Montenegro

1. 2022-2027 Montenegro Education System Digitalisation Strategy: Develop new electronic services, create appropriate conditions in educational institutions for the successful improvement of all digital processes, Develop and improve students’ digital skills.  
2. Youth Strategy (2023-2027). The concept of DCE is mentioned transversally in the strategy, that acknowledges that “most important skills that are missing are related to the concept of safety on the Internet, behaviour on the Internet, protection of private data and basic rules for using technology.” 
3. Media Strategy (2023-2027). Improving media literacy in Montenegro is one of the key goals of the Media Strategy for the period 2023-2027. 
4. Framework for Digital Competence of students (Okvir digitalna kompetencija) in Montenegro is a strategic document aimed at enhancing digital literacy and skills across various sectors, particularly in education. The Framework focuses on five main areas of digital competence: Information and Data Literacy; Communication and Collaboration, Digital Content Creation, Safety and Problem solving.  
5. Montenegrin Framework Program of Key Competences – based on the European framework, which includes eight competencies, namely: literacy; multilingualism; mathematical competencies and competencies in science, technology and engineering; digital; personal, social and learning competence (how to learn); civil; entrepreneurial; as well as the competence of cultural awareness and expression.   
6. 6. According to the National Authorities responding to the online survey, the Ministry of Education in Montenegro is currently developing a comprehensive 10-year Education Reform Strategy for the period 2025–2035. The strategy is expected to be finalised and adopted by the end of 2024. The accompanying Action plan will include Framework for Digital Competence of teachers. 

Sources

1. https://www.unicef.org/montenegro/media/22611/file/Education%20System%20Digitalisation%20Strategy.pdf
2. https://www.gov.me/en/documents/9b5ab6d4-46eb-4b6a-ab57-9c6b1c7439f5
3. https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/3d29965b-5536-41d7-875f-02316d5524ed
4. https://www.gov.me/cyr/dokumenta/a739dabd-8506-4b33-9276-bd9eeecc8752
5. https://www.gov.me/en/documents/0e4d9a73-c7d0-4733-b6fe-35c5b7828713
6. Online survey with national authorities.  

1. The Digital School Online Learning Platform  has been launched. The Digital school is a platform for learning, teaching, communication and cooperation in the digital environment. It is the basis for creating a secure, supportive, efficient and comprehensive digital education system. The digital school is designed to bring together learning resources for children and adolescents, parents, educators, teachers and other professionals in the education system, as well as to support everyone in developing digital skills through the use of digital tools and distance learning services. According to the National Authorities of the Online Survey, the Digital School includes an information portal and a web directory of educational resources on the Internet. Among resources for teachers, there are CoE publications on DCE Materijali za nastavnike.  
2. The youth strategy presents the principles for an effective communication in the end but it does not specify the activities). 
3. National media literacy campaign #LetsChooseWhatWeWatch 
4. The project “Digital, inclusive, and transformative: Quality education for Montenegro”, launched on 8 March 2024, promotes a more resilient and flexible education system. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation of Montenegro, UNESCO, UNICEF and ILO partner with “Digital, inclusive, and transformative: Quality education for Montenegro”. Of a two-year duration, the project launched on 8 March 2024, in Podgorica, Montenegro, is financed ($500,000) by the Montenegro Acceleration Fund, an advanced and innovative tool for partners to deliver on “last mile” commitments for SDG achievement and to support the accession process to the European Union. This joint initiative seeks to strengthen the educational system in Montenegro by facilitating the digital transformation of education in disadvantaged communities, through a smart and inclusive integration of digital tools and capacities into pedagogical practice. 
5. During 2023, constant work was done on enriching the content of “Digionica”, an online platform for self-learning. Emphasis is placed on the creation and systematisation of digital content that will be placed on the platform, as well as on the education of teaching staff on the use of this platform. In 2023, about 1,000 teachers were educated, and the platform for online self-learning contains 1,116 courses, 12,231 lessons and 562 quizzes, in 58 categories. The total number of platform users (teachers, children and parents) is 32,294. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation presented the “Digital School” concept and the “Digionica” platform at the International Book and Education Fair in Podgorica and won an award for the improvement of electronic publishing. 
6. The programme “Improving the quality and inclusiveness of education in the digital environment” is part of the UNICEF Regional project to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of children and their families in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, funded by the European Union. More interesting and higher-quality teaching with new technologies | UNICEF. 
7. According to the National Authorities responding to the online survey, Montenegro participates in Safer Internet Day, a global initiative that aims to raise awareness about online safety. Various institutions, including schools and NGOs, organise workshops, seminars, and online events to educate young people and their parents about risks and best practices in digital environments. 
8. The Agency for Electronic Media (AEM) promotes media and digital literacy by organising workshops for teachers and students. These activities raise awareness about the importance of being informed, responsible, and critical users of digital content. 

