The National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (hereinafter: NAT), with the aim of improving the quality of higher education and enhancing the accreditation process, on 7 March 2025 sent an invitation to all accredited higher education institutions in the Republic of Serbia to submit proposals for amendments and supplements to the Rulebook on Standards and Procedures for the Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programs.
A significant number of higher education institutions (over 200 HEIs) submitted their proposals, which were considered by NAT’s expert body at meetings held throughout 2025.
Based on the submitted proposals of higher education institutions, as well as proposals from NAT’s Professional Service and the Commission for Accreditation and Quality Assurance, NAT’s expert body prepared drafts of the following rulebooks:
- Rulebook on Standards for Initial Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programs;
- Rulebook on Standards and Procedures for the Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions;
- Rulebook on Standards and Procedures for the Accreditation of Study Programs;
- Rulebook on Standards and Procedures for External Quality Assurance;
- Rulebook on the Conditions, Manner of Implementation, and Verification of Short Study Programs and Micro-Credentials.
The aforementioned drafts were adopted by NAT’s expert body at the meeting held on 19 January 2026, after which they were approved by a Decision of the Management Board of the National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education dated 21 January 2026.
In accordance with the procedure prescribed by Article 12, paragraph 1 of the Law on Higher Education (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, Nos. 88/17, 73/18, 27/18 – other law, 67/19, 6/20 – other laws, 11/21 – authentic interpretation, 67/21, 67/21 – other law, 76/23 and 19/25), NAT submitted the said drafts to the National Council for Higher Education for adoption.
At its session held on 23 January 2026, the National Council for Higher Education adopted the following rulebooks:
- Rulebook on Standards for Initial Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programs;
- Rulebook on Standards and Procedures for the Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions;
- Rulebook on Standards and Procedures for the Accreditation of Study Programs;
- Rulebook on Standards and Procedures for External Quality Assurance;
- Rulebook on the Conditions, Manner of Implementation, and Verification of Short Study Programs and Micro-Credentials.
The said rulebooks were published today in the “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia” and shall enter into force eight days from the date of publication.
The new rulebooks shall apply to all applications submitted by higher education institutions to the National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education from the date they enter into force.
Within the next month, NAT will organize an online, real-time presentation via an appropriate electronic platform regarding the content of the newly adopted rulebooks, intended for higher education institutions, the business sector (labor market), and students.
We invite all interested parties to familiarize themselves with the content of the aforementioned rulebooks published in the “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia,” in order to ensure their proper and consistent application and to align the work and procedures of higher education institutions with the applicable regulatory framework.