Advantages and challenges of dual education in the development of the professional identity of engineers

The authors consider the strategic directions of the development of higher education in Republic of Serbia, especially in the light of legislative news regulating dual education at higher education institutions. In this context, they have paid a special attention to the analysis of legal acts and by-laws important for the development of the professional identity of engineers educated under the dual model of education. They have also perceived the number and structure of accredited study programs at higher education institutions in our country, which represent significant indicators of the direction of the development of the domestic economy mapped through the interest of employers for the engineers educated according to the dual model. So, we can conclude that there is an obvious influence of the fourth industrial revolution and the information age on all aspects of the society. Starting from all those changes that are happening and will happen, the Government of Republic of Serbia adopted the Education Strategy for the period from 2021 to 2030, in which there are given the vision, goals, and principles of education in the future. Talking about the dual model of higher education, the most important act is the Law on the Dual Model of Studies in Higher Education being in the focus of the authors in this research.