Some interesting points from a recent presentation by Sanjay Kathuria, an economist with the World Bank, address Serbia’s economic future and underscore what my colleagues and I have been saying for three years: Serbia needs to use the highly qualified and relatively inexpensive workforce to earn revenues on the open market through outsourcing. One of the keys to this lies in reform of the Vocational Education & Training (VET) system (superb work is being done here by EU CARDS) and the creation of an infrastructure to support outsourced operations. I also think Mr Kathuria is absolutely right about regional normalization and deeper integration.
Serbia’s exports are among the lowest in the Balkans, and an increase should be a priority, a World Bank report says.
This export increase should come based on highly qualified labor, said a presentation in Belgrade today of the World Bank report on the integration of the western Balkans and the European Union.
…Serbia’s economic strategy, and also of other countries in the region, should focus on the development of human capital, a reform and a promotion of education and exports of products of a higher level of processing…
Kathuria also stressed the need for a deeper integration of western Balkan countries, so that these markets could become more competitive, and in order to improve the quality and reduce the prices of goods and services, which would in turn help toward a speedier integration into the EU.
The region should also reach agreement on the free passage of workforce, Kathuria said, and suggested this be done at first on a bilateral basis, accompanied by bilateral agreements to recognize professional qualifications.
[From B92 - News - Business & Economy - WB: Export, education, Serbia's priorities]
