About the project
The project addresses the pressing need to enhance sustainable project management capabilities in Western Balkan universities, following a recent reform in higher education that revealed skill gaps among academic staff and students. In Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, authorities have been promoting international collaboration through university consortia and joint projects with global partners. However, staff frequently report inadequate project management expertise within administrative teams and limited sustainable management knowledge across the workforce. This initiative seeks to bridge these gaps by offering targeted training and integrating sustainable project management into university curricula.
Over the last two decades, higher education in the Western Balkans has undergone significant transformations, yet institutions remain under pressure to modernize. In Albania, efforts by the Ministry of Education and Sports and the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation have emphasized internationalization through collaborative projects, staff mobility, and indexed research publications. Similarly, Bosnia and Herzegovina has focused on enhancing global participation in educational initiatives. Nonetheless, challenges persist: Albania’s 2021-2026 National Education Strategy has made strides, but entrepreneurial and technological skills development lags, research investment remains low, and the emphasis on compliance in legal frameworks often overshadows meaningful quality improvements.
Another critical challenge lies in the capacity of administrative offices within higher education institutions. Public universities, in particular, often lack the resources and expertise to effectively translate academic concepts into viable project proposals, hindering the establishment of sustainable project management systems. Consequently, international collaborations rely heavily on personal networks rather than institutional frameworks.
While private universities and external providers offer project management training, public institutions frequently lack similar opportunities, deepening inequalities. These challenges underscore the urgent need for comprehensive capacity building in project management, benefiting both the education sector and the broader economy.
The project offers capacity-building training in sustainable project management and integrates project management modules into higher education programs and curricula.
Improving the project management skills of university staff and students, enhancing the employability of students and equipping university administrators with advanced tools for managing international projects are necessary steps to enable staff and students to effectively coordinate or partner in EU-funded projects and thus improve institutional performance in European programmes.
Regional priorities to be addressed
From 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026
101177983
Erasmus+, KA2 – Capacity building in the field of higher education – Strand 1
A training programme, designed on the basis of an initial analysis of project management processes, will address real challenges and labour market needs. The training will target university staff and students, and will introduce sustainability-focused project management modules into university curricula. This approach will modernise institutions, improve students' employability and increase sustainability awareness and digital literacy of both staff and students.
The project involves five higher education institutions (two in Bosnia and Herzegovina and three in Albania), inviting staff and students to participate in collaborative communities and sustainable project management training. By partnering with experienced EU institutions, knowledge and best practices will be transferred and skills for project preparation and implementation will be developed. By involving the management of the participating institutions, the project will create a supportive environment for international cooperation and improve the quality of services provided by the project offices.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