Sources

1. https://www.digitalnaskola.edu.me/       
2. www.uci.me  
3. https://www.mminstitute.org/en/  
4. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/paving-way-towards-digital-inclusive-and-transformative-education-montenegro 
5. https://www.unicef.org/montenegro/en/stories/more-interesting-and-higher-quality-teaching-new-technologies
6. Online survey with national authorities 
7. https://amu.me/en/ 

1. 2022-2027 Montenegro Education System Digitalisation Strategy: Establishment of key activities to target objectives. Implementation of the strategy for digitalisation of the educational system will be organised through three action plans, the first of which is for the period from 2022 to 2023, the second from 2024 to 2025 and the third from 2026 to 2027. The Commission for the digitalisation of the education system is in charge of reporting and monitoring.  
2. Youth Strategy (2023-2027). Implementation managed by: Operational Body for monitoring the implementation of the strategic document and the Coordination Body for Youth Policies at the level of the Government of Montenegro. The operational body is in charge of conducting an annual report on the implementation of the action plan and the final report on the implementation of the strategic document. Mid-term evaluation and long-term evaluation. 

Sources

1. https://www.unicef.org/montenegro/media/22611/file/Education%20System%20Digitalisation%20Strategy.pdf    
2. https://www.gov.me/en/documents/9b5ab6d4-46eb-4b6a-ab57-9c6b1c7439f5  

1. 1. 2022-2027 Montenegro Education System Digitalisation Strategy: Several focus groups were held with various target groups: teachers, school administration employees, companies, state institutions, higher education institutions, representatives of educational institutions, ICT coordinators and non-governmental organizations. Interviews were held with children with special educational needs and the parents of children with special educational needs. An online survey was conducted on teachers’ attitudes when it comes to the digitalizing education.  
2. Youth Strategy (2023-2027): direct consultations of members of the working group were organized with actors in the field of youth policy, with the aim of including as many actors as possible in this important process. 
3. According to the National Authorities responding to the online survey, in Montenegro, the development of educational strategies by the Ministry of Education involves a wide range of stakeholders to ensure comprehensive and inclusive policies. Non-governmental organisations and civil society groups participate in working groups, public consultations, and advisory roles. Parents and community members are engaged through public forums and consultations. Partnerships with international organizations like UNICEF, or the European Investment Bank help in securing funding and expertise for educational projects. Universities, schools, and other educational institutions are actively involved in the strategy development process. The private sector and employers are consulted to align educational outcomes with labour market needs, typically through the participation of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro.  
4. All the stakeholders are involved in public consultations organised by the Ministry of Education. Public consultations are mandatory and last for at least three weeks, during which feedback and suggestions on proposed educational policies and strategies are gathered. Stakeholders can submit their feedback and suggestions through multiple channels, such as online forms, email, and public meetings. 

Sources

1. https://www.unicef.org/montenegro/media/22611/file/Education%20System%20Digitalisation%20Strategy.pdf    
2. https://www.gov.me/en/documents/9b5ab6d4-46eb-4b6a-ab57-9c6b1c7439f5  
3. Online survey with national authorities 

1. The Commission for Digitalisation of the Educational System will be formed to monitor implementation of the Strategy and to supervise the quality and dynamics of the planned activities (with representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, and the commission is planned to include representatives of the Bureau for Education Services, the Centre for Vocational Education, the Institute for Textbooks and Teaching Aids, the Examination Centre, educational institutions and the economy).  
2. The working group includes actors NGOs, ministries, public agencies, UNICEF, youth organisations etc. 

