Duration: 3 years (December 2013 – November 2016)
Scope: International
Type: Joint Projects – Curricular Reform
The aim of the project Strengthening Higher Education for Social Policy making and Social Services delivery (SHESPSS) is to strengthen higher education in the field of social policy making and social services delivery through developing new study programmes, improving existing study programmes and establishing effective links between academic programs and social/labour market needs.
The aim of the project will be achieved through the completion of the set of specific objectives:
- Introducing new study programmes and courses in the area of social policy making and social work (B.A. & M.A. level),
- Improving existing study programmes in the area of social policy making and social work (B.A., M.A. & Ph.D. level),
- Diversifying education in the field of social policy, social work and social pedagogy enabling graduates to work on variety of tasks and with variety of groups that need different kinds of social services,
- Initiating and preparing material for the future national qualification standards and mutually adjusting national jobs classification and educational profiles of students in the field of social policy and social services provision.
Project activities include:
- Realization of base line study and mapping of the social and labour market needs, including mapping of existing study programmes and mobility paths for students between study programmes, aimed to offer future models for introduction of Qualification Standards for jobs and education in Serbia within social services delivery;
- Strengthening the capability of Serbian Universities for teaching in new and existing curriculum will be carried out through teacher training;
- New study programmes and courses, developed and piloted through the project, will be subjected to quality control and prepared for accreditation of study programmes;
- Dissemination of project results; and
- Management activities.
It is expected that SHESPSS will contribute to strengthening higher education in the field of social policy making and social services delivery, so that Serbian society can improve policy making and services delivery to an extent where recipients of social services and assistance will be helped to become active citizen - and if possible for the persons between 16-65 years – to be a part of the workforce or enrolled in education.
Today in Serbia only University of Belgrade offers study programmes at B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. level in the field of social policy making and social work. Around 100 students are enrolled every year at B.A. leve, 20 students are enrolled at M.A. and Ph.D. level. Besides these study programmes, University of Novi Sad and University of Kragujevac are offering a number of B.A. courses in social pedagogy. It is estimated that around 20 students each year are enrolled in courses focusing on social pedagogy. The SHESPSS project should, in a few years, more than triple the number of students in the field of social work, enrolled in higher education in Serbia at B.A. and M.A. level. Furthermore the SHESPSS project will contribute to developing courses in social policy making for already educated professionals - social workers and governmental officials.