On 09 December 2020, ‘HERAS Plus’ Project organized a Working Group (WG) meeting on Applied Science (AS) policies. The WG meeting was organized in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science (MES). Minister of MES, Mr. Ramë Likaj, attended the event and offered his vision and guidance on AS Policy development. In addition, Minister Likaj encouraged the WG members to proceed with drafting a policy on AS referring to, and benefiting from, the Austrian experience through utilizing the support of ‘HERAS Plus’ Project.

The Project’s international lead expert on Applied Science, Mr. Almir Kovacevic, addressed the audience via an online link. Mr. Kovacevic provided an overview of AS best-practices in Austria including a guide of AS policy drafting process. The Team Leader of the project, Mr. Aqim Emurli proposed a methodology and a practical approach of engagement in addressing the issue of AS policy regulation. Further, Mr. Emurli, noted that ‘HERAS Plus’ will provide overall support to the WG in the process of drafting the regulatory framework in the field of AS.

The WG members (representing public HEIs) discussed extensively on the necessity to better regulate the field of AS in Kosovo. They brought forward their views and stands on how the future AS field should look like. The WG members agreed that the AS shall be regulated in a systematic manner and through a multilevel intervention.

The WG members, during their discussion, noted that Kosovo should first invest in having a sound policy that shall regulate the AS field as whole. Secondly, the WG addressed the need to adjust the accreditation standards for the AS that are offered by the Higher Education system in Kosovo. Lastly, the WG suggested to focus on designing and implementing a proper organizational set-up of the public HEIs in Kosovo to enable them to successfully implement the AS policy.

As a next step, the Project ‘HERAS Plus’ together with WG Members will engage in developing a Roadmap document on AS. The Roadmap document will include policy options that will be presented to MES for consideration and endorsement.