ICT Study Programs in Higher Education in Serbia: Analysis of Main Trends

The paper analyzes main trends in development of ICT study programs at higher education institutions (HEIs) in Serbia. Significant increase in number and scope of these programs has been one of the most important characteristics of Serbian higher education sector in the last two decades. Such development has been the result of a complex interplay of global, national and sectorial factors. What all of these factors have in common is the market principle, which has also become one of the corner-stones of the HEIs’ development strategies. Such strong environmental pressures has forced HEIs to undergo transformations that will maintain and improve their market positions. The market principle has prompted the proactive behavior of HEIs towards customers/future students. These transformation strategies to a large extent depend on the labor market trends, represented on the level of individual actors/customers by the perception of employment possibilities enabled by a specific degree. Тhe goal of the paper is to provide general insight into the diversity of ICT study programs at HEIs in Serbia, which represents one of the key strategic responses to said market pressures