THE HARMONIZATION AND MODERNIZATION OF THE CURRICULUM FOR TEACHER TRAINING IN SERBIA THROUGH TEMPUS TEACH PROJECT

According to the Strategy of Development of Education in Serbia until 2020. ("Off. Gazette of RS", no. 107/2012) modernization programs of study is defined as a continuous process required to secure the agreement between the expected learning outcomes and the competencies required of graduates, according to the practical needs and the labor market. The paper presents the process of harmonization and modernization of study programs for teacher training in Serbia Tempus TECH project (Harmonization of Preschool Teacher Education Curricula in Serbia (TEACH) 544141-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-RS-TEMPUS-JPCR), which was launched in late 2013. The project involves four high schools for the education of educators from Serbia, in partnership with the Metropolitan University of Manchester (UK), University of Maribor (Slovenia), the High School for teachers in Baja (Hungary) and the Western Balkans Institute WEBIN from Belgrade (Serbia) and with the financial support of the European Commission, through the TEMPUS program. Project activities are aimed at the harmonization of curricula and reduce existing differences, especially in the expected outcomes or competence of graduates, allowing for greater horizontal and vertical mobility of students, as well as the modernization and approximation of standards of education of teachers in Europe. The first step in the project implied the development of the methodology for comparative analysis of the curriculum, which was carried out at two levels: at the level of the elements of the study program and the level of learning outcomes - competencies that students gain by attending these study programs.

The process of defining a framework for harmonization lasted from March 2014 to January 2015 and included several phases:
a) a comparison of current curricula implemented in the high schools involved in the project;
b) understanding of the needs of the world of work and the perspective of the students;
c) workshops to define the elements of the Framework;
d) development of the official project document framework for harmonization of curricula of study programs for the education of teachers in high schools of vocational studies in Serbia.

Frames are defined structural and quantitative elements of the curriculum and list of expected generic competences, which have been identified as particularly important area of compliance. Defining a list of generic competencies is the result of intense activity at the level of each school and at the level of the project team, with the technical expertise of representatives of foreign partners. Generic competences have been the basis for updating the syllabus in the curricula, particularly in defining the objectives and learning outcomes, providing a more complete realization of the expected outcomes of the study program. Creating a new framework is part of the first phase of harmonization of curricula of study programs for teacher training and a prerequisite for the commencement of the second phase in which schools will prepare plans for the harmonization and start the process of accreditation of innovated study programs. Benefit of the project is to improve the educational process and benefit from it will have, not only professors who are direct participants, but also students and teachers as the ultimate beneficiaries of the project. Exchange of experiences during the project contributes to a better linking of higher education in Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia and England.