Since 2013 the Republic of Macedonia participates in EUROPASS. The National Europass Centre (NEC) is within the National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility. In November 2013 the NEC launched the national Europass portal, europass.mk.
In 2013 the Republic of Macedonia became member of the Eurydice network with the National Eurydice Unit (NEU) within the National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility. The NEU provided description of the structure of the educational system of the country for the Eyripedia and periodical updates. The publications: Developing Key Competences at School in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities for Policy, EHEA: Bologna Process Implementation Report, Modernization of the Higher Education in Europe 2011: Funding and the Social Dimension, Key Data for Learning and Innovation through ICT in Schools in Europe) were translated into Macedonian language and are available on the Eurydice portal. In 2014, the NEU contributed to several Eurydice publications with input on the Macedonian situation: School Evaluation, School and Academic Calendar, Teachers and School Heads Salaries. In the course of 2015, the country participated in the following Eurydice reports: Entrepreneurship Education, Fees and Support in Higher Education, Teaching profession, Eurydice diagrams, Teachers and School Heads Salaries, and Instruction Time in ISCED levels 1, 2 and 3.
As of 2014 the National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility is building capacities for implementation of the Euroguidance initiative with focus on: promotion of the European dimension in lifelong learning, provision of quality information on lifelong guidance and mobility for learning purposes, provision and maintaining input to the joint EQF/Ploteus Portal, defining the target groups for promotion and support at national level, and contribution with relevant content for the www.euroguidance.eu portal. Separate section for the Euroguidance initiative is published on the portal of the Agency (http://na.org.mk/index.php/mk/euroguidance.html). Currently the Agency is collecting data for the part Study in Macedonia, to be published on the website http://euroguidance.eu/study-in-europe/national-websites/ in the course of 2016.
The quality of the Macedonian Qualifications Framework depends on: 1) the quality of the national system of education and training and 2) the quality of the MQF procedures and processes.
1) Dependence of the MQF on the quality of the system of education and training
The quality assurance system of education and training is regulated with national legislation. It covers three phases: input, process and output.
Input phase
Validation and accreditation procedures defined and regulated at national level
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Accreditation of educational institutions - the Ministry of Education and Science runs accreditation procedures for the schools for primary education, secondary education and for the providers of special programmes for adult education. The verified institutions and providers are entered in the respective registers run by the Ministry of Education and Science. More information is provided in Chapter 2.
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Accreditation of educational programmes – Curricula for primary and secondary education are developed by the Bureau for Development of Education and/or the VET Centre and approved by the Minister of Education and Science. They are based on standards, objectives and expected results. The (2013) reformed vocational programmes for occupations (3-year) are based on learning outcomes, and are linked with qualifications standards and occupational standards.
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The prоviders of adult education provide special programmes for adult education verified by the Centre for Adult Education.
Accreditation in higher education - Higher education institutions and study programmes are accredited by the Board for Accreditation and Evaluation of Higher Education in accordance with the Rulebook on Criteria for Accreditation and External Evaluation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programmes developed in accordance with the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ESG). Curricula are based on learning outcomes.
Process phase
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The implementation of curricula for primary and secondary education is supported and monitored by advisors from the Bureau for Development of Education, the VET Centre and the State Educational Inspectorate. In higher education the quality of the implementation of the study programmes is assessed within the institutional self-evaluations.
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Teacher training/re-training is provided by advisors of the Bureau for Development of Education, the VET Centre and independent providers selected by the BDE or the VET Centre. Continuous professional development of academic staff is inherent to the institutional strategies of the universities.
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Educational institutions implement self-evaluation procedures in accordance with the legislation (More information is provided in Chapter 2, EQF Criterion 5).
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The State Educational Inspectorate performs integral evaluation of primary and secondary schools on the basis of school self-evaluation reports. The Board for Accreditation and Evaluation of Higher Education is responsible for external evaluation of higher education institutions.
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The Centre for Adult Education monitors the implementation of the special programmes for adult education.
Output phase
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On a yearly base external assessment of students’ achievements in primary and secondary education is realized by the National Examination Centre and the schools.
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Secondary education is completed by passing State Matura Exam/School Matura Exam/Final Exam. The National Examination Centre is involved in the external part of the exams.
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The Republic of Macedonia participates in the international assessments: PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS.
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In higher education the form and the content of the examination reflect the aims and the working methods of the respective subject and the study programme and enable individual assessment of the achieved learning outcomes.
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The participants in adult education and training are assessed on a continuous basis and through final demonstration of learning outcomes.
The summary overview of the components of the quality assurance system in education and training is provided on the table below:
Table 36: Components of the quality assurance system in education and training
Input phase
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Process phase
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Output phase
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Accreditation of institutions and programmes for primary and secondary education by the Ministry of Education and Science
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Self-evaluation of school performed by the school
Integral evaluation (external evaluation) performed by the State Educational Inspectorate
Continuous professional development of teachers/trainers
Counseling of students and parents performed by the Pedagogical service in accordance with respective programmes
Development of ‘local curriculum’: adjustment of the curricula to the needs and the specificity of the local communities
Updating of programmes according to the new socio-economic developments
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External assessment of students’ achievements by the National Examination Centre and the schools.
Matriculation exams: State Matura Exam/School Matura Exam/Final Exam. National Examination Centre involved in the external part of the exams.
Participation in international assessments: PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS.
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Accreditation of higher education institutions and study programmes by the Board for Accreditation and Evaluation of Higher Education
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The quality of the implementation of the study programmes is assessed within the institutional self-evaluation.
Continuous professional development of academic staff.
External evaluation performed the Board for Accreditation and Evaluation of Higher Education.
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The form and the content of examination reflect the aims and the working methods of the respective subject and the study programme and enable individual assessment of the achieved learning outcomes.
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Accreditation of providers of non-formal education by the Ministry of Education and Science.
Accreditation of special programmes for adult education by the Centre for Adult Education
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The Centre for Adult Education monitors the implementation of the special programmes for adult education.
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The participants are assessed on a continuous basis.
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2) Dependence of the MQF on the quality of the procedures and processes for development and implementation of the Framework
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Stakeholders involvement – in consultations and in the development of the Macedonian Qualifications Framework – Baselines, in public debates, in preparation of documents and procedures. More details are presented in the Sub-Chapter 3.3 and the Sub-Chapter 3.4.
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National and international experts - the national expertise and understanding of the national context of all stakeholders was combined with input from the international experts on the best practice and lessons learnt from the NQF development and referencing processes. More details are presented in the Sub-Chapters 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.
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Legal basis – The Law on the National Qualifications Framework was adopted in October 2013.
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Standards – development of occupational standards is in line with the labour market needs and involves the relevant stakeholders, in particular employers. In support to the standards of qualifications, the documents: Procedure for Development of Qualifications, Format of Qualifications, Protocol for Cooperation among the Stakeholders Involved in the Process of MQF and Methodology for Including Qualifications in MQF were developed.
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Curricula – curricula development is based on leaning outcomes and on standards (occupational, qualification, educational, educational profiles) and other documents. Coherence between programmes and qualification / occupational standards differs: newer VET programmes tend to be systematically better articulated with requirements from the market and their design involves players from the industry / sectors.
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Assessment and awarding criteria and procedures – the procedures are compliant with the principles of fairness, validity and reliability. Attention is paid to well-designed assessment criteria and procedures, profile and training of assessors and quality of assessment materials.
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Register of qualifications – only the qualifications that comply with the criteria are entered in the Register.
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Institutions responsible for quality assurance - National Board for the Macedonian Qualifications Framework and Sectoral Qualifications Councils have important role in the quality of MQF.
More information on quality assurance in the Macedonian education and training system is provided in Chapter 2.
Figure 5. Schematic presentation of the MQF structure and processes
 
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