MOZAIK: A Network Organization for Quality Infrastructure in Serbia

Jovan V. Filipović and Jelena V. Ruso

Faculty of Organisational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Serbia’s forthcoming Quality Infrastructure Development Strategy 2025–2030 recognizes that quality infrastructure (QI) cannot be developed by hierarchical institutional structures alone. Successful implementation requires cooperation among government institutions, universities, research organizations, businesses, local governments, civil society organizations, professional associations, media representatives, and citizens. The Strategy has not yet been adopted or published, so this post refers to the draft versions discussed in stakeholder workshops. A companion post discusses the policy background.

To address this need, the Network Organization for Quality Infrastructure (MOZAIK) has been established as an innovative platform designed, among other things, to support the implementation of Serbia’s quality infrastructure development initiatives (MOZAIK, n.d.). MOZAIK represents a new model of cooperation based on networking, knowledge sharing, distributed and complexity leadership, and the active participation of diverse stakeholders. Rather than relying on a single center of authority, the network promotes shared responsibility and leadership distributed across institutions, organizations, and individuals according to their expertise, experience, and capacity to contribute (ScienceDirect Topics, n.d.).

The conceptual reference is complexity leadership theory, which distinguishes three interacting forms of leadership: adaptive, enabling, and administrative (Uhl-Bien, Marion, & McKelvey, 2007). MOZAIK combines them. Adaptive leadership encourages innovation and collaborative responses to emerging challenges. Enabling leadership creates conditions for trust, cooperation, and knowledge exchange among stakeholders. Administrative leadership provides coordination, organizational stability, and alignment with strategic objectives. Together, these complementary leadership dimensions enhance the network’s ability to mobilize actors from different sectors, support policy implementation, and foster a culture of quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

MOZAIK is conceived as an open, voluntary, and inclusive network that connects actors from all sectors of society that contribute to the development of quality culture and quality infrastructure. Rather than replacing existing institutions, it serves as a complementary mechanism that strengthens cooperation, accelerates knowledge exchange, and facilitates communication among stakeholders. Its primary objective is to create synergies among organizations and individuals who share a commitment to quality, safety, sustainability, transparency, and social responsibility.

The establishment of MOZAIK reflects the understanding that quality infrastructure should be viewed as a societal value rather than merely a technical system. Quality today influences nearly every aspect of modern life, including education, healthcare, agriculture, food safety, environmental management, public administration, industry, culture, sports, and digital transformation. The network is based on principles of openness, inclusiveness, partnership, self-initiative, and shared responsibility. Participation is voluntary, and all members are encouraged to contribute according to their expertise, experience, and interests. Initiatives and solutions can emerge from any part of the network, whether from academia, government institutions, industry, local communities, or civil society, which enables greater flexibility, innovation, and responsiveness to emerging challenges.

The importance of MOZAIK became evident during its founding event held on 20 November 2025 at the Faculty of Organisational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia. More than one hundred researchers and academics from all public universities in Serbia, along with representatives of private universities, consultants, experts from public enterprises and private companies, and university students, participated in the event. The strong interest demonstrated at the launch confirmed the need for a platform capable of connecting expertise and experience from different sectors around a common vision of quality-driven development.

A distinctive feature of MOZAIK is its broad understanding of quality infrastructure. While maintaining strong links with the traditional pillars of standardization, accreditation, metrology, certification, and conformity assessment, the network extends its activities into numerous societal domains. In education, it promotes the integration of quality-related topics into curricula and supports research and competence development. In healthcare, agriculture, and food production, it contributes to strengthening safety, reliability, and trust. In public administration and local self-government, it encourages the application of quality principles to governance, public services, and transparency. In business and industry, it supports innovation, competitiveness, regulatory compliance, and access to international markets. The network also engages cultural institutions, sports organizations, media representatives, and civil society organizations in promoting quality awareness and responsible practices.

Another important dimension is its commitment to regional and international cooperation. Serbia’s quality infrastructure development is closely connected with European and international standards and practices. The network therefore serves as a platform for knowledge transfer, mutual recognition, joint projects, and cooperation with organizations and institutions throughout the region and beyond. By facilitating dialogue among stakeholders from different countries, MOZAIK contributes to the harmonization of practices and supports Serbia’s integration into European and global quality systems.

Within the framework of the draft Strategy, MOZAIK plays a particularly important implementation role. The draft identifies numerous measures related to stakeholder cooperation, capacity building, visibility of quality infrastructure, regional cooperation, and monitoring of implementation. MOZAIK provides an operational mechanism for achieving these objectives by mobilizing stakeholders, disseminating information, organizing training activities, supporting knowledge exchange, and collecting feedback from practice. (Table 1).

Table 1. Selected key points from the draft Strategy where the network organization’s role is irreplaceable

No.	Brief description	Role of the network
1	Calls for inclusion of all relevant actors	The network is the operational mechanism for continuous inclusion of all parties
2	Establishing mechanisms for regular cooperation	The network is a formalized framework for continuous cooperation
3	Visibility of quality infrastructure	Joint promotions, Quality Days, the network portal
4	Strengthening QI actors’ capacities	Space for knowledge exchange, trainings, mentorships
5	Regional and EU cooperation	Institutional and personal connectivity for international projects
6	Monitoring and reporting	The network provides field data and includes a wider circle of participants

The network offers several practical advantages for public authorities and other institutions involved in implementing the Strategy. First, it reduces the operational burden on public administration by assuming activities related to networking, communication, awareness raising, and stakeholder engagement. Second, it increases the impact of public measures without requiring significant additional institutional resources. Third, it improves the speed and effectiveness of implementation by facilitating the rapid exchange of information and early identification of challenges. Finally, it enhances the visibility of quality-related initiatives through conferences, workshops, publications, digital platforms, and public communication activities.

Looking ahead, MOZAIK aims to become a sustainable and influential platform that contributes to building a national culture of quality. Its planned activities include the development of thematic working groups, creation of digital collaboration platforms, organization of educational and promotional events, mapping of national expertise and resources, and support for pilot projects in various sectors. Through these activities, the network seeks to strengthen cooperation among stakeholders and transform quality infrastructure into a shared societal project. By connecting institutions, academia, businesses, local communities, civil society organizations, and citizens, MOZAIK creates the conditions for collaborative action and collective responsibility.

References

MOZAIK (n.d.). MOZAIK: Network Organization for Quality Infrastructure [LinkedIn company page]. https://www.linkedin.com/company/mozaik-organisation/

HARRIS, A., ISMAIL, N. & JONES, M. 2023. Distributed leadership: taking a retrospective and contemporary view of the evidence base. In: TIERNEY, R. J., RIZVI, F. & ERCIKAN, K. (eds.) International Encyclopedia of Education (Fourth Edition). Oxford: Elsevier, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818630-5.05022-3

Uhl-Bien, M., Marion, R., & McKelvey, B. (2007). Complexity leadership theory: Shifting leadership from the industrial age to the knowledge era. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(4), 298–318. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2007.04.002

About the authors

Dr Jovan V. Filipović is Full Professor and Head of the Department of Quality Management and Standardization at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia.

Dr Jelena V. Ruso is an Assistant Professor at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Organisational Sciences (FON) in Serbia. She works within the Department of Quality Management and Standardisation.