On February 18, 2025, a workshop was held in Belgrade dedicated to the concept of including key competencies in the National Qualifications Framework of Serbia (NQF).
The workshop was organized within the project “Increased Offer and Diversification of Accredited Non-Formal Training Courses and Adult Training Providers”, funded by the EU. The workshop, which brought together over 15 participants from relevant institutions, was opened by the Acting Assistant Director for the National Qualifications Framework, and Elido Bandelj, Project Team Leader.
Presenting the framework for the integration of key competencies with qualifications in NOKS, Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Baucal pointed out that the key competencies for lifelong learning represent transversal, general abilities of purposeful integration and use of acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes, necessary for personal, social and professional development and further learning. Key competences are relevant to different areas of an individual's life and their professional work and development and as such they should be common to all qualifications at a certain qualification level.
Key competences are based on the EU framework for key competences for lifelong learning and include eight key competences: literacy competence; multilingual competence; mathematical competence and competence in natural sciences, technology and engineering; digital competence, personal, social and learning competence; civic competence; competence for entrepreneurship and competence for fostering and expressing cultural identities.
National qualifications are qualifications that can be acquired in the Republic of Serbia, through formal and informal education and through the process of recognition of previous learning. An individual acquires a qualification, that is, a public document (diploma or certificate) when the competent body determines that he has achieved the learning outcomes.
The proposed framework for the integration of key competences in the NOKS suggests that although there are eight different levels of qualifications in the NOKS, it is not necessary to define a separate level of key competences for each of those levels. Thus, for example, NOKS 1 and NOKS 2 qualifications in this proposal would have the same level of expectation regarding each of the eight key competencies, and the same would be the case for NOKS 4 and NOKS 5 qualifications, as well as in the case of NOKS 6-8. This would therefore mean that qualifications at NOKS 1 and NOKS 2 level have the same expectation in relation to key competencies, while they would differ in relation to professional knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities. Different levels of key competences would be defined so that each subsequent level would entail qualitatively more complex requirements. For example, if level 1 of the key competence of literacy would imply the basic ability to understand a read text that is simple and close to experience, then level 4 of literacy would imply analytical skills of critical understanding and interpretation of complex texts in which several different perspectives and positions on the same issue are presented and argued.
The need to include key competencies in qualification standards is, as presented in the proposed framework, based on several reasons: (1) better horizontal connection between various qualifications from the same level would be enabled; (2) key competencies enable better coordination and connection of general education and professional education, which provides the basis for horizontal and vertical mobility of students, especially in secondary and higher education; (3) the inclusion of key competences (which would be the same for qualifications at the same NOKS level) would allow that part of the qualification to be recognized for candidates changing qualifications within the same qualification level; (4) it would be possible to provide better support to individuals in preparation for life and lifelong learning in addition to preparation for a specific qualification and profession; and (5) there would be a better alignment with the needs of the labor market where employers require candidates to possess more general competencies in addition to those required to perform a specific job.
The main purpose of the proposed conceptual framework, it was concluded at the end of the first part of the workshop, is to encourage discussion between interested parties in order to formulate a final proposal based on that discussion. After the adoption of the conceptual framework, it would serve as the basis for the development of the methodology for the implementation of the adopted framework in further work.
Preparation of initiatives for qualifications standards
The modernization and creation of new qualification standards is the basis for the development of market-relevant formal and informal training programs for adults, which was discussed at another workshop organized on the same day. This workshop aimed to reach an agreement regarding the preparation of a number of initiatives for the development and adoption of qualification standards. The initiative is an instrument that initiates the procedure for the development and adoption of the qualification standard and consists of an elaboration on the justification of the qualification and an initial proposal of the qualification standard.
Presenting the Analysis of supply and demand for knowledge and skills at level 2 of the NOKS, which was prepared as part of the project: "Support for the reform of the dual system of secondary vocational education and the National Framework of Qualifications in the light of lifelong learning in Serbia", financed by SDC, expert Dragan Đukić pointed out that it can be concluded that there is a positive trend in the demand for work in occupations for which employers required at least level II. Đukić further pointed out that the analysis of the education system showed that a large number of qualifications at the second level of education are not recognized by employers or are repeated under different names. In order to make the system more efficient, it is recommended to reduce the number of similar qualifications and focus on those that really enable employment. Research has shown that only 10% of existing qualifications meet key criteria, such as the number of employees, employment growth and representation of work in the profession.
It is also proposed to adapt the educational offer to the labor market, especially for students studying under the Individual Education Plan (IEP) programs IEP1 and IEP2, who require additional support. It is necessary to improve the assessment of students' psycho-physical abilities and introduce programs that offer better chances for employment. The goal of these changes is to make the education system more flexible and for students to find work more easily after graduation.
The workshop was also an opportunity to present the analysis of the needs, proposals and decisions of the sectoral councils and the Qualifications Agency (QA) related to the proposal for the preparation of initiatives, in order to modernize qualification standards or create new qualifications, which was discussed by the representatives of the Qualifications Agency. Special attention in this part of the workshop was focused on levels 3 and 4 of NOKS. The proposals prepared by the QA representatives were accepted and will serve as initiatives that will be supported in the continuation of the project activities.