ERASMUS PROJEKTI

WBNET – Greening Relevance in Operations in Western-Balkans Tertiary-Education Habitats

Internetska stranica projekta: https://wbnet.atuss.edu.rs

The overall goal of the WBNET project is to introduce short study programs in the higher education institutions (HEIs) of the Western Balkans (WB), through the establishment of the Centres for Short Study Programs, on 4 universities in the region West Balkan. That means that project is directly in line with a Digital Strategy. The project’s main contribution to the priorities of the call is its focus on building capacity and raising the quality of education in the light of employability. The proposed project is in line with the Regional Priority ’’Digital transformation’’ and ’’Sustainable growth and jobs’’ for the Region 1 (Western Balkan) and to the call ’’Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education: Strand 2’’.

The faculty, when it receives information that a certain profile is missing, needs at least five years to accredit a certain study program. These short programs will shorten that time and in a way are a “shortcut” to matching the needs of the market and the education system. Also, It is important to note that enrollment quotas at higher education institutions do not follow market demand, i.e. they cannotmeet the current and future needs of the software industry.

Short study programs will be designed to connect the education system and the labour market. This implies that faculties will offer short study programs to the market and establish closer contact with companies. The idea is that the HEI, in accordance with the needs of the market, creates study programs that will provide the exact knowledge and skills needed to work in certain companies. The one who completes this program will have the exact knowledge needed at that moment by a particular company.

The WBNET project, also, aims to improve the process of international cooperation and cooperation with the economy of HEIs in WB countries through the development of centres for short study programs, networking with EU HEIs and the economic sector.

Resources, as a prerequisite for work and development of higher education, have been the target or covered topic of many previously carried out reform projects, with a common outcome analysis – higher education in WB countries is inadequately financed and low on the priority list.

The consortium consists of 3 HEIs from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and 4 HEIs and 2 non-academic partners from third countries not associated to the program (Western Balkan). In the application HEIs from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme will be called EU HEIs and HEIs from WB are going to be called WB HEIs, in order to reduce the number of used words. WB countries involved n the project are that belong to WB countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and Kosovo. WB countries have compatibility of teaching programs and market needs, the governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and HEIs are working on aligning the education system with the labour market needs, but mismatch the goals is still evident. Additionally, the project’s emphasis on developing Providing support for students and graduates in entering the labour market aligns with the call’s priorities on enhancing the employability and skills of higher education graduates and fostering cooperation between higher education and the economy.

Important part of WBNET project objective would be digital transformation in B&H and Kosovo. Implementation of digital transformation, the Western Balkans is facing similar challenges as the EU in terms of digitalization. The countries are working on improving the digital skills of their citizens and businesses, and also on the digitization of the public sector and the modernization of the digital infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the necessity of accelerated digital transformation in all branches of industry, and the digitization of business is rightly considered a driver of change, offering new opportunities for business development and growth.

The project also addresses the general objective of the call by promoting the internationalization of HEIs in the Western Balkans region.

Partners:

• TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MADRID (Spain)
• UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA (Slovenia)
• ACADEMY OF TECHNICAL AND ART APPLIED STUDIES BELGRADE (Serbia)
  
• AKADEMIJA STRUKOVNIH STUDIJA KOSOVSKO METOHIJSKA LEPOSAVIC (Kosovo*)
  
• UNIVERSITY OF MITROVICA (Kosovo*)
• UNIVERSITY OF BIHAC (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• HERCEGOVINA UNIVERSITY (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• W3 LAB DIGITAL SOLUTIONS (Kosovo*)
  
• RECTORS’ ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES (Bosnia and Herzegovina)