DVV International – Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina is taking part in the two-day conference “The Future of VET: A Shared Responsibility”, held on October 14–15, 2025, in Zenica. The conference is jointly organized by OeAD – Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation, GIZ, GOPA Worldwide Consultants, the Embassy of Switzerland, and the Regional Challenge Fund, in cooperation with the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Director of DVV International – Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dženita Džano, is participating as a panelist in the discussion titled “The Voice of Business in Shaping the Future of VET: Intersectoral Approach for Smart VET Governance”, alongside representatives from the business sector, educational institutions, and international organizations. In her presentation, she emphasized the importance of linking initial vocational education and training (IVET) with lifelong learning (LLL) to create a flexible and sustainable lifelong learning system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She highlighted: “Bosnia and Herzegovina has significant human and institutional capacities, but adult education is still not sufficiently integrated into development policies, nor aligned with the actual needs of the labor market. It is necessary to improve cooperation between institutions, education providers, employers, and civil society, which will lead to joint initiatives and a more inclusive approach to lifelong learning.”
The panel discussion particularly emphasized that the development of modern vocational education requires close cooperation between ministries, schools, adult education centers, economic actors, and the non-governmental sector, with a strong focus on quality, learning outcomes, and labor market needs. DVV International, as a leading organization in the field of adult education, actively contributes to this process through projects aimed at strengthening institutional capacities, professionalizing staff, and promoting lifelong learning.
The conference once again confirmed the importance of such gatherings in today’s societal context. In times of rapid change and constant labor market demands, these events provide space for dialogue, joint planning, and the development of learning systems that offer opportunities for everyone – youth, adults, and older generations – to remain active and socially included. Adult education thus becomes a key prerequisite for social well-being and economic development, and its importance must be recognized as a shared responsibility across all sectors.
The conference brought together representatives of relevant ministries, chambers of commerce, international partners, and experts in education and employment, with the central theme focused on the future of vocational education in light of European trends, digital transformation, and labor market needs.