Serbia becomes newest Member of WorldSkills Europe

WorldSkills Europe Members have formally welcomed Serbia as the newest (33rd) Member country.

Serbia’s Membership was ratified at the WorldSkills Europe General Assembly in Luxembourg on 6 June 2024.

The official Membership of Serbia is organised by the Office for Dual Education and National Qualifications Framework (NQF), which performs professional and technical tasks of common interest to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and several state administration bodies.

Becoming a Member of WorldSkills Europe means that Serbia will be able to participate at the EuroSkills Competition 2025 in Herning, Denmark, and at future EuroSkills Competitions and related activities.

“We are excited to welcome Serbia as a Member of WorldSkills Europe and look forward to the new perspectives, insights, and knowledge they will bring to our existing Members. As our membership continues to grow, so does the commitment of all our Members to drive up standards of excellence in skills, and inspire the next generation of young professionals across Europe,” said Guillaume Suteau, Chair of the Board, WorldSkills Europe.

The Official Delegate of Serbia for WorldSkills Europe is Dr Vesna Fabian, Assistant Director of Serbia's Office for Dual Education and National Qualifications Framework. The Technical Delegate is Aleksandra Milićević, Head of Department for Dual Education and Education Policies at Serbia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIS).

“We firmly believe that the inclusion of the Office for Dual Education and National Qualifications Framework as an official Member of WorldSkills Europe will significantly contribute to the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and the overall enhancement of skills standards both regionally and globally,” said Dr Slavica Đukić Dejanović, Minister of Education, Republic of Serbia.

“Simultaneously, affiliation with WorldSkills Europe and participation in competitions will help Serbia elevate the attractiveness of diverse occupations, consequently boosting the enrolment of talented youth in vocational schools and vocational education and training programmes,” added Dr Slavica Đukić Dejanović.

Prof. Dr Gabrijela Grujić, Director of the Office for Dual Education and National Qualifications Framework, said: "The mission of the Office for Dual Education and NQF is to establish dual education as one of the main carriers of the development of skilled workforce and economic potential of Serbia, as well as to develop qualification standards in accordance with the development of modern society, to ensure quality in the process of acquiring qualifications, as well as their comparability and recognition with qualifications obtained in other countries. The model of dual education is recognized in the Republic of Serbia as a leading platform for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes, as well as easier employment of young people. We believe that the participation of our teams in this kind of competition is an important factor for the valorization and satisfaction of students."

Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, said: “On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, whose representative is the Technical Delegate, we are extremely proud of the inclusion of our country in the most prestigious European skills competition, WorldSkills Europe. For our country, this is a great opportunity to present the expertise and skills of young people in Serbia in some of the 40 occupations at the international level. We sincerely believe that this is an opportunity to promote both the companies that implement the dual education in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, as well as dual education itself and the benefits it can provide to young people. We expect an increase in young people's interest in the professions represented at the competition, which will ensure better quality and more competent personnel in the future. Serbia will immediately begin preparations for participation in the next, ninth, European competition in Denmark."