TALIS 2024 in the Western Balkans

Overall teacher supply is broadly stable in the Western Balkans with no widespread shortages of qualified teachers as reported by principals, except in Montenegro. However, there are gaps in some more specialised roles, notably for supporting students with special education needs (SEN). Moreover, workforce management is becoming more complex across the region as student populations decline, particularly in Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. 

Teachers in the Western Balkans report strong professional motivation compared to peers in the OECD and European Union. On average across the five systems, 83% of teachers reported teaching as their first career choice. However, retention risks are emerging. In Montenegro and Serbia over a quarter of all teachers report intending to leave the profession in the next five years and, across the region, higher shares of experienced teachers report that their work negatively impacts their well-being. Meanwhile, in all five systems, young or novice teachers are more likely to work in complex environments and on less stable contracts which may make the profession increasingly less attractive.

Western Balkan systems have been promoting more student-centred teaching to improve learner engagement and outcomes. This requires teachers to adjust instruction to support each learner’s growth. 

Teachers across the region report frequent use of adaptive practices, including through digital tools and artificial intelligence. They also report high confidence in such practices and few identify related professional development needs. However, many students in these systems do not reach expected levels of learning, according to international assessments, suggesting that the effectiveness of these practices could be improved. 

Teachers’ confidence is lower when implementing inclusive practices in the classroom, particularly supporting students with SEN or diverse linguistic or cultural backgrounds. They also typically view their initial teacher education as having been less effective in preparing them for these practices. When TALIS asked teachers to identify where they have a high need for professional development, supporting students with SEN ranked among the top 3 of the 15 suggested topics in all 5 Western Balkan systems.

Most teachers in the region report that they can access induction and mentoring programmes in their school. However, data indicate that induction tends to focus on supervision and guidance rather than enhancing practice through observation or team teaching, for example. Meanwhile participation in mentoring is low across the Western Balkans and, unlike in many education systems participating in TALIS, it is not associated with greater instructional confidence among mentees.  

All five systems have formal professional learning requirements with near-universal participation, except in Kosovo. But perceived impact varies widely: 96% of teachers in Albania reported that the professional learning they received in the 12 months prior to TALIS had a positive impact on their teaching compared to 43% in Serbia. Teachers in the region report regularly collaborating on day‑to‑day tasks, such as discussing student progress or exchanging materials, but are less likely to participate in joint work to enhance instruction, such as peer observation, co-teaching or professional learning.

Teacher appraisal is well-established across the region. Teachers report that it is often followed by developmental support and over 95% of teachers across the five systems report having recently received feedback on their teaching. They typically view this feedback positively, particularly those early in their career. However, feedback on general instructional practices, such as classroom management and subject pedagogy, is typically perceived as being more helpful than that on specific topics such as supporting students with SEN.