Following the successful project management trainings delivered to academic staff in Tuzla, Elbasan, Mostar and Korçë, the SuProM project has reached another important milestone with the successful implementation of its pilot course, Sustainable Project Management, at five higher education institutions across Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Between May and June 2026, more than 140 students, alumni and external stakeholders participated in the pilot courses, which were designed to strengthen knowledge, skills and competencies in sustainable project management in line with identified labour market needs.
Each course followed the common SuProM methodology while being adapted to the local context, combining theoretical foundations with practical workshops, project proposal development, and direct collaboration with industry and public sector experts.
University “Fan S. Noli” Korçë, Albania (20–22 May)
The first pilot course took place at the University “Fan S. Noli” in Korçë, bringing together 23 students and alumni from the Faculties of Economics, Education and Philology, and Natural Sciences.
The three-day programme featured active participation from four external stakeholders, the American-Albanian Development Fund, the Regional District Project Office, Dorcas Aid Albania, and Korça Innovation HUB, who shared practical insights into project development and implementation.
Working in teams, participants developed nine original project proposals addressing topics such as green cities, cultural heritage preservation, smart tourism, and women’s entrepreneurship.
University of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (27 May)
The Faculty of Economics at the University of Mostar hosted a one-day pilot course attended by 29 participants.
Participants joined lectures and practical activities on planning, implementing, and evaluating projects through the lens of sustainability, covering economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
The training was led by Prof. Katerina Malić Bandur, PhD, and Inja Stojkić, PhD, with external stakeholders from the Chamber of Commerce and Intera Technology Park contributing their perspectives.
“Aleksandër Xhuvani” University of Elbasan, Albania (2–4 June)
The pilot course at the Faculty of Business and Law was distinguished by its strong collaboration with industry and public institutions.
Students, business representatives, municipal staff and university personnel participated in three days of intensive training, which included a study visit to EUROSTEEL Ltd. External experts included Dr. Esmeralda Yryku, CEO of EUROSTEEL Ltd., Ertjan Çabiri, Manager of DELMON GROUP ALBANIA, and Kristina Kreka, Director of European Integration at the Municipality of Elbasan.
The programme concluded with student teams pitching innovative project proposals before a professional jury, giving participants valuable experience in presenting and defending project ideas.
University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali”, Albania (3–5 June)
At the University of Vlora, 43 participants took part in a three-day programme combining lectures, interactive workshops and project proposal development.
The course benefited from the active involvement of the Municipality Project Office, local stakeholders and an international supervising expert. Working in multidisciplinary teams, participants developed seven original project ideas, with the strongest proposal receiving a special award at the end of the programme.
University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (17 June)
The final pilot course was organised at the Faculty of Technology of the University of Tuzla as part of the 31st Summer University of Tuzla.
Around 50 participants from the Faculties of Technology, Economics, Electrical Engineering and Philosophy took part in a full day of lectures, interactive workshops and industry case studies held at the INTERBA Laboratory Computer Center.
The programme brought together a combination of academic and industry expertise. In addition to teaching staff from several faculties of the University of Tuzla, contributors included colleagues from the University of Ljubljana and representatives of leading companies including Lukavac Cement, Deling Invest, Solana and Inspekt-RGH.
Students worked in interdisciplinary teams to apply sustainable project management principles and develop mini project proposals, with many participants collaborating with peers from other faculties for the first time.
Building the Future of Sustainable Project Management
The successful completion of the pilot courses marks a significant achievement for the SuProM project and demonstrates the strong interest among students, universities and external stakeholders in strengthening project management competencies for sustainable development.
The pilot implementation provides a solid foundation for the gradual integration of sustainable project management into university curricula and lifelong learning programmes across the Western Balkans.
