In Montenegro, by the end of 2013, a competent council adopted: 92 education programmes leading towards the acquisition of vocational qualifications and 71 education programmes leading towards the acquisition key skills. Education programmes that lead towards the acquisition of vocational qualifications are prepared upon the request of Employment Office and employers.

By 2023, a total number of 128 institutions/adult education providers were licensed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation. The structure of licensed adult education providers is as follows:

• 4 primary schools,

• 27 secondary schools,

• 1 institution of upper secondary non tertiary education,

• 3 state universities

• 1 Resource center 

• 92 private institutions.

The number of adult education providers with a license to implement a training programme for obtaining a vocational qualification is 60, whereas 30 licensed providers implement programmes for obtaining key skills.

The Methodology for preparing adult education programme was revised in the end of 2013, allowing for modular structure of programmes and their credit valuation. Programmes are based on learning outcomes and provide the acquisition of basic vocational knowledge and vocational competences as in that manner, with the acquired key competences, an individual can adapt more easily to the requirements of labour market and the need for constant learning and upgrading of their skills and competences.

The basis for a module can be a group of activities from the occupational standard, an area from education or other standard, vocational competence, key competence, one or several key skills. Educational programmes and modules can be divided into learning units, taking into account the similarity (relation) of parts of the programme. Each learning unit has its own credit value. Learning units may be common for several modules, i.e. programmes. All of this allows for transferability and recognition, specifically for persons who acquired a vocational qualification and wish to continue education or for persons who dropped out of education before obtaining a qualification of education level, but are a part of the programme corresponding to the module they successfully completed.

In line with the new methodology, the programmes will be:

-  Mutual responsibility of social partners, i.e. system institutions, educational institutions, employers, trade unions;

- Relevant because they meet the requirements of both labour market and individuals in terms of knowledge, skills, competences and qualifications;

-  Modularised and credit-valued which will allow for the vertical and horizontal mobility;

- Flexible, as they will allow for mobility and progression within the education system. Programmes are carried out in a manner that suits the social and psychological characteristics of adult learning in order to meet their educational needs and remove the learning barriers.

- Functional, as they rely on the previous life and work experience of adults and their life roles and functions according to their goals, outcomes, contents and the manner of implementation;

-  Competence oriented, as they reflect the competences defined in occupational standards and qualification standards or job descriptions and education standards;

-  Outcome oriented, as they define learning outcomes in a clear and unambiguous manner, i.e. what the students know and are capable of doing after completing the education programme;

- Of equal standards – education programmes leading towards national vocational qualifications are based on single (same) occupational and qualification standards and provide for the acquisition of learning outcomes and vocational competences that the standards imply, which enables their recognition in the process of further education and obtaining qualification of education level;

- Open, up to 10% of lessons within the programme may be provided for topical matters of a relevant occupation, matters related to: needs of local community, interests of students, needs of target group, and similar.)

- Inclusive as they may be adapted to vulnerable groups in terms of volume and structure of contents, duration and conditions of implementation.

At the moment, the process of comprehensive reform of methodological documents used in the development of professional qualifications and other non-formal education programmes is carried out within the IPA project.

Within the programme it is necessary to specify the possibility of connecting vocational qualification which is being acquired with other vocational qualifications, or educational programme.

For the improvement of education and training system the following is of particular importance:

-  Implementation of national qualification framework providing for flexible learning paths and

- Development of system for confirmation and recognition of acquired knowledge and skills which will remove the barriers for the mobility of work force and encourage the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competences through various forms of education and learning.

This will allow for the mobility of people who acquired a vocational qualification in Montenegro, on labour market in the Region, and beyond.

DVV International from Germany, in cooperation with the countries of South East Europe, launched Andragogical Regional Academy in 2011. The Andragogical Regional Academy is organised through a number of trainings during several days and include visits to institutions and organisations engaged in adult education. The general goal of the Academy is capacity building and HR development in the area of adult education and lifelong learning.

Specific goals of the Academy include:

-  strengthening the practice of adult education in the Region;

-  establishing a single approach to HR professional development (capacity building and development) in order to connect the countries of the Region in this area;

-   creating a network for the exchange of experiences and information in the area of adult education between the countries of the Region;

-  affirmation of needs for professionalization and professionalism in the area of adult education.

Target groups:

-  heads of adult education institutions (directors and members of management),

-   adult education policy-makers,

-   researchers of educational needs,

-   adult training organisers,

-   educational programme developers,

-   providers of formal, non-formal and informal educational programmes of adults (teachers, trainers and instructors),

-   evaluators of adult education,

-  social partners in adult education (Chamber of Economy, Chamber of Skilled Crafts, Trade Union, local communities, Employment Offices, Union of Employers, NGOs and other partners),

-  media – media workers covering the issue of adult education.

Ten regional academies have been organised so far.

Participants of regional academies include the representatives of Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Slovenia and Kosovo.

Regional Expert Exchange on the topic of Sustainable Development: Recognition and validation of competences acquired through non-formal and informal education – a chance for better economic development, was held on 5 December 2013 in Sarajevo. The conference was held with the support of GIZ Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the possibility to participate was provided to Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia. During the expert exchange, results of the first stage of “Passport Competence” project implemented by GIZ Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, were presented. The underlying goal of the project is the recognition and validation of knowledge, skills and competences of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina obtained through informal education. The event presented examples of good practice concerning the recognition of knowledge, skills and competences obtained through non-formal and informal education, in countries of the Region.

International conference on the topic: Teacher training for adult education – European model, was held from 17 to 18 September 2014 in Sarajevo. The goal of this meeting was the exchange and support among participating countries in terms of standardisation and harmonisation of training/qualifications for adult education teachers. The conference was held with the support of GIZ Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina and DVV International from Germany, and the possibility to participate was provided to Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo. The conference presented examples of good practice concerning the professionalization of teaching staff in the participating countries.

In 2016 Montenegro hosted a regional expert exchange on the topic of “Unemployment and Adult Education” with the support of DVV International. The conference was held on 29 and 30 September in Podgorica and it resulted in recommendations for the further development of adult education both at national andregional level.

Regional andragogical academies have become regular gatherings ofexperts in the field of adult education. The last meeting of Council of Andragogical Regional Academy (ARA) was held on 12 November in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.