Project “Baden-Württemberg - Bosnia and Herzegovina Vocational Schools Partnership Network” Kick off meeting

At the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sarajevo, on 3 October 2019, commencement of the project “Baden-Württemberg - Bosnia and Herzegovina Vocational Schools Partnership Network” implementation was held.  The project is supported by the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg. The Ministry as a key driver of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) has facilitated a number of projects aimed at developing the region in various fields.

Welcome address was delivered by Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, University of Sarajevo Rector. In his speech, he emphasized that such gatherings are of great importance, because they offer the possibility of looking at the situation as well as the improvement of directed education, whose quality is of great importance for the economic prosperity of our society and the stay of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
State Minister, Theresa Schopper from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuster from the European Foundation for Education, Ramona Neuse from the Representation of the German Economy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Muamer Mahmutović, Sarajevo Canton Chamber of Commerce President, Peter Lehle, Director of the Ellwangen School of Vocational Education Center, Senida Čeljo from Sarajevo High School of Economics, Alisa Gekić, Association for Entrepreneurship and Business LiNK Mostar Director attended the meeting.
The project “Baden-Württemberg - Bosnia and Herzegovina Vocational Schools Partnership Network”, implemented by Kolping Vocational Training and the European Foundation for Education aims to strengthen capacities in vocational education and training in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As the country is struggling with high levels of unemployment and an inadequate relationship between the supply of vocational education and labor market needs, the aim of this project is to align vocational schools' work programs with labor market needs. In the long term, they should systematically involve industry, industry and trade representatives, from the local and regional level, as training partners.
Within the project, three vocational schools from the province of Baden-Württemberg, together with representatives from their partner companies, will support three partner schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over the next two years, the following vocational schools will collaborate on the exchange of best practices and the development of new learning formats: Geislingen Business School (BW), Ellwangen Vocational Education Center (BW), Robert-Bosch Ulm School (BW), Sarajevo High School of Economics ( BiH), Secondary Medical School Mostar (BiH) and Secondary Vocational School Orašje (BiH).