The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr. Đuro Macut, paid an official visit today to the National Entity for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (NEAQA), where he met with the management of NEAQA and representatives of the Accreditation Commission to discuss current issues related to the enhancement of the quality assurance system in higher education in the Republic of Serbia.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Macut emphasized the importance of NEAQA’s institutional, organizational, and financial independence, stressing that the Government of the Republic of Serbia fully respects this independence, which is guaranteed by the Law on Higher Education. He pointed out that the independence of NEAQA represents one of the key prerequisites for the effective functioning of the quality assurance system and for strengthening confidence in accreditation and external quality assurance procedures.
The Prime Minister also underlined that the Government of the Republic of Serbia supports NEAQA’s efforts aimed at regaining full membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) as soon as possible. He highlighted that continuous alignment with European standards and guidelines is of great importance for the international recognition of Serbia’s higher education system.
The discussion particularly emphasized that NEAQA should consistently conduct its work in accordance with the Law on Higher Education and all relevant secondary legislation governing higher education, and that rules and standards must apply equally and without exception to all higher education institutions in the Republic of Serbia.
Prime Minister Macut stressed that quality in higher education has no alternative and that NEAQA, together with its expert bodies and professional services, should be recognized as an institution of exceptional importance for the overall development of higher education. On this occasion, he encouraged the management of NEAQA to continue activities aimed at higher education institutions in order to further strengthen and promote a culture of quality in higher education.
Representing the management of NEAQA at the meeting were Prof. Dr. Nebojša Zdravković, Director of NEAQA, and Prof. Dr. Stefan Milojević, Head of the Director’s Office and Assistant Director for Initial Accreditation, Accreditation, and External Quality Assurance Affairs.
Representing the Accreditation Commission, the expert body of NEAQA, were Prof. Dr. Predrag Mirković, Chair of the Accreditation Commission, as well as Subcommittee Coordinators Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Kupusinac and Prof. Dr. Snežana Rajković.
The meeting was also attended by Assistant Minister of Education Assist. Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Jović.
During the discussions, views were exchanged on current challenges in the field of quality assurance in higher education, as well as on opportunities for further strengthening NEAQA’s institutional capacities. The participants agreed that the consistent implementation of legal regulations, the advancement of a quality culture, and adherence to the highest academic standards are fundamental prerequisites for the further development of higher education in the Republic of Serbia.