Sources

1. https://www.unicef.org/montenegro/media/22611/file/Education%20System%20Digitalisation%20Strategy.pdf   
2. https://www.gov.me/en/documents/9b5ab6d4-46eb-4b6a-ab57-9c6b1c7439f5  

According to the National Authorities responding to the online survey, when it comes to stakeholders, each is obliged to track the progress of the activities they are responsible for in the action plans that accompany different strategies. 

The evaluation of all the projects is done by the external evaluator. 

The impact of the projects and initiatives on the quality of education has been assessed through the external evaluation conducted by the Department for Quality Assurance of the Bureau for Education Services, which oversees the quality of education. 

Sources

Online survey with national authorities.

1. Commission for digitalisation (see Q5).  
2. Working group youth strategy (see Q5) 
3. In cooperation with the UNICEF Montenegro Office, the MESCS has created the document “Digital School” that constitutes a concept and a framework through which, with the help of the Microsoft 365 (Office 365) software package, schools can implement all school activities through an adequate digital environment.  
4. Child Helpline International and Telenor Group have teamed up to build the necessary capacities among child guidance counsellors and launched their first online child protection online course. 
5. According to the National Authorities responding to the online survey, various cybersecurity campaigns, supported by the government and private sector companies like Telekom and Telenor, aim to educate the general public about digital threats, phishing, and how to stay safe online.  

Sources

1. https://www.unicef.org/montenegro/media/22611/file/Education%20System%20Digitalisation%20Strategy.pdf    
2. https://www.gov.me/en/documents/9b5ab6d4-46eb-4b6a-ab57-9c6b1c7439f5 
3. https://1.me/en/about-telenor/news/news-and-press-releases/organization-child-helpline-international-and-telenor-group-help-children-stay-safe-online/   
4. Online survey with national authorities 

According to the national authorities responding to the online survey, Montenegro’s initiatives in digital citizenship education are indeed aligned with European Union (EU) accession benchmarks and international standards. This alignment ensures that the country’s educational reforms and projects meet the high standards set by the EU and other international bodies. For example, the Strategy for the Digitisation of the Education System 2022–2027 is aligned with several national and European documents such as the Cyber Security Strategy, the Digital Transformation Strategy of Montenegro, and the EU Action Plan for Digital Education 2021–2027 

Sources

Online survey with national authorities.

1. Member of DCE promoters network 
2. Member of Global Education Network (GENE) 
3. Member of Global Kids Online 
4. EU and UNICEF, in cooperation with the government of Montenegro, have implemented programmes that promote digital literacy and safe internet use, especially targeting children and youth. For example, UNICEF’s Stop Violence (Zaustavimo nasilje) campaign includes components on cyberbullying prevention and the responsible use of digital platforms. 
5. CoE project “Quality Education for All”: activities oriented towards respect for diversity, combating stigma, development of empathy, tolerance, co-operation, accountability, digital citizenship and development of other democratic competences 

Sources

Training on DCE to teachers and other professionals:
According to the national authorities responding to the online survey, the former DCE promoter has created a training program titled “Introduction to Digital Citizenship Education” which emphasizes digital literacy and citizenship. The program has been accredited by the Bureau for Education Services. The CPD Department in the Bureau has organized two workshops for teachers. Katalog-programa-strucnog-usavrsavanja-DOPUNJEN.pdf (profesionalnirazvoj.edu.me)– Programme no. 263 

The programme aims to achieve the following goals: 

• Comprehend the concept of a digital citizen. 

• Learn about the Council of Europe’s initiatives in digital citizenship education. 

• Familiarize with the ten-domain model. 

• Understand the competencies integrated within each domain. 

• Critically examine the ethical challenges faced by digital citizens, both now and in the future. 

• Grasp the concept of a digital footprint. 

Assess the current status of digital citizenship education in their schools.Identify opportunities for professional development. 

Translation and dissemination of DCE Recommendation:

No, the DCE Recommendation of the Council of Europe has not been translated into Montenegrin.