12 Projects Across Bosnia and Herzegovina Awarded Nearly €5 Million

12 projects across Bosnia and Herzegovina awarded nearly €5 million to advance vocational education and training

At a formal ceremony held in Sarajevo today, grants were awarded to 12 of the most successful projects from Bosnia and Herzegovina under the fourth call of the Regional Challenge Fund (RCF), with a total value of approximately €4.9 million.

With the highest total amount of funding awarded and the largest number of supported projects in the Western Balkans region, Bosnia and Herzegovina has emerged as a standout performer. The supported projects bring together vocational education and training (VET) institutions and companies to enhance workforce skills and strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic economy.

Addressing the audience, President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ahmet Egrlić, emphasized that this link between education and business is key to long-term development.

“Our companies’ readiness to improve cooperative education programmes and the quality of student training is best reflected in this fourth call. This represents significant progress, and thanks to these funds, educational institutions will secure new equipment and machinery necessary for students’ practical training,” said Egrlić.

At a time when employers are increasingly facing challenges finding  qualified workers, while young people are seeking opportunities encouraging them to stay in the country; this type of support is transforming the way we learn and work. Grants have been awarded to consortia bringing together schools, universities, and companies to jointly develop programmes aligned with real labour market needs. These projects introduce a model in which pupils and students gain knowledge directly through collaboration with businesses, both in classrooms and in the workplace.

The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Alfred Grannas, stressed the importance of investing in people and knowledge as the foundation of any stable economy, while the Ambassador of Switzerland to Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Gabriele Derighetti, further underlined the importance of joint action to ensure quality education and employment opportunities for young people.

“Modernising vocational education is also a direct contribution to reforms on the path toward the European Union. Investing in knowledge and people is key to a prosperous and European future for Bosnia and Herzegovina. I am pleased that we are successfully implementing the Regional Challenge Fund, both in BiH and across the Western Balkans. This is yet another example of a strong and long-standing partnership, and we believe our cooperation will continue to contribute to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress on its European path,” said Ambassador Grannas.

Ambassador Derighetti added that it is encouraging to see the private sector in BiH increasingly willing to participate in such activities, noting that alongside the growing number of applications, their quality has also improved.

An important segment of the event was a panel discussion with representatives of relevant ministries of education from different parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on challenges and opportunities for improving vocational education, as well as the role of international projects in education system reform.

Western Balkans 6 Chambers Investment Forum RCF Project Coordinator Balša Ćulafić highlighted that such cooperation models are already delivering tangible results across the region: “This is another important step in strengthening the skills needed in the labour market. The fourth call has achieved very strong results – so far, we have supported 24 projects with nearly €10 million. This is a clear signal that we are investing where the greatest potential lies: in the development of industry, new competencies, and smart manufacturing. These skills are essential for the competitiveness of companies.”

Out of a total of 187 applications from the Western Balkans region, 32 came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which 12 were selected for funding. The projects span the entire country, from Banja Luka and Bijeljina, through Sarajevo and Travnik, to Mostar, Ljubuški, and Tuzla, involving more than 70 companies.

The awarded programmes focus on occupations and skills that are in particularly high demand today: from CNC operators and welders, to electrical engineering and mechatronics, as well as production digitalisation and green technologies. What sets them apart is their strong practical orientation, pupils and students will not only learn from textbooks, but also through hands-on experience using modern equipment and through direct collaboration with companies. Check here to lear more about the projects awareded from BH after the RCF 4th Call.

The Regional Challenge Fund was launched six years ago with the aim of helping Western Balkan economies catch up with the European market by investing in knowledge and skills. Across the four cycles to date, a total of 24 projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been supported, with investments of nearly €10 million and partnerships involving around 150 companies.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commissioned 73.4 million euros for the Regional Challenge Fund, and the Swiss Government, represented by the SDC Swiss Development Cooperation, co-financed an additional 10 million euros. The funds were commissioned to the KfW Development Bank and executed by the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6-CIF).

For more information, please follow the Regional Challenge Fund via its official social media channels Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.  and website.