RCF at the Final Conference AHK Road Show 2022 "Dual Education - Fit for Tomorrow"

The Regional Challenge Fund’s Deputy Team Leader, Jelena Manic Radoicic took part in the final conference “Dual education – Fit for tomorrow” which was organized by the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce as part of the “AHK Road Show 2022” project.

Among other eminent guests, the conference welcomed Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Mr. Dennis Kaiser, Head of the Department for Economic Affairs of the German Embassy in Belgrade, and Mr. Branko Ruzic, First Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development.

During the opening speech, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of dual education for the acquisition of practical knowledge much needed in the region’s companies.

She highlighted that Serbia now has two generations of students who went through dual education which resulted in around 70 percent of them being able to find employment immediately upon finishing school in 2020.

Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development pointed up that currently, Serbia has 150 students going through dual education in cooperation with 75 enterprises.

As a panelist, Mrs. Manic Radoicic spoke about the Regional Challenge Fund’s efforts to improve the education conditions in vocational training institutions and boost the competitiveness of enterprises in the region.

Mrs. Manic Radoicic also shared the successful results of the First Call for Expressions of Interest as well as the so far progress of the Second Call, giving the audience an insight into the challenges of the consortia in the application process obtained via a survey conducted among the enterprises supporting consortia.

The Regional Challenge Fund’s Deputy Team Leader stated that the Regional Challenge Fund will continue to listen to the consortia’s needs. Apart from funding modern equipment and infrastructure, RCF will continue to support consortia through the training of teachers and instructors, financial advising, as well as preparation of educational materials.