Representatives from the Council of Europe’s Education Department held two important meetings in Montenegro this week, strengthening the partnerships with national education institutions and laying the foundation for future collaboration on key educational initiatives.
The Minister of Education, Science, and Innovation, Anđela Jakšić-Stojanović welcomed Ms. Sarah Keating, Head of the Division for Formal and Non-Formal Education at the Council of Europe, and Ms. Lejla Dervišagić, Head of the Council of Europe’s Program Office in Podgorica. They were joined by Marko Vukašinović, Director General in the Directorate for International Cooperation, European Integration and EU Funds.
A key topic was the upcoming conference, organised as part of the “European Space for Citizenship Education” which Montenegro will host on October 13–14 2025. The conference will explore the role of educators in fostering democratic values and active citizenship with a focus on educators.
The Minister also highlighted Montenegro’s forthcoming presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers (November 2026 - May 2027), emphasising the importance of the Ministry’s active participation in both regional and wider European education priorities. Ms Keating also met with the leadership of the Institute for Education of Montenegro, including Director Raba Hodžić and Deputy Director Gordana Tmušić Radulović and discussed ongoing cooperation with the Council of Europe, including the “Quality Education for All” project, funded through the joint EU/CoE programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, and the “Prevent bullying and violence in schools in Montenegro” project, funded by Germany. Both initiatives are designed to raise educational standards and address critical social challenges in schools.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to highlight the successful implementation of the third phase of the EU/CoE Joint programme, as well as to announce preparatory activities for future co-operation projects, which will focus, among other topics, on integrating artificial intelligence in education.
Both meetings underscored the strong cooperation between Montenegrin institutions and the Council of Europe, with all parties reaffirming their commitment to continuing joint efforts to enhance the quality, inclusivity, and relevance of education in Montenegro.
