The Higher Education Technical School of Professional Studies in Novi Sad is a state educational institution founded in 1959 as the Advanced Mechanical Engineering School. Today it is one of the leading higher education institutions, with five accredited programmes of the basic studies and two master programmes of professional studies. The School applies the European educational standards specified in the Bologna Declaration, hence, the diploma obtained upon completion of studies is internationally recognized. So far, about 15,000 students have graduated from the School.

Our study programmes

Students who have completed a three-year or four-year VET school can enroll in the Higher Education Technical School of Professional Studies in Novi Sad.

The first degree of higher education – Three-year basic professional studies with 180 credits (ECTS):

  1. Mechanical engineering;
  2. Protection engineering;
  3. Graphic engineering and design;
  4. Web design; and
  5. Information technologies.

After the completion of the basic professional studies, education can be continued at some of the existing master programmes of professional studies in our School or in other corresponding higher education institutions in the country and abroad.

The second degree of higher education – Two-year master professional studies (following the basic studies) with (180) + 120 = (300) credits (ECTS):

  1. Protection engineering; and
  2. Information technologies.

Work placement in the final semester

The Higher Education Technical School of Professional Studies in Novi Sad has included work placements in its study programmes as an important segment. Students at basic professional studies spend the last semester doing practical work in an enterprise or institution. Professional master practice is organized in every study year of our master professional studies. We strive to ensure that this practice of high quality, which is achieved through a careful selection of the partner organization and monitoring of students by a teacher-mentor and co-mentor from the organisation. The result of the work placement is gaining experience and collecting material for the final thesis, and a considerable number of students have got a job in the companies where they had work placements.

Cooperation with companies

The Higher Education Technical School of Professional Studies in Novi Sad has an extensive collaboration with industry, offering a wide range of services to local and regional businesses. Among others, we single out the Preparation for passing the professional exam for occupational safety and health, as well as the services of the school printing office.

Cooperation with foreign institutions

The cooperation between the School and similar institutions abroad is an important aspect of our academic life. Therefore, we have established relations with the Technical University of Ostrava (Czechia), Polytechnic University of Timisoara (Romania), University of Applied Sciences in Karlovac and College of Occupational Safety and Health from Zagreb (Croatia), among others.

With the Technical University in Zvolen (Slovakia) we prepare joint conferences and projects. In addition, an agreement has been signed on student mobility.

Organisation of conferences and participation in projects

The School is the organiser or co-organiser of two international conferences – Engineering Conference, and Challenges of Contemporary Higher Education, as well as another conference with international participation – Advanced Technologies in Education and Economy.

We take part in regional, national and international projects of a scientific, professional, research or educational nature. Since 2015, the School has participated in the following Erasmus+ projects:

More about our current project Smart home models in VET can be found in its newsletter.

The project was created according to the idea of our professor Božo Ilić. The coordinator of the partnership is the ELPROS, Croatia, whereas other partners are Panevėžio mokymo centras, Lithuania, Ida-Virumaa Kutsehariduskeskus, Estonia, and Baranya Megyei Szakképzési Centrum, Hungary.

In mid-December 2022, we hosted a meeting of all teams and a three-day workshop for 16 participants from partner schools, presenting them our teaching model of a smart home.

International student and staff mobility

International Office contact e-mail: direktor@vtsns.edu.rs

Mobility Coordinator: cirakovic@vtsns.edu.rs

Course catalogue in Serbian and English

Mobility forms for students and staff:

Useful links for incoming students and staff

Credit system methodology used at the institution

VTSNS competence-based curricula describe the expected learning outcomes for each study programme and individual course unit. The students are expected to do a certain amount of work to achieve the learning outcomes. This workload is defined through ECTS credits. The workload of a full-time academic year is 60 ECTS, i.e. 30 ECTS per semester. VTSNS uses the ECTS credit system to allocate credits to course units, based on a full-time student’s workload per course unit. One ECTS corresponds to 26 hours of student workload related to the curriculum including lectures, exercises, practical work, homework, tutoring sessions, independent learning for colloquia and exams, as well as the time necessary for taking the colloquia and exams.

Consequently, the total number of ECTS per study year is at least 60 if all course units are successfully completed. Our budget students must complete 60 ECTS per year, whereas self-financed students must earn at least 37 ECTS. Our first degree studies (basic professional studies) have 180 ECTS, while the second degree studies (specialist professional studies and professional master studies) have 60 ECTS and 120 ECTS, respectively. The credit issue is explained in the institution’s Rulebook on enrollment, ranking and study rules, can be find here.

Language policy regarding incoming and outgoing mobility

Since the instruction language of the School is Serbian, incoming students attending our courses should know the language sufficiently well to take part in all teaching activities, so B1 CEFR level in Serbian is required. In case of any difficulties in communication in Serbian, students can consult the English language teacher in the School who is experienced in teaching Serbian to foreigners intending to study in Serbia. In incoming staff mobility, the English language can be used for giving lectures provided the language proficiency refers to B2 CEFR level. For participants with long mobility periods wishing to take a language course in Serbian, we recommend courses organized by the Philosophy Faculty in Novi Sad.

Our outgoing staff members have to attain a minimum B2 CEFR level of language proficiency in English or any other language that will be used during their mobility. Our students have two mandatory courses of English in all bachelor study programmes, and those who pass the exam in Specialist English (B1 CEFR level) with grades 9 (exceptionally good) and 10 (excellent) can apply for mobility programmes outside the region. Furthermore, it is the practice of the School to send its mobility candidates to intensive language courses, particularly when the language required for a specific mobility is not English.

Contact information

  • Name of the institution: Visoka tehnička škola strukovnih studija u Novom Sadu
  • Address: Školska 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
  • Е-mail: skola@vtsns.edu.rs
  • Phone: +381 21 / 4892-511
  • Fax: +381 21 / 4892-515
  • Director: direktor@vtsns.edu.rs
  • Secretary: +381 21 / 4892-525
  • Student Affairs Office: +381 21 / 4892-507
  • Accounting Office: +381 21 / 4892-508
  • Giro account: 840-727666-18