Discussions on the enhancement of higher education and further alignment with European standards
As part of the official visit of the President of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), Prof. Daniela Cristina Ghițulică, PhD, to the National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (NEAQA), meetings with the highest state officials of the Republic of Serbia were held on Wednesday, 6 May 2026.
The ENQA President met with the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić. The meeting was dedicated to the legislative framework, the development of the quality assurance system and the further enhancement of higher education in the Republic of Serbia in line with European principles and practice.
The discussion particularly highlighted the importance of a stable and clear legislative framework for the work of NEAQA, as well as for the further alignment of the accreditation and external quality assurance system with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). The meeting was also attended by representatives of the NEAQA management.
On the same day, the ENQA President also met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Đuro Macut, PhD. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Education, Prof. Dejan Vuk Stanković, PhD, the Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, Academician Prof. Béla Balint, PhD, and the Director of NEAQA, Prof. Nebojša Zdravković, PhD.
As stated in the press release of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the discussion focused on the enhancement of the higher education system and further alignment with European standards in the field of quality assurance. The Prime Minister emphasised the Government’s commitment to improving the education system, developing science and creating conditions for better cooperation between universities and international academic communities.
The Prime Minister underlined that enhancing the quality of higher education and strengthening the capacities of universities are important prerequisites for Serbia’s long-term development, and that NEAQA’s full membership in ENQA would be an important step in that process. The ENQA President stated that ENQA supports Serbia’s commitment to further enhancing the quality of higher education in line with European standards.
The meetings with the President of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister represented an important part of the official visit of the ENQA President and confirmed the importance of institutional support for the further development of the quality assurance system in higher education in the Republic of Serbia.
These discussions are particularly significant in view of NEAQA’s activities aimed at further improving standards and procedures, strengthening the independence, transparency and consistency of accreditation procedures, and preparing for regaining full membership in ENQA and registration in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR).