7th Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms on Education and Training & Research an

The Minister of Education and Culture, Dr. Dane Malešević and the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Alen Šeranić will participate at the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms on Education and Training & Research and Innovation, which will be held on 25-26 June in Brussels. The meeting is organized by the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sports and Culture of the European Commission.

"The meeting will discuss reforms in education in the Western Balkans, activities organized within the framework of the Platform, on the engagement of the European Union in the framework of the New Strategy for the Western Balkans."

The meeting in Brussels is a continuation of the initiative that began in 2012 in Danilovgrad, which refers to cooperation in the field of education and training within the Western Balkans. These meetings aim to identify common priorities at the Regional level, and also to develop ideas that could serve as topics of interest for potential joint projects through the support of the EU funds. The basic goal of the Platform is to exchange the experiences and good practices as well as to achieve regional cooperation in solving similar issues.

Since its launch in 2012, the European Commission organises an annual high-level meeting of the Western Balkans Platform on Education and Training. All Ministers of Education in the region are invited to review the state of educational reforms in their countries, learn about the latest strategies in the EU, identify priorities, agree on follow-up to be given to studies/reports as well as to cooperate on activities undertaken by the Platform. A main objective of the Platform is to share experience, good practice and engage in regional cooperation on tackling similar issues. For more information on the Western Balkans Platform on Education and Training.

The Steering Platform on Research and Innovation for the Western Balkans is a strategic body to deal with European, multilateral and regional issues of Science, Technology and Innovation policies in and with the Western Balkans. It acts as an information exchange centre, clearing house for joint ideas and activities, and coordination forum for needs, suggestions and proposals of the Western Balkans to the European Commission, the EU Member States, candidate and potential candidate countries and the countries associated to Horizon 2020 and vice versa.

The joint Ministerial meeting in Brussels will start on 25 June with the research part, and last until 26 June with the education part. An official dinner will take place on 25 June in the evening, and it will be hosted by Commissioner Navracsics and Commissioner Moedas.