The seventh Enhancements in the quality of education and training in SEE – EQET SEE project management meeting within the VET component was organised jointly with the Meeting for the development of methodology of teaching and learning material on 13 and 14 June 2023, in Budva, Montenegro, by the ERI SEE Secretariat. The meeting gathered 21 participants, VET and qualification agencies and chambers of commerce, from six partner economies: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia and the ERI SEE Secretariat project team, Ms Tina Šarić, director of the ERI SEE Secretariat and the EQET SEE project manager and Ms Ivana Živadinović, Regional Project Coordinator.

The main objectives of the meeting were to discuss the upcoming activities foreseen for 2023, to initiate the development of methodology of developing the teaching and learning material for the agricultural technician and locksmith curriculum at regional level, to discuss methodology for the development of trainings for trainers for teachers, company instructors and school coordinators and integration of the crosscutting topics (social and environmental sustainability and gender equity) into the EQET SEE project activities and outputs.

A special focus was put on the presentation of integration of social and gender dimension into the teaching and learning material for agriculture technician and locksmith curriculum (both being developed within the EQET SEE project) and the development of the theoretical framework for the social and gender dimension in VET. Prof Dragan Stanojević of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Belgrade, the EQET SEE project’s external expert for social sustainability and gender equity, presented the material for teachers and the structure of upcoming publication that will aim at providing the theoretical framework behind the social dimension of VET education with useful examples to assist teachers in supporting VET students. His presentation can be downloaded here.

The next steps within the VET component will be the development of the locksmith regionally based qualification standard at national level based on the regionally developed standard.

The lead partner and implementing partners agreed to continue with regular project management and dissemination activities.

More about the EQET SEE project is available here.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNCSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.