Bosnia and Herzegovina
The European Training Foundation (ETF) cooperates with and complements the work of the European Commission and the European External Action Service in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina, including contributing to EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina policy dialogue and the implementation of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance 2019 whose objectives include strengthening the country’s capacities to render vocational education and training more responsive to the labour market needs.
The ETF also cooperates with the Ministry of Civil Affairs in implementing the Torino Process in partnership with national authorities, experts, and stakeholders.
In 2023, the ETF provided expertise to support the development of a national qualifications framework, as well as contributed to activities promoting the accreditation and validation of non-formal learning.
As part of its work on skills anticipation, the ETF is conducting a study on skills for a green future in the country to deepen its understanding of how the country addresses sustainability issues as part of its sustainability sector strategies and policies and how these are translated into specific education and training offers.
Moreover, the ETF has implemented the European skills and jobs survey in the country to gather comprehensive data from adult workers on various aspects, including background information, job characteristics, required skills, and skill mismatches. Additionally, the survey covers participation in vocational education and training, along with labour market outcomes like wages, job insecurity, and job satisfaction.
Read our 2024 update on Key policy developments in education, training and employment (ETF, 2024). For a quick overview, see below:
2024 developments at a glance
🏛️Political and economic landscape: Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) operates under a complex political structure, divided into the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), Republika Srpska (RS), and Brčko District. While its EU candidate status, granted in 2022, represents a promising step forward, ethnic divisions and political gridlock continue to hinder reforms and economic growth;
👩🎓 Educational initiatives and policies: Since 2023, UNESCO and Unicef, in partnership with the EU, OSCE, and the Council of Europe, have supported the development of Education Sector Action Plans in BiH, aimed at improving the quality of education;
✅ Qualifications and recognition: the development of a national qualifications framework is a key priority in the Progress Report 2023. To support this, a working group comprising representatives from all administrative units, agencies, and ministries has been established to ensure that qualifications and learning outcomes align with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). The EU Technical Assistance for VET Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina is providing support to this initiative;
🏫 Vocational education and training (VET): the 2021 document, Improvement of Quality and Relevance of Vocational Education and Training, produced by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, focuses on enhancing the competitiveness and attractiveness of VET by 2030. The share of upper secondary students enrolled in VET has generally increased in recent years but dipped slightly from 79% in 2022 to 75.7% in 2023. The introduction of updated VET strategies and experimental curricula is strengthening collaboration between VET and industry stakeholders;
🛠️ Work-based learning (WBL): WBL is a priority, with efforts focused on enhancing the practical aspects of VET and fostering deeper engagement with industry partners. BiH is now engaged with the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA), a collaboration aimed at improving apprenticeship systems by aligning them with EU standards and best practices, as well as ensuring greater relevance to the labour market;
💼 Labour market challenges: the overall employment rate for individuals aged 15-89 reached 41.5% in 2023, up from 32% in 2015. However, gender disparity and youth unemployment remain significant challenges. The EU4Employment programme aims to improve job opportunities for women, youth, and vulnerable groups while enhancing Public Employment Services (PES) through digitalisation and active labour market measures. The significant gender gap highlights the need for targeted interventions to boost female labour market participation and address barriers contributing to higher inactivity rates. By 2026, the programme aims to secure employment for at least 625 individuals and engage 1,200 people in activation and job search initiatives;
👦 👧 Youth in focus: the Youth Guarantee, the only state-level employment policy currently being implemented, aims to improve the transition of young people from education to work. Efforts to enhance employment opportunities have contributed to a decline in the number of young people aged 15-29 not in employment, education, or training (NEETs) to 22.2%. However, the overall NEET rate remains high, with a significant gender disparity – 18.8% of NEETs are male, while 25.9% are female. This highlights the need for more inclusive labour market policies and targeted interventions to address the structural challenges preventing young people, especially young women, from entering the workforce;
💻 Digital skills development: The country faces a significant digital divide, with disparities in ICT infrastructure and resource access among schools, limiting equitable digital learning opportunities. The EU Technical Assistance for VET Education aims to address these challenges by enhancing digital competencies in VET schools, focusing on teacher training and upgrading digital infrastructure.
Priorities for 2025
👉 Support the working group on Qualifications Framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina
👉 Support the development of the Euroguidance and Europass networks
👉 Support the implementation of the SELFIE tool for teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
👉 Provide feedback on outcomes from IPA 2019 projects
👉 Support the implementation of the Growth Plan
👉 Support the implementation of Youth Guarantee action plans