On March 5, 2021 and HERAS Plus, and University of Prishtina (UP) officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Through the MoU, HERAS Plus Project is committed to working with UP for institutional and technical support for strengthening capacities for further institutional development, including advancing strategic planning, promoting research and innovation, quality assurance enhancement, international cooperation, student and staff exchange in line with 3^rd mission of universities.

Rector of the University of Prishtina, Prof. Dr. Naser Sahiti, on this occasion thanked the HERAS Plus project, project donors, such as the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kosovo, as well as other partners within the Austrian consortium implementing the HERAS Plus project, important in supporting public universities, but also the higher education sector in general.

Ms. Horina expressed satisfaction that she is witnessing a success story where it is clear that the management of the University of Prishtina and the team of the HERAS Plus project have carefully identified the possibilities of cooperation and have included them in this Memorandum of Understanding.

HERAS Plus team leader, Mr. Aqim Emurli stated that through the signing of this Memorandum the University of Prishtina will benefit from expertise and exchange the best Austrian practices in areas related to the overall development and empowerment of the University. The MoU formalizes the excellent cooperation that already exists between the HERAS Plus project and the University of Prishtina.

The MoU and the cooperation with UP will be contributing to a more diverse higher education landscape in line with EHEA and ERA and SDG 4 and 9. The joint activities will be developed and presented throughout the period 2020 – 2023. .

On 4 March 2021, at the event, HERAS Plus presented the roadmap that describes Austrian and other countries’ practices regarding the regulatory aspects of the applied sciences approaches.

The roadmap paves the road towards developing a new Administrative Instruction and in the long-run new/revised accreditation standard. Only then the systematic reform will be complete in this field. More work is needed until then from the project HERAS Plus and all involved stakeholders, i.e., MES, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Accreditation Agency.

Though, excellent endorsement of the event proceedings by the Mr. Rame Likaj, Minister, Ms. Sandra Horina, Head of Office, Austrian Development Cooperation, Mr. Aqim Emurli, Team Leader, the representatives of the public HEIs, representatives of ADA funded projects (ALLED2 & QAINT) and HERAS Plus expert Mr. Kushtrim Bajrami.

 

On 22-23 December 2020, the HERAS Plus in close coordination with Ministry of Education and Science (MES) and the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA), supported two-days’ workshop for the development of the new law for KAA.

The new law is expected to be in a full accordance with the ESGs for quality assurance as well as addressing all ENQA recommendations . In particular the law addresses the “ESG standard 3.3 in regard to Independence that clearly states that Agencies should be independent and act autonomously and have full responsibility for their operations and the outcomes of those operations without third party influence”.

 

Some sessions of the workshop were also attended by the MES Minister, Mr. Ramë Likaj who gave clear guidance and direction under which the law shall be proceeded. The workshop was chaired and moderated by the deputy Minister of MES, Mr. Xhavit Rexhaj and the KAA Director, Mr. Naim Gashi. The MES officials stated that the law is to be finalized in the next two weeks and then followed by the public consultation, before send for adoption at the Assembly of Kosovo.

The team leader of HERAS Plus, Mr. Aqim Emurli during the workshop provided direct inputs to the law with regard to internal quality assurance standards, principles of the law, as well as other aspects of law provisions. He stated that the project will continue to provide national and international experts support, as requested by the MES and until the law is in force. .

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.

On 29 September 2020, HERAS+ Project in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) organized a workshop on drafting and revising the Law on Higher Education. The workshop was attended by members of the working group on drafting the amendments to the Law on Higher Education. The working group is established by MES in July 2020 and HERAS+ project is an official member of the working group.

The Minister of MES, Mr. Ramë Likaj joined the event and engaged in the group discussions. The working group engaged in article-by-article review of the Draft Law and also discussed the main issues that are to be addressed and regulated in the amended Law on Higher Education.

The workshop was chaired by Ms. Drita Kadriu, Director of HE Department in MES, and co-chaired by Mr. Aqim Emurli, HERAS+ Team Leader. In his address to the working group Mr. Emurli, stressed the need to undertake all efforts in coming up with legislative measures to ensure quality, transparency and development of higher education sector in the Republic of Kosovo in accordance with the best European standards. The objective of the Draft Law on Higher Education, according to the MES decision, is to better define the principles, main objectives and organization of higher education sector, as well as revise the rules for the establishment, operation, financing, accreditation and licensing of higher education institutions in Kosovo.

HERAS + Team will continue to support the working group by providing additional expertise until the law is adopted by the government, respectively by the Assembly of Kosovo.

The event was organized in compliance with protective measures against COVID-19.

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On June 26, 2020, Mr. Adi Kovacevic, Executive Director of WUS Austria and of the HERAS+ team, met Mr. Rame Likaj, Minister