According to the Law on the Education System Foundations, adult education teachers and trainers have the right and obligation to participate in professional development programmes, organised in the same way as those for teachers in primary and secondary education. Detailed conditions on professional development for all teachers are defined in the Bylaw on Continuing professional development of teachers and education staff. 

Several national bodies oversee and support continuing professional development (CPD) for adult education teachers and trainers: 

• The Institute for the Improvement of Education
• The Centre for Vocational and Adult Education (within the Institute for the Improvement of Education)
• The Council for Vocational and Adult Education
• The Ministry of Education 

CPD for teachers and trainers in adult education has been recognised as one of the most important factors in improving employability, professional mobility and social inclusion within the education system. CPD in adult education includes specialised training to address the unique needs of adult learners. 

In Serbia, CPD programmes for teachers and trainers working in adult education are accredited by the Institute for the Improvement of Education. 

The Institute plays a central role in developing and accrediting CPD programmes, as well as determining standards in vocational competences and professional development in adult education. The Institute publishes a Catalogue of accredited CPD programmes, with programmes for all teachers categorised into nine priority areas and 22 competence groups. These priority areas cover a wide range of topics, including quality assurance, knowledge transfer, accreditation, teaching and learning approaches, monitoring etc. Some training programmes may focus on adult learning methodologies, vocational skills and innovative teaching practices in adult education. 

Certain priority areas are especially relevant for teachers and trainers in adult education, such as: 

• P2: Strengthening competencies for assessing the effectiveness of educational and instructional work and achievements of students/adults (monitoring of progress, self-assessment, formative assessment, peer assessment)
• P3: Developing methods for working with students/adults that promote functional knowledge, skills and attitudes (e.g. competency- and outcome-oriented learning and teaching, active learning, research methods, thematic teaching, project-based learning)
• P4: Improving subject-specific, pedagogical and psychological knowledge among education staff 

Examples of training programmes in these priority areas include: 

• Training of Teachers and Non-teaching Professionals for Working with Adult Learners
• Assessment of Achievements in Adult Education
• Planning and Implementation of Activities in Adult Education
• Encouraging Adults to Learn Project-oriented Instruction in Basic Adult Education
• Communication and Group Dynamics in Adult Education 

Additionally, there are programmes created by top-level authorities (the Institute for the Evaluation of Quality in Education or the Ministry of Education). There are also other formats of CPD programmes, including: 

1. In-school training, workshops or seminars
2. Collaboration with international partners like the European Training Foundation (ETF)
3. Participation in the EPALE network (Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe) 

Serbia’s participation in European initiatives, such as EPALE and the Bologna Process, reflects its efforts to integrate CPD for adult education into broader educational frameworks. 

Serbia joined EPALE in 2017, enabling teachers and trainers to exchange experiences and access relevant resources. This enhances opportunities for international collaboration and resource sharing. Today, it is a modern international platform, recently made available in Serbian as well. Its significance lies in numerous online opportunities for connecting with other professionals and organisations in the field of adult education, organising training sessions, webinars, and conferences, as well as providing access to a wide range of resources for work and learning. 

From 2010 to 2013, relevant stakeholders in Serbia implemented the “Second Chance” project, which provided training for 1,355 primary and secondary school teachers in order to prepare them for working with adults within the general education programme. 

One of the main objectives of the project was to establish a system of basic functional adult education in Serbia which is accessible, adaptable to the needs of adult learners, focused on life skills and competencies and based upon lifelong learning.