Modernizing Study Programs in Tourism and Hospitality — Key Messages from the Round Table

The Director of the National Accreditation Body, Prof. Dr. Nebojša Zdravković, emphasized that Serbia must rapidly modernize study programs in tourism, hospitality, and hotel management in order to respond to market needs and the challenges brought by global trends and the upcoming EXPO 2027.

The event was attended by representatives of state institutions, higher education, professional associations, tourist organizations, as well as management from leading hotels and companies in the sector.

According to Prof. Zdravković, the goal of the event was to open a broad dialogue about the knowledge and skills that employers expect from future professionals.

The NAT Director highlighted that the tourism and hospitality sector is changing faster than ever, influenced by digitalization, new types of tourism, shifting guest expectations, and global projects that impact Serbia.

For this reason, he stressed the need for continuous re-evaluation of study program structures and stronger cooperation between industry and higher education.

Special emphasis was placed on practical training, with the conclusion that high-quality staff cannot be produced without sufficient time spent in real working environments.

Zdravković noted that employers are the most relevant source of information regarding what graduates lack, and that the proposals gathered today will be used to shape new practice models.

The round table also represents an important step in aligning NAT's work with ENQA recommendations and ESG standards, which require stronger involvement of industry and students in quality assurance processes.

Selected higher education institutions participated in the event: the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, the Faculty of Geography in Belgrade, Singidunum University, and the Academy of Applied Studies (Tourism and Hospitality School) in Belgrade and Užice. Managers of leading hotels and tourism companies in Serbia were also present, including Hotel “Hilton”, Hotel “Square Nine”, Hotel “Mona Plaza”, Hotel “Metropol”, Hotel “Saint Ten”, Air Serbia, and Expo 2027.

Presentation of a New Professional Practice Model

The Dean of the Faculty of Organizational Studies “Eduka”, Prof. Dr. Filip Đoković, presented a new model of professional practice that enables:

  • better quality control of internships,
  • clearly defined learning outcomes,
  • practice distributed across multiple years,
  • systematic connection of students with top hotels, travel agencies, and wellness centers,
  • direct applicability in the accreditation process, giving institutions a faster, easier, and more credible path to accreditation.

This model was evaluated as concrete, feasible, and highly needed — and has already attracted the attention of state representatives and industry partners.

With this participation, “Eduka” once again demonstrates that it is not a passive observer but an active creator of the future of higher education in tourism and hospitality.

Our focus is clear: education that is realistic, applicable, modern, and directly connected to the labor market.

If you want to study at a faculty that sets standards rather than merely follows them —
welcome to Eduka.