In accordance with the Law on Adult Education, adult education is part of a single education system of Montenegro.

Adults start education, training or learning by their own choice, so as to upgrade their knowledge, skills and competences, or to acquire adequate qualifications.

Adult education in Montenegro includes:

• achieving that at least primary education and the first qualification is acquired by all citizens
• raising the level of education, i.e. functional literacy of citizens
• retraining, additional training and professional training of the unemployed and the employed for the labour market
• allowing for education and the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competences that match the individuals’ abilities and age
• continuous professional development
• involving the most vulnerable groups of the population through various forms of education and learning for the purpose of their integration
• investing in human resource development
• promoting the importance of lifelong learning
• raising the level of knowledge, skills and competences in the field of civil democracy and environmental protection.

Types of adult learning and education include:

• formal education
• non-formal education, i.e. learning
• informal learning
• self-directed learning.

In Montenegro, adult education is regulated by the following laws:

• Law on Adult Education
• General Law on Education
• Law on National Vocational Qualifications
• Law on National Qualification Framework
• Law on Vocational Education

Strategic documents in the area of adult education include:

Strategy for Adult Education of Montenegro 2015-2025 with Plan for Adult Education 2015-2019

Strategy for Lifelong Entrepreneurship Learning 2015-2019

National Strategy for Employment and Human Resource Development 2016-2020

An adult learner does not bear the costs of acquiring primary education, i.e. undergoing training for the first qualification. For programmes financed from public revenues (programmes of retraining, additional training, specialization, professional development, i.e. acquisition of key skills, etc.), which are covered by the annual education plan, adults do not bear the costs of education. If a learner concludes an individual contract with an educational provider, then he/she bears the costs of education.

Besides the state budget and personal funds, adults can also be financed by: employers, non-governmental organizations, international donors, etc.

In the beginning of 2015, the former Ministry of Education, appointed the Centre for Vocational Education as EPALE National Support Service (NSS) for Montenegro. The implementation of “EPALE National Support Service for Montenegro” project started in 2016. The EPALE network, i.e. the portal, has been designed for teachers, trainers, researchers, policymakers and anyone having a professional role in adult education throughout Europe.