Higher education governance and its autonomy is strongly enhanced by effective and convincing
accountability, transparency and financial sustainability. Discussions on the university governance and
autonomy throughout HEIs in Europe are coming as a response to diverse challenges in the different
country’s context. As a result, the need for gaining and enhancing public trust in higher education
became manifest to develop appropriate forms of transparency and accountability of both public and
private institutions. An initiative to form a consortium came as a response to address these challenges
through the project Strengthening university autonomy and increasing accountability and transparency
of Western Balkans Universities /STAND project.
The concept entails investing in the strengthening the mechanisms that ensures the long-term
sustainability of university autonomy, transparency and accountability. The project foresees cooperation
between HEIs in the WB region, their respective ministries and program country partners and
contributes to the increasing of professional capacities of HEI staff in partnering HEIs.
As structural project it will support reflecting on standards at EU partners and enhancing them at WB
institutions through intensified regular academic and management exchange of good practice and
sustainable networking between EU-WB partners.
A mix of bottom-up and top-down approach that will be used in the project, fosters the dialogue
between universities and ministries, and thus enables the consortium to contribute more effectively to
the project implementation and sustainability to strengthen the autonomy of Western Balkans higher
education institutions. The project aims to reach up to 50,000 persons engaged in higher education and
other related activities in Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro and abroad through its dissemination
activities.
University Autonomy Scorecard delivered and published for Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro
Development and publishing of university autonomy scorecards provides very strong impact on the institutional level and through that its will automatically impact in the national level of Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro and further as well and in regional level
The partner universities and
associated partners are going to
benefit directly from the
project. The staff can be
reached through participation in
the activities of the project,
lectures platform, networking,
website and newsletters of the
project. Students will be
reached by taking placements in
different future events,
opportunities and also when
they are taught by staff with
enhanced capabilities and
knowledge.
The knowledge of cooperation
between universities in the
consortium will be disseminated
throughout the consortium
countries and will encourage
other universities to be
activated in the process of
internationalization through
website, newsletters, social
media, brochure, leaflets and
posters, meetings, etc.
Enhanced university governance for promoting autonomy
Upper, middle and lower management of the institutions,
Provided training and established networks will allow the partner countries use advanced approaches for 4 dimensions: organizational, financial, academic and staffing
Good cooperation achieved between Western Balkans partners and EU partners
Staff exchange, research projects, mobility, joint conferences, etc.
International Agreements University Collaboration
The creation of the university management system
The model of the university management system software and the online platform will have strong impact HEIs in the region and will increase the university transparency.
Every university partner will be developed features based on the cooperation agreement. Other HEIs will be able to join and develop in future, as well as the online platform.
Upgrading of university regulations and profiles
The upgrade and modernization of university regulations provides very strong impact on the institutional level and through that its will automatically impact in the national level of partner countries, will increase transparency, profiling of HEIs and quality.
After the update of regulations and statues, universities will make an action plan to implement those easily.
Harmonizing practices between HEIs and relevant ministries using the example of EU partners
Project will bring together HEI, national authorities, including international partners that will exchange knowledge and will provide best practices in the region.
Partners in the project will gain competences in tackling university autonomy and transparency in HEIs in the region. They will also learn about EU HEI, and gain international experience from Institutions and experts s working in the higher education sector.
The creation of strategies for university autonomy’s
The creation of strategies for university autonomy’s provides very strong impact on the institutional level and through that its will automatically impact in the national level of the region.
After the creation of such strategies, universities will make an action plan to implement the updated strategies, while the policy-makers will disseminate to all HEIs.
Expert network on university autonomy
The Expert network will have a strong impact on for dissemination of knowledge on university autonomy in general and specifically for the case of Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro.
New members can join in and expand the impact to cross regional educational issues.
Impact on HEI policy implementation
Project will bring adoption of holistic university reforms accompanied with appropriate support for skills and organizational structure development in Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro.
After the reforms the HEIs in the region will strengthen the university autonomy, as well as accountability and transparency. The HEIs will contribute to the enhancement of the quality of education and the economic development in the region.
Impact on national and regional policy implementation
Project will bring together HEIs, national authorities-in partner countries, including international organisations that are operating in the region and supporting the HEI sector.
The university governance autonomy, transparency and accountability due to the lack of skills, it is essential that we act together to improve the current status. We will spread materials developed by our EU HEI across HEI in region, assuring the cross- sectoral impact of the project.
Impact on consortium members
The project main impacts will be development of capacity of all consortium members, especially those coming from program countries in addressing the university autonomy and transparency in HEIs.
This will include the increased skills of top management and middle-management and other staff, developing new management mechanisms, networks and other technical skills to have better management systems and increases the cooperation of partner country HEIs with the EU HEIs.
Increase capacities of HEIs staff and students
The project will have an impact on all direct participants of the workshops, trainings, study visits who will have an opportunity to present their work, learn about good practices, and familiarise themselves with the work of EU HEI in university autonomy.
Participants of the Trainings will gain competences in tackling university autonomy and transparency in HEI in the region. They will also learn about EU HEI, management systems. National authorities like the ministries and accreditation bodies well as other HEIs through knowledge exchange.
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.