Higher KOS Kick-off meeting in Prishtina
Prishtina. On March 26th the Kick-off for „Higher KOS – Promoting Institutional Development in Higher Education and Research in Kosovo“ took place in Prishtina. The project is financed by the Austrian Development Cooperation and implemented by the consortium comprising WUS Austria (World University Service Austria), ZSI (Centre for Social Innovation) and OeAD (Austrian Exchange Service). The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo.
To see the agenda of the kick-off meeting click here.
The event took place in Hotel Sirius in the city center of Prishtina and was attended inter alia by the Minister of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) Rame Buja, Christian Geosits of the Austrian Development Agency, Rector Muje Rugova and Vice-Rector Naser Mrasori of the University of Prishtina (UP), and Rector Mazllum Baraliu of the University of Prizren (UPZ). At the meeting the Rector of the UPZ, Mazllum Baraliu, stated that the project opens up new possibilities for the university; the Rector of the UP emphasised the long tradition of Austria supporting higher education in Kosovo which had started already in the 1990ies, e.g. by recognition of diploma from Kosovo.
The kick-off was attended also by the national media; a small selection of articles can be found here:
EXPRESS: 15 bursa për doktoraturë në Austri
LAJME DITORE: Higher-KOS, projekt i rendesishem per Kosoven
KOSOVA.INFO: Buja: Higher-KOS, projekt i rëndësishëm për Kosovën
KOSOVAPRESS: 15 bursa për doktoraturë në Austri
Information
on the project was also broadcasted by Kosovar TV stations. Find the link to the press conference here.
About the project:
The project „Higher KOS – Promoting Institutional Development in Higher Education and Research in Kosovo“ contributes to the well-functioning of the higher education and research system in Kosovo along European values, practices and standards.
Its purpose is to effectively and in a sustainable manner implement the principles of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in the public Kosovar Higher Education (HE) institutions and to enhance Kosovo’s integration into the European Research Area (ERA).
The intervention focuses on three thematic areas:
(1) The quality of education offered at public HE institutions will be enhanced through improved and labour market oriented teaching and learning (didactics, planning), and improved quality assurance mechanisms.
(2) The system of research promotion in Kosovo will be improved substantially through developing capacities and establishing a national research fund and administration that is functioning according to international standards.
(3) Quality management and governance as well as administrative capacities of main stakeholders (MEST, universities) will be further developed in order to be more efficient, transparent, effective and customer-oriented.
The three thematic areas are divided into ten components, thus allowing tailor-made measures for each of the expected results, specifically targeted at the direct beneficiaries. Direct target institutions are: the public universities of Kosovo - University of Prishtina, University of Prizren, University of Mitrovica; the MEST, the Kosovo Accreditation Agency, the Kosovo NARIC Office, and the National Research Council (approx. 2.000 staff members in total). Indirect beneficiaries are the student populations of the three public universities (ca. 55.000) as well as the students of private universities and graduates with foreign degrees returning to Kosovo (approx. another 10.000). Through enhanced research capacities and improved RTDI (Research, Technological Development and Innovation) structures in Kosovo, economic development and entrepreneurship are stimulated from which the whole society benefits. To this end, the project also contributes to economic development and poverty reduction .
For
further information on the project visit the PROJECT WEBSITE: http://www.higherkos.info/
