Development of science and education in the Western Balkan countries: competitiveness with the EU

The paper presents the results achieved in the development of education and science in the Western Balkans (WB) countries, through a comparative analysis of the PISA test results, the universities ranking on the ARWU list, and the citation of researchers (educating students in these countries) in particular fields of science. An analysis of the results achieved by scientific workers from the WB countries was also made, by the number of papers in journals on the SCIe, SSCI, A&HCI and SJR lists in the period 1996–2018, as well as the places of researchers in the citation of researchers from all over the world according to the Stanford model for the period 1996–2018. A development model for WB countries has been proposed, whereby they can acquire measurable competencies as a starting point for equal negotiations for their entry into the EU and gain a respectable position in the world.