this page

  1. Arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning
  2. Information and guidance
  3. Quality assurance

Arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning

The arrangements and mechanisms for skills recognition at the state level are yet to be fully developed.

First, the adoption of the Law on Adult Education and then the Law on the National Qualification Framework (NQF) in 2018 made the significant progress in creating conditions for recognition of prior learning acquired through non-formal education and informal learning.

Even though the Law on Adult Education does not recognize the specificity of non-formal education programmes in youth sector that are not aimed at gaining a specific qualification and vocational training, the recognition of competences acquired through youth work was essential for young people.

In January 2019 youth work was officially recognised as a profession, and a youth worker was included  in the new Classification of Occupations. This was a major step towards contributing to the second strategic goal of the National Youth Strategy 2015-2025: quality and possibilities for acquiring qualifications and competence development and innovation of young people.

The realization of this goal, among other things implied the expected results and planned activities:

  • support the activities of professionalization of youth work through formal and informal education in line with the standards of youth work profession;
  • create a mechanism for recognition of competences acquired through youth work and recognition of youth work profession through the NQF and the Classification Register.

Thanks to the inclusion of the youth worker profession in the Classification Register and activism of numerous civil society and youth and for youth organisations, debates regarding key mechanisms for recognition of skills gained through informal channels are taking place. 

Information and guidance

The Ministry responsible for education promotes NQF and various opportunities for learning and achieving qualification standards.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance system of the arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal competences does not exist in the Republic of Serbia.