A Regional Dialogue on education policies in the Western Balkans, titled “From Data Insights to Policy Action: Co-creating Solutions for Quality Education in the Western Balkans,” was held in Skopje, North Macedonia, on 4-5 November.
The event was organised by the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, the OECD, the Ministry of Education of North Macedonia, as well as the ministries of education of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia. Participants included senior representatives of relevant ministries, international organisations, and development partners.
The Institute for Education Quality and Evaluation was represented by Danijela Đukić, Assistant Director for International and National Assessments and Research and Development Affairs.
The dialogue aimed to identify key challenges in the region’s education system, exchange good practices, and define concrete measures to improve teaching and learning, based on the analysis of results from the PISA 2022 and TALIS 2024 international assessments.
Participants reached agreement on a set of shared regional priorities that will shape future work in the field of education.
Key outcomes include the development of a regional analytical document, the establishment of mechanisms for regular data exchange, the strengthening of inclusiveness and equity in education, and the continuation of evidence-based cooperation to enhance the competencies of both students and teachers.
The regional dialogue in Skopje marks an important step in increasing educational cooperation among Western Balkan countries. The agreed priorities lay the groundwork for concrete measures in each country and contribute to steering education policies towards more equitable and higher-quality education.
