The Department of Preschool Education in Aleksinac continues the tradition of the Royal Serbian Teacher’s School, which was established in 1871 and was relocated from Belgrade to Aleksinac in 1896 by the decree of King Alexander Obrenović. Over the years, the school underwent several name changes, and in 1972, like other teacher’s schools, it became the well-known Pedagogical Academy in Aleksinac. In accordance with the new law, in 1993, the school changed its name to the Higher School for Preschool Teacher Education, and from 2007, it became the Preschool Teachers Training College. This year marks the beginning of implementing study programmes in line with the Bologna Declaration, as well as obtaining accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation and Quality Assurance of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia. By the decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia on April 4, 2019, the school becomes one of the departments of the Academy of Applied Preschool Teaching and Health Studies.
The Department offers both BA and MA applied studies for preschool teacher training.
The applied bachelor studies last for three academic years (180 ECTS), after which the graduates acquire the professional title of preschool teacher (appl.).
The applied master studies last for two academic years (120 ECTS), after which the graduates receive the professional title of master preschool teacher (appl.).
The Department of Preschool Education in Aleksinac is the organizer of the international conference “Preschool Teacher in the 21st Century” and the papers presented at the conference are published in the book of proceedings “Our Creation”.
In addition to having good cooperation with related higher education institutions in the country and abroad, preschool institutions, and the local community, the Department of Preschool Education in Aleksinac regularly organizes cultural and artistic programs, book promotions, and exhibitions of student works.