Implementation of Dual Education in Higher Education of Serbia

Dual Education is a unique education model, which combines classroom-based education with work experiences. Aiming to improve the relevance and effectiveness of education, meaning that education has to provide graduates with competences required by employers and job market, Serbian Government is giving high priority to implementation of Dual Education. This project has to specify a generic, flexible Dual Higher Education (DHE) model to be implemented in Serbia, after testing different derived specific models during their pilot implementations. Some sectors, such as IT, need to employ students due to the lack of IT graduates. Other sectors are expecting graduates to have competences more in line with their needs. After analysis best practices in Europe and worldwide, and after interviewing interested companies in Serbia what DHE models are the most suitable to them, the project will specify a flexible and generic DHE model from which different specific DHE models could be derived and implemented according to companies requirements. The project plans to propose amendments to the corresponding legislation (Law on Dual Education, Law on Higher Education, Labour Law) and to accreditation standards. The selected DHE models will be tested during their pilot implementations by all Serbian HEIs participating in the project and with companies - its associate members, during the second half of this 3-years project. At the end, a survey and interviews of companies with and without DHE students will identify benefits of introducing DHE in Serbia. Proposals of amendments to DE and HE legislation and accreditation standards, based on the developed and tested DHE model, as well as guidelines for DHE implementation offered to HEIs and companies, are expected project outcomes. They will have a significant impact to the relevance and effectiveness of higher education in Serbia, as more graduates will have competences needed by employers.