Digitalization of Educational Credentials: A Prerequisite for Reducing Administrative Burden
Public administration in Kosovo continues to face challenges that affect efficiency, transparency, and the quality of public service delivery. One of the most common problems for citizens is the repeated requirement to submit educational credentials such as diplomas, certificates, or transcripts often in physical or notarized form. This process not only increases the time and financial cost for citizens but also creates additional administrative work for institutions that must receive, verify, and store these documents. Although the “Once Only Principle” defined in the Law on General Administrative Procedures, requires that citizens provide their information to the state only once, this principle is still not fully implemented in practice when it comes to educational documents.
In this context, the Policy Lab on “Digitalization of Education Credentials – A Prerequisite for Reducing Administrative Burden” was designed as a space for cooperation between institutions, experts, and citizens, with the goal of identifying concrete and practical solutions. During the focus group and workshop held in April and May 2025, participants emphasized that digitalizing education credentials would simplify administrative procedures, reduce duplication of documents, and help build a more citizen-centered administration. The discussions showed broad agreement that the current system, based on checking physical documents and notarization, is old and not efficient, while digital solutions would allow faster, safer, and more transparent services.
The analysis in this report shows that Kosovo does not yet have a specific legal and institutional framework to fully support this reform. The Law on Electronic Identification and Trust Services ensures the legal validity of electronic documents and signatures, while existing platforms such as eKosova and HRMIS show growing capacity for institutional digitalization. However, the absence of a detailed regulatory framework that defines how digital credentials are issued, verified, and shared remains a major gap. It is important to note that the Law on Electronic Identification and Trust Services provides for the issuance of a qualified certificate for electronic signing by a qualified service provider. It is also important to note that, despite this, a national authority for this service has not yet been established. To address this, it is necessary to draft secondary legislation and administrative instructions, as well as strengthen coordination among key institutions: the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA), NARIC Kosovo and other institutions.
The institutional analysis confirms that digitalization would have a direct positive impact on citizens and students, who would be able to access their academic documents quickly, securely, and in a verifiable digital format. Universities and public institutions would benefit from reduced administrative workload, improved efficiency, and better data security. On the other hand, the main challenges include the lack of trained IT staff, limited financial resources, and uneven readiness across institutions to implement digital solutions. Privacy and data protection must also be guaranteed, in line with the Law on Personal Data Protection and European standards such as the EU eIDAS 2.0 Regulation. The Policy Lab discussions underlined the need for a gradual approach: starting with the digitalization of the verification process, and then moving toward the full issuance of digital documents. A centralized system under MESTI, integrated with existing state platforms such as eKosova, HRMIS, Civil Registry and other electronic systems, would ensure consistency and data security. This should be accompanied by investments in technological infrastructure, staff training, and continuous inter-institutional coordination. The oversight role of the Information and Privacy Agency is essential at all stages of the process to guarantee data protection and transparency standards.
Digitalization of education credentials is not only a technical reform but also a strategic step toward modernizing public governance. It directly contributes to the implementation of the Public Administration Reform Strategy and the Digital Society Strategy by bringing the administration closer to citizens, making it more transparent, efficient, and trustworthy. If implemented with strong institutional commitment and a clear legal framework, this reform will significantly reduce administrative burdens improve the quality of public services, and strengthen citizens’ trust in public institutions.
Download the brief here. ENG
Digitalization of Educational Credentials: A Prerequisite for Reducing Administrative Burden
Public administration in Kosovo continues to face challenges that affect efficiency, transparency, and the quality of public service delivery. One of the most common problems for citizens is the repeated requirement to submit educational credentials such as diplomas, certificates, or transcripts often in physical or notarized form. This process not only increases the time and financial cost for citizens but also creates additional administrative work for institutions that must receive, verify, and store these documents. Although the “Once Only Principle” defined in the Law on General Administrative Procedures, requires that citizens provide their information to the state only once, this principle is still not fully implemented in practice when it comes to educational documents.
In this context, the Policy Lab on “Digitalization of Education Credentials – A Prerequisite for Reducing Administrative Burden” was designed as a space for cooperation between institutions, experts, and citizens, with the goal of identifying concrete and practical solutions. During the focus group and workshop held in April and May 2025, participants emphasized that digitalizing education credentials would simplify administrative procedures, reduce duplication of documents, and help build a more citizen-centered administration. The discussions showed broad agreement that the current system, based on checking physical documents and notarization, is old and not efficient, while digital solutions would allow faster, safer, and more transparent services.
The analysis in this report shows that Kosovo does not yet have a specific legal and institutional framework to fully support this reform. The Law on Electronic Identification and Trust Services ensures the legal validity of electronic documents and signatures, while existing platforms such as eKosova and HRMIS show growing capacity for institutional digitalization. However, the absence of a detailed regulatory framework that defines how digital credentials are issued, verified, and shared remains a major gap. It is important to note that the Law on Electronic Identification and Trust Services provides for the issuance of a qualified certificate for electronic signing by a qualified service provider. It is also important to note that, despite this, a national authority for this service has not yet been established. To address this, it is necessary to draft secondary legislation and administrative instructions, as well as strengthen coordination among key institutions: the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA), NARIC Kosovo and other institutions.
The institutional analysis confirms that digitalization would have a direct positive impact on citizens and students, who would be able to access their academic documents quickly, securely, and in a verifiable digital format. Universities and public institutions would benefit from reduced administrative workload, improved efficiency, and better data security. On the other hand, the main challenges include the lack of trained IT staff, limited financial resources, and uneven readiness across institutions to implement digital solutions. Privacy and data protection must also be guaranteed, in line with the Law on Personal Data Protection and European standards such as the EU eIDAS 2.0 Regulation. The Policy Lab discussions underlined the need for a gradual approach: starting with the digitalization of the verification process, and then moving toward the full issuance of digital documents. A centralized system under MESTI, integrated with existing state platforms such as eKosova, HRMIS, Civil Registry and other electronic systems, would ensure consistency and data security. This should be accompanied by investments in technological infrastructure, staff training, and continuous inter-institutional coordination. The oversight role of the Information and Privacy Agency is essential at all stages of the process to guarantee data protection and transparency standards.
Digitalization of education credentials is not only a technical reform but also a strategic step toward modernizing public governance. It directly contributes to the implementation of the Public Administration Reform Strategy and the Digital Society Strategy by bringing the administration closer to citizens, making it more transparent, efficient, and trustworthy. If implemented with strong institutional commitment and a clear legal framework, this reform will significantly reduce administrative burdens improve the quality of public services, and strengthen citizens’ trust in public institutions.
Download the brief here. ENG
