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Strengthening violence prevention in education: peer exchange with Portuguese education policy-makers

Within the project Prevent Bullying and Peer Violence in Schools, as part of a peer learning initiative, Serbian education policy makers met with their Portuguese counterparts from 2-6 June 2025.

Aimed at strengthening national responses to bullying and peer violence in schools, the Serbian delegation engaged in a series of peer exchange meetings with key Portuguese education institutions. The programme included visits to three school clusters, the Directorate of School Safety Services within Ministry of Education, and the University of Porto, providing a comprehensive overview of the Portuguese education system.

In Lisbon, the delegation visited the Aqua Alba School Cluster and the Directorate of School Safety Services, operating under the Ministry of Education. These meetings provided a conceptual overview of the Portuguese education system, with a focus on its legal framework, institutional mandates, and monitoring procedures. Particular attention was given to national digital platform for tracking and managing incidents in schools- School Security Information System.

The visit also included local school clusters within the Porto Metropolitan Area, namely the Júlio Dinis School Cluster (Grijó) and the Soares dos Reis School Cluster (Vila Nova de Gaia). These visits enabled delegates to witness first-hand the implementation of violence prevention initiatives at the primary and secondary school level and to discuss and share experiences directly with school staff.

At the University of Porto’s Rectory a comprehensive institutional response to violence and bullying within higher education was presented and discussed. Key university policies, support systems and programmes, and preventive measures for targeting both students and professors were introduced.  The role of Ombudsperson, mental health resources, and inclusion strategies was also highlighted, underscoring the University’s commitment to fostering a respectful and supportive academic community.

The peer exchange visit to Portugal underscored the need for a collaborative approach rooted in listening to students, engaging families, and understanding the broader social context in which schools work. The discussions highlighted the value of inclusive, responsive policies that are shaped through dialogue with all actors in the education community and these insights will serve as valuable input for enhancing Serbia’s own strategies and policies aimed at fostering student well-being and building a safer school environment.

This Project is implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by Germany. It is implemented in co-operation with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia from January 2024 to December 2025. To learn more about the project, visit the project webpage. 


 

Belgrade 11 June 2025
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What is the objective of the project?

The project seeks to support the prevention of bullying and peer violence in schools in Serbia and strengthen safe school environment based on European standards and practices.


What are the key results?

1.    Education policy makers, institutions and professionals apply in practice the existing policy framework to prevent bullying and peer violence in schools

2.    Teachers and educational staff apply new knowledge and professional competences that better contribute to safe school environments


Who benefits from the project?

  • The Ministry of Education, the Institute for Improvement of Education, the Institute for Education Quality and Evaluation and other education institutions
  • Primary and secondary schools in Serbia including teachers and school management, students, parents and their communities

 

How this will be achieved?

  • National assessments on the wellbeing of students, cyberbullying and other forms of violence to identify key areas for intervention
  • Policy recommendations to improve safe school environments through a participatory process involving major education stakeholders
  • Policy roadmaps outlining short-term, mid-term, and long-term actions to prevent bullying and peer violence in schools
  • Existing Council of Europe resources, tools and methodologies on preventing bullying and cyberbullying and peer violence tailored to the Serbian context and put in practice in the by relevant education institutions and professionals 


Project information

The project is implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by Germany. The project is implemented in co-operation with the Ministry of Education from January 2024 to December 2025.

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