The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation in line with the Decree on organization and the manner of work of public administration, performs, inter alia, administrative tasks related to: creation, establishment and development of the educational system; conditions for the establishment, operation and licensing of institutions in the field of education; organization of the work of educational institutions; norms and standards for financing educational institutions; supplementary education for children of Montenegrin citizens who are in temporary work abroad; mobility of students and academic staff and international cooperation in the field of education; recognition of foreign educational documents on the completion of primary, secondary and higher education; adoption, that is, approval of educational programs for preschool education, primary education, secondary general education, professional education and education of children with special educational needs and education of adults; enrollment policy at public institutions of higher education; education commission for following the matriculation or professional exam; giving consent to general acts of public institutions in the field of education; proposal preparation of regulations in the field of education; publication of textbooks; supervision of the legality of the work of institutions in the field of education; realization of educational and cultural activities of members of minority nations and other minority national communities who live in Montenegro; development and implementation of the National Qualifications Framework in compliance with the European Qualifications Framework; planning and programming, implementation and harmonization of international educational cooperation between Montenegro and other countries; education and professional training of foreigners in Montenegro and Montenegrin citizens abroad, especially young and talented pupils and students; preparation of draft laws, other regulations and general acts in the field of scientific research and innovation activities; participation in the development of draft regulations and preparation of draft regulations related to encouraging the development of research and innovation and improving the status of these activities through other legal solutions; harmonization of domestic regulations with the legal acquis of the European Union in the field of science, research and innovation; etc.

The Ministry defined special organizational units by areas, upon the adoption of the Rulebook on Internal Organization and Systematization. 

Organizational units of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation include:

1. Directorate for Preschool and Primary Education and Upbringing
2. Directorate of General Secondary Education and Vocational Education
3. Directorate for Lifelong Learning
4. Directorate for Higher Education and Student Standard
5. Directorate for Education of Members of Minority People and other Minority National Communities
6. Directorate for International Cooperation, European Integration and EU Funds
7. Directorate for Scientific Research
8. Directorate for Innovation and Smart Specialization
9. Department for Normative and Legal Affairs and Harmonization of Regulations
10. Department for second-degree administrative procedure and supervision
11. Department for Recognition of Foreign Educational documents - ENIC/NARIC center
12. Department of Information and Communication Technologies
13. Internal Audit Department
14. Department for Inclusive Education and Upbringing
15. Cabinet of the Minister
16. Department for Investments and Public Procurement Services
17. Finance and Accounting Department
18. Personnel and General Affairs Department

Pursuant to the Decree on organization and the manner of work of public administration, and in line with its established scope of activities, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation performs monitoring over the independent bodies of authority, specifically: Bureau for Education Services, Centre for Vocational Education, Examination Centre and Office for Textbooks and Teaching Aids.

A number of advisory bodies and executive institutions provide support to the Ministry.

For the purpose of decision-making on technical issues and for professional assistance in decision-making procedures and preparation of regulations in the field of education the Government has established the National Council for Education, in accordance with the General Law on Education. Among other things, the Council adopts educational programmes for education of children with special educational needs; programme for pupils’ homes; educational programmes adapted for adult education; examination catalogues for the verification of national professional qualifications; standards for the preparation of textbooks for preschool education, primary education, secondary general and vocational education and for children with special educational needs; programmes of professional training and development of institutions’ heads; programme for the work of professional associates; instructions for the development of educational programmes; instructions for adapting an educational programme for acquisition of an adult education level; standards of competences of teachers and heads.

The National Council is appointed for the period of four years.

To discuss matters within its competence, the National Council has established its standing working bodies. The standing working bodies include:

• Committee for General Education;

• Committee for Vocational Education;

• Committee for Adult Education.

Temporary working bodies include: commissions, expert groups and other working bodies.

With a view to improving the qualification system, approving and classifying qualifications in the Qualification Framework, the Government of Montenegro has established the Council for Qualifications.

The Council is composed of minimum 11 members, alternating over a four year period, from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, body of public administration responsible for labour affairs, universities, the Employment Agency of Montenegro, Chamber of Economy of Montenegro, representative association of employers, representative trade union organization, Centre for Vocational Education, Bureau for Educational Services and Examination Centre. The president of the Council for Higher Education as well as the president of the National Council for Education are, according to their function, members of the Council.

Among other things, the Council is responsible for:

• Decision-making on classifying qualifications in the Qualifications Framework

• Proposing development and improvement of qualifications to the competent institution

• Decision-making on harmonisation of existing qualifications for the purpose of their classification in the Qualifications Framework

• Monitoring the overall development of the Qualifications Framework

• Adopting methodology documents for classification of qualifications

• Determining the criteria for selecting members of sector commissions

• Adopting instructions and guidelines on the work of sector commissions, harmonising their work and deciding on their proposals

• Adopting act on forming sector commissions

• Considering and adopting reports on the work of sector commissions

Activities of improvement and development of higher education are conducted by Council for Higher Education. The Council is composed of seven members appointed for a period of four years. Members of the Council are appointed from among eminent experts in the area of higher education, science, arts, from among students and the area of economy, social matters and other relevant areas. Representatives from among students are appointed for a period of two years.

Among other things, the Council:

• analyses the condition and achievements in higher education and offer expert proposals to the Ministry and the Government of Montenegro

• provides opinion concerning the proposal of strategy for development of higher education

• prescribes conditions and criteria for appointment to academic titles

• provides opinion on the amount of resources required for funding public higher education institutions and students attending them, for each academic year

• provides opinion on the number of students and the amount of resources required for funding students that attend study programmes of public interest at private higher education institutions, for each academic year;

• provides opinion on regulations in the field of higher education;

• adopts standards for evaluation of institutions in compliance with standards in the European Higher Education Area.

Activities related to quality assurance in higher education shall be carried out by Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education, in compliance with the European Standards and Guidelines.

Among other things, the Agency:

• conducts study programme accreditation procedure and issues a certificate on accreditation of the study programme;

• conducts higher education institution external evaluation procedure and issues a certificate on reaccreditation of the higher education institution based on the reaccreditation report;

• conducts a periodic assessment of quality of licensed higher education institutions’ work, following the request of an authorised body of institution or the Ministry;

• establishes the list of experts for accreditation of study programmes, or reaccreditation of institutions based on a public call;

• cooperates with higher education institutions with regard to matters of quality assurance and quality improvement;

• analyses self-evaluation and external evaluation reports of institutions;

• ranks higher education institutions.