This European Training Foundation (ETF) assessment was prepared in 2019 with the help of a standardised template for national reporting (National Reporting Framework – NRF). Thanks to the strong leadership and commitment of the Montenegrin Ministry of Education (MoE), this NRF was filled in by a multi-partner national working group set up for the Torino Process purpose under the chairmanship of Zora Bogicevic, Torino Process national coordinator. The result was the national Torino Process report for Montenegro (2019), which has been used as a basis for this assessment, together with additional information sources, where relevant.
Identification of the key issues presented in this assessment was jointly done by the ETF and the Montenegrin Torino Process working group. The main findings and recommendations were also shared and discussed with national stakeholders.
This ETF assessment comes at an important point as the country prepares for the next multiannual cycle of reform implementation along the lines of these priorities, which includes preparation for European Union (EU) support through the next generation of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in 2021–27. The report is expected to help with the prioritisation of reforms and the design of actions by providing input to policymakers in the domain of education and training. The assessment findings complement the monitoring of the Economic Reform Programme (ERP) from a sector point of view.
Like other ETF assessments, this paper is not meant to be exhaustive. The national report of Montenegro covers a broad selection of problems around human capital development (HCD) and use, while the focus here is on challenges which the ETF recommends addressing as a matter of priority.