The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, in line with the Decree on organisation and the manner of work of public administration, performs administrative tasks that are related to: creation, establishment and development of education system; conditions for establishment, work and licensing of institutions in the field of education; organization of work of education institutions; norms and standards for funding of education institutions; additional classes for children of Montenegrin citizens who are temporarily working abroad; mobility of students and academic staff and international cooperation in the field of education; recognition of foreign educational documents on completed elementary, secondary and higher education; adoption, ie approval of educational programs for preschool education, elementary education, secondary general education, vocational education, education of children with special educational needs and adult education; enrollment policy for public higher education institutions; establishment of commission for monitoring of Matura ie Vocational Exam; election of directors of public preschool, elementary and secondary education institutions; nomination of representatives in school and governing boards of public education institutions; adoption of norms on profile and education of teachers, professional associates, associates in teaching in elementary and secondary schools; determination of list of teachers who do not have a classes norm for the school year; distribution of teachers who do not have a classes norm for the school year; adoption of private-public  partnership program for the field of education; equipment, accommodation and nutrition of pupils and students; norms of costs of work of educational institutions; issuing of consents on the amount of participation to cover the costs of education in public institutions; determining the amount of compensation for part-time students; norms for nonteaching staff in education institutions; issuing of consents on general acts of public institutions in the field of education; preparation of draft regulations in the field of education; publishing of textbooks and textbook literature; supervision over legality of work of institutions in the field of education; realization of educational and cultural activities of members of minority nations and other minority national communities living in Montenegro; development and implementation of National Qualifications Framework and compatibility with European Qualifications Framework; planning and programing, planning and programming, realization and harmonization of international educational cooperation of Montenegro with other states, regional communities and international organizations; education and professional training of foreign citizens in Montenegro and Montenegrin citizens abroad, especially young and talented pupils and students; collection, processing and distribution of proposals and relevant data, information and programs in the field of international educational cooperation; awarding “Oktoih” prize, prizes for students and teachers from the Quality and Talents Fund; implementation of programs of public interest by which scientific-research institutions and researchers are included in European Research Area and international scientific and innovative programs; professional training and mobility of Montenegrin researchers with the aim of enabling their work and obtaining new knowledge in research centers, research institutes in Montenegro and abroad; connecting scientific institutions with economic entities; connection with large scientific infrastructures and networking with international research teams (internationalization program); regional cooperation and infrastructural researching connection; realization of scientific-research and innovative national and international projects; centers of excellence; enhancement of infrastructure needed for research realization; stimulating young researchers to perform scientific-research activities; encouraging the development of e-infrastructure necessary for science and research; encouraging scientific productivity; involving diaspora in scientific research in Montenegro; involving internationally recognized researchers from other countries in scientific-research programs and projects in Montenegro; promotion of science and research within society; programs of national importance that are having interdisciplinary character and are realized with participation of several ministries; development of plans and programs for scientific-research activities; development of scientific-research policy and strategies; preparation of draft laws, other regulations and general acts in the field of science and research; harmonization of domestic regulations with the Acquis Communautaire in the field of science and research; development of acts on scientific and technological cooperation of Montenegro with other countries (memorandums, agreements, contracts, protocols, programs); participation of Montenegro in bilateral and multilateral programs and projects that are related to science and research; implementation of projects in the field of science that are financed from pre-accession funds of the European Union – IPA projects; scientific and technological cooperation of Montenegro with other states; organization and coordination of the network of national contact persons (NCP) for EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation; monitoring of implementation of the strategy of scientific research activity in Montenegro; determining program and financial criteria and defining priorities in scientific-research activities for financing programs of general interest from budget funds; analysis of needed funds form implementation of scientific-research activities; licensing of scientific-research institutions; planning and programing, implementation and aligning international scientific cooperation of Montenegro with other states, regional communities and international organizations; taking care of the implementation of programs within the competence of this body, which are financed from the budget of Montenegro; data collection related to scientists and researchers from Montenegro and diaspora; harmonization of statistics in the field of research and development with the methodology of the European Union; collection, processing and distribution of proposals and relevant data, information and programs in the field of international scientific cooperation; development of cultural and artistic creatorship; protection, preservation, valorization and presentation of cultural heritage; development of creative industries; realization of public interest in culture; preparation of draft laws, other regulations and general acts in the field of culture; issuing opinions on law proposals and other regulations in the field of culture; issuing opinions on law and other regulation proposals governing culture related issues; design and implementation of culture development strategies and programs; providing the material basis, conditions and incentive measures for development of culture and creative industries; construction, maintenance, technical-technological equipping and utilization  of cultural facilities; establishment and operation of cultural institutions (libraries, museums, cinema libraries and other cultural institutions); determining the fulfillment of conditions for performing cultural activities; literary, translation, stage, music-stage and film creatorship; artistic creatorship in other audio-visual media; publishing, theater and cinematography activities; public screening of cinematographic works; status issues of independent artists and independent experts in culture and prominent cultural creators; encouraging the work of professional associations in the field of culture; conservation, museum, library, archive and cinema activities; professional training and capacity development training of personnel for conducting cultural activities; state medals; state symbols; state awards; public holidays; memorials; drafting regulations in the field of cultural heritage, second instance procedure and supervision in the field of cultural heritage; creating conditions for the presentation of Montenegrin cultural and artistic creatorship abroad and the creatorship of other countries and peoples in our country; provision and realization of foreign donations for culture and media; accession and use of international development funds; harmonization of domestic regulations within the scope of its competence with the Acquis Communautaire; planning, programing, realization and harmonization of international cultural cooperation of Montenegro with other states, regional communities and international organizations; taking care of the implementation of programs within the competence of this body, which are financed from the budget of Montenegro ; proposing and ensuring implementation of the activities, in cooperation with diplomatic and consular missions of Montenegro abroad, as well as diplomatic and consular missions and cultural information centers of other countries in Montenegro, in order to promote creative potential; collection, processing and distribution of proposals and relevant data, information and programs in the field of international cultural cooperation, drafting laws, other regulations and general acts in the field of sports and youth; monitoring and determining the state of play in the field of sports; preparation of development strategies and other measures that create policies in the field of top, recreational, children, school and university sports; administrative supervision in the areas for which the ministry was established; as well as other tasks assigned to its competence.

The Ministry defined special organizational units by areas, upon the adoption of the Act on Internal Organization and Systematization.

Pursuant to the Decree on organisation and the manner of work of public administration, and in line with its established scope of activities, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports performs monitoring over the independent bodies of authority, specifically: Bureau for Education Services, Centre for Vocational Education, Examination Centre and Office for Textbooks and Teaching Aids.

A number of advisory bodies and executive institutions provide support to the Ministry.

For the purpose of decision-making on technical issues and for professional assistance in decision-making procedures and preparation of regulations in the field of education the Government has established the National Council for Education, in accordance with the General Law on Education. Among other things, the Council adopts educational programmes for education of children with special educational needs; programme for pupils’ homes; educational programmes adapted for adult education; examination catalogues for the verification of national professional qualifications; standards for the preparation of textbooks for preschool education, primary education, secondary general and vocational education and for children with special educational needs; programmes of professional training and development of institutions’ heads; programme for the work of professional associates; instructions for the development of educational programmes; instructions for adapting an educational programme for acquisition of an adult education level; standards of competences of teachers and heads.

The National Council is appointed for the period of four years.

To discuss matters within its competence, the National Council has established its standing working bodies. The standing working bodies include:

• Committee for General Education;
• Committee for Vocational Education;
• Committee for Adult Education.

Temporary working bodies include: commissions, expert groups and other working bodies.

With a view to improving the qualification system, approving and classifying qualifications in the Qualification Framework, the Government of Montenegro has established the Council for Qualifications.

The Council is composed of minimum 11 members, alternating over a four year period, from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, body of public administration responsible for labour affairs, universities, the Employment Agency of Montenegro, Chamber of Economy of Montenegro, representative association of employers, representative trade union organization, Centre for Vocational Education, Bureau for Education Services and Examination Centre. The president of the Council for Higher Education as well as the president of the National Council for Education are, according to their function, members of the Council.

Among other things, the Council is responsible for:

• Decision-making on classifying qualifications in the Qualifications Framework
• Proposing development and improvement of qualifications to the competent institution
• Decision-making on harmonisation of existing qualifications for the purpose of their classification in the Qualifications Framework
• Monitoring the overall development of the Qualifications Framework
• Adopting methodology documents for classification of qualifications
• Determining the criteria for selecting members of sector commissions
• Adopting instructions and guidelines on the work of sector commissions, harmonising their work and deciding on their proposals
• Adopting act on forming sector commissions
• Considering and adopting reports on the work of sector commissions

Activities of improvement and development of higher education are conducted by Council for Higher Education. The Council is composed of seven members appointed for a period of four years. Members of the Council are appointed from among eminent experts in the area of higher education, science, arts, from among students and the area of economy, social matters and other relevant areas. Representatives from among students are appointed for a period of two years.

Among other things, the Council:

• analyses the condition and achievements in higher education and offer expert proposals to the Ministry and the Government of Montenegro
• provides opinion concerning the proposal of strategy for development of higher education
• prescribes conditions and criteria for appointment to academic titles
• provides opinion on the amount of resources required for funding public higher education institutions and students attending them, for each academic year
• provides opinion on the number of students and the amount of resources required for funding students that attend study programmes of public interest at private higher education institutions, for each academic year;
• provides opinion on regulations in the field of higher education;
• adopts standards for evaluation of institutions in compliance with standards in the European Higher Education Area.

Activities related to quality assurance in higher education shall be carried out by Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education, in compliance with the European Standards and Guidelines.

Among other things, the Agency:

• conducts study programme accreditation procedure and issues a certificate on accreditation of the study programme;
• conducts higher education institution external evaluation procedure and issues a certificate on reaccreditation of the higher education institution based on the reaccreditation report;
• conducts a periodic assessment of quality of licensed higher education institutions’ work, following the request of an authorised body of institution or the Ministry;
• establishes the list of experts for accreditation of study programmes, or reaccreditation of institutions based on a public call;
• cooperates with higher education institutions with regard to matters of quality assurance and quality improvement;
• analyses self-evaluation and external evaluation reports of institutions;
• ranks higher education institutions.