From the beginning, the institutions within the LINK edu Alliance have been striving to meet the high global criteria and principles of excellence – and succeeding. This unsurpassed quality is exactly what makes any LEA school, institute or service instantly recognizable.

With this in mind, adopting documents that confirm, formalize and standardize this fact has been perceived as the logical next step in the alliance’s development. Through adopting the LINK standards, the LINK edu Alliance has made this important step on the path of raising the level of education across its schools, institutes and services.

The highest quality of service at the institutions within the LINK edu Alliance is defined through official guidelines, procedures and standards for continual implementation of top-quality teaching practices:

• LINK standards for teachers;
• LINK standards for managers of educational institutions – leaders in pedagogy;
• LINK standards for students;
• Handbook for the self-evaluation of LINK standards in educational institutions.

LINK standards were created as a result of decades of alliance’s experience in the modernization of education and rely on well-tested practices of the world’s best schools and the implementation of strict EU regulations. They are the fruit of comprehensive expert analysis of contemporary teaching methods and the use of technology in teaching, the desire to reach the best possible levels of effectiveness in teaching and the need for compliance with the defined, legally established framework.

Each of these standards includes a wide range of principles and activities our educational institutions are proud to implement in their everyday operations, as they have already been doing for quite some time.

The teachers at LINK edu Alliance’s institutions are required to meet the high standards that imply the synergy of adequate professional competencies, respecting high ethical principles and performing all activities required in order to create the best teaching practices.

LINK standards for teachers constitute the representative points based on which the teachers are obliged to shape their teachers and advance their professional integrity. They include:

• advancing one’s competencies and fostering innovation in teaching;
• a responsible approach to the advancement of students’ knowledge and competence;
• full professionalism and impeccable work ethic.

Pedagogy leaders are an important part of the LINK edu Alliance. They are in charge of the advancements of teaching processes and raising the quality of educational institutions.

These standards constitute concrete guidelines that help these leaders advance their own approach, and perform the evaluation of educational institutions with maximum fairness and objectivity.

The standards for leaders in pedagogy should motivate them for dedicated and consistent efforts towards:

• developing their own competencies, values, principles and skills of effective management;
• fulfilling their role in the advancement of educational institutions’ work;
• advancing their professionalism and work ethic.

The standards for students constitute a fruitful blend of values, principles, academic competencies and activities necessary for the promotion of lifelong learning, the development of socioemotional, digital and academic competencies, as well as a responsible attitude towards students’ own work and development and their future.

They contain guidelines and instructions for taking the actions necessary in order to reach the desired outcomes of education. We want every LINK student to be educated in full accordance with 21st century requirements, digitally literate, capable of independent development and critical and problem-based thinking, ready to make a creative contribution to the world around them and professionally meet any challenges of the modern age.

These standards are especially focused on three areas crucial for students’ proper and comprehensive development:

• academic development;
• socioemotional development;
• psychological and physical development.

Self-evaluation is a very important aspect of the implementation of LINK standards within individual institutions. It constitutes a way to simultaneously control the quality and advance the existing practices and approaches. Self-evaluation is implemented in order to ensure the highest possible standards and their realization in everyday practice of the educational institutions. 

In other words: through the evaluation of the implementation of LINK standards, we evaluate the quality of the educational institution’s work through identifying positive examples and practices that ought to be continued, as well as any elements that ought to be improved. This enables the institutions to plan the necessary measures and procedures concerning the strengthening of the quality of service and the standards themselves.

The evaluation is performed by a dedicated team of established experts who check the level of fulfillment of the key indicators of quality teaching based on different sets of information at appropriate times.

This process involves a thorough analysis of the following areas:

• the educational institution’s mission, vision and ethos;
• the quality of educational institution’s organization and management;
• the quality of educational practices;
• the availability of quality support systems for students, teachers, associates and parents;
• the development and advancement of the quality of work at the educational institution.

The result of the evaluation process is a clear overview of all activities that should make our schools the safest, most encouraging environment for students and teachers. Also, through the system of annual self-evaluation and evaluation, we make sure to follow all contemporary trends in education and manage to advance any segment of our operations that requires attention. 

Through regular monitoring of daily activities at the educational institution, the dedicated efforts of all teachers and associates and the educational activities themselves, together, we can:

• clearly present the examples of good practice, internally and in practice;
• advance the process of teachers’ professional development;
• ensure maximum fairness in rewarding the teaching personnel’s work and effort;
• encourage the participation of students, teachers and expert associates in international projects;
• strengthen the competencies of teachers, expert associates and students;
• develop new, innovative and creative ideas;
• enrich the activities of the educational institutions;
• advance the support system for teachers, associates, students and parents;
• redefine the concept of education and the quality of educational institutions in Serbia and abroad;
• validate the effort and dedication of all members of the education institution’s community.

The LINK Edu Alliance constantly strives to provide its teachers with opportunities for the best professional development so as to keep our schools’ desired educational outcomes in line with global criteria.

The Teachers’ Handbook provides LINK Edu Alliance teachers with teaching guidelines based on the highest standards applied in contemporary education, and our educational institutions use these guidelines so as to provide students with top-quality education.

Modern 21st-century teachers are required to adapt to the standards applied in schools of the future. Contemporary education has brought new paradigms when it comes to teacher competences, as well as ways to present such an approach to students. Modern forms of knowledge entail a completely new understanding of instruction and the content which teachers are required to master in order to have a responsible attitude towards their work and the students’ progress and future.

The comprehensive handbook for the professional development of modern teachers includes the following:

• a short and fun history of education,
• new paradigms of education, knowledge and competences,
• insight into truly modern teaching,
• ways to incorporate technology into modern teaching methods,
• qualities of modern teachers,
• and much more.

1. Quality education is a universal human right and, as such, is a prerequisite for the successful functioning of individuals and society.
2. Quality education requires educational institutions to show excellence in all circumstances.
3. Educated, qualified and competent staff is in charge of making sure the educational institution meets the highest standards in education, in accordance with the defined and legally established standards and regulations.
4. The standards and practices of the educational institution must correspond to the needs of the educational institution, legal requirements, contemporary needs and requirements of individuals and society.
5. The quality of an educational institution is a prerequisite for endorsing values, making the right decisions and choices, as well as a prerequisite for success in people’s private, social and professional lives.
6. The quality of an educational institution entails an effective, ethical, socially responsible and ecological practice.
7. All members of the educational institution community have a common goal to provide quality education to all students, and to cooperate and nurture communication based on respect and understanding.
8. Educational institutions use the Handbook for the Self-Evaluation of Educational Institutions for the purpose of self-assessment, modification of practices and activities, and support for all members of the educational institution’s community.
9. The quality of an educational institution is reflected in ethical, environmental and professional activities, while respecting general principles and rules of conduct, and the implementation of activities that contribute to the common good of all members of society.
10. All members of the educational institution’s community constantly evaluate, modify and improve their practices and activities, enhancing the quality of the work so as to support the students, teachers, parents and the community, regardless of the circumstances.

The institutions within the LINK edu Alliance have long been recognized as synonymous with quality when it comes to education at all levels. For this reason, the high standards and the principles and practices that have made these institutions international leaders in education have been formalized as official documents that will advance their realization.