Experts gathered within the Intercantonal Focus Group for the Improvement of Secondary Vocational Education (MFG) held a two-day meeting on September 30 and October 1, 2025, during which they finalized the Proposal of the Incentive Model for Business Entities Participating in Practical Training within the Dual Secondary Vocational Education System in the Federation of BiH, harmonized the action plan, and exchanged experiences with guests from the Republic of Croatia.
The proposed incentive models are the result of several months of work and are based on a combination of research involving 162 business entities, analysis of existing regulations and institutional capacities, as well as consultations with domestic and international experts. Examples of good practices from countries with similar contexts, as well as from the EU, were also taken into account. The goal of the model is to ensure a sustainable partnership between education and the economy through efficient, financially viable, and targeted support measures for business entities involved in organizing practical training.
During the meeting, MFG members, with the support of experts in secondary vocational education and finance, also defined priority proposals for the systemic integration of incentives and agreed on an action plan for their future implementation.
A special contribution to the meeting was made by guests from Croatia.
Ms. Danijela Žagar, Head of the Department for the Promotion and Development of Entrepreneurship and Crafts at the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Croatia, presented the vocational education system and incentive measures implemented in Croatia to strengthen cooperation between education and the economy. In her presentation, she reflected on lessons learned and emphasized the importance of a systemic approach and partnership between educational institutions, businesses, and government bodies in creating a high-quality and sustainable vocational education model.
Mr. Tihomil Jurica Bader, Head of the Department for European Affairs and International Cooperation in the Field of Pension and Social Security Systems at the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy of the Republic of Croatia, delivered a presentation titled “Pension Insurance of Students During Work-Based Learning – Legal Framework and Practice in the Republic of Croatia.”
He presented the legal framework regulating pension and health insurance of students as insured persons in cases of loss or reduction of work ability caused by workplace injuries or occupational diseases during work-based learning or practical training with an employer. He also explained the obligations related to the calculation and payment of these specific contributions, the rights that students acquire under pension and health insurance, and the procedures for exercising these rights.
Ms. Ena Kunić, Advisor for the SEDEP Program providing technical and legal support to the MFG, emphasized that the meeting, thanks to constructive discussions and experience sharing, further strengthened inter-institutional and regional cooperation and made a significant contribution to the ongoing development of an effective and sustainable dual education model in the Federation of BiH. As she noted, the discussions resulted in concrete conclusions and clearly defined next steps.
Inspired by good practices and open dialogue, MFG members, with the technical and expert support of the SEDEP Program, continue to work on solutions that will provide young people with quality education and employers with competent and work-ready human resources.
