ECO NET in Serbia
(2005-2006)

ECO NET Serbia began in February 2005 and is characterised by close cooperation with the GTZ (German Society for Technical Cooperation). GTZ has now introduced the occupational profile "Financial Administrator and Business Administrator" at 28 pilot schools with corresponding curricula. For ECO NET Serbia a unique chance has arisen to use the infrastructure created at the schools by GTZ and, building on the learning office work within the framework of ECO NET, to intensify the networking as well as the external contacts in the training firms. One Economics School each from Nis, Uzice, Sopot, Becej and Belgrade are taking part in the pilot project.

Right at the beginning of the implementation phase, the five pilot schools took part in the international trade fair in Freistadt. After that, an introductory seminar provided know-how about the networking of training firms and illustrated various payment methods. In the seminar "Subject Teaching Methods and Business Management", the participants' knowledge of business management was extended by drawing up a business plan. In order to make the office work involved in the day-to-day running of the training firms easier, and to make headway in the international networking of the firms, the participants received basic training in the use of the Office suite of programmes as well as the internet and e-mail.

A preparatory seminar for the national training firms' fair included the joint development of a concept for the preparation, holding and follow-up of the fair. The main topic of the strategy workshop, which was carried out jointly with the representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Education and the educational institutions, was the establishment of a Service Centre.

The activities which still have to be carried out include: the holding of a national trade fair, participation in an international trade fair, creating a website, fitting out the Service Centre, training facilitators and the development of curricular materials.