Langthaler and Pešikan analyse the recent policy transfer of the dual system of vocational education and training (VET) to Serbia. Focussing on the role of political interests and collective imaginaries of education in framing such transfer processes, they elaborate how a widespread humanistic understanding of education among academics and civil society in Serbia has led to resistance against the introduction of dual VET. Rather than improving the employability of young learners, as observed in the dual system’s German-speaking countries of origin, this kind of strongly work-based VET is feared to undermine labour standards and social equity. This is due to a substantially different socioeconomic context in Serbia with respect to the German-speaking countries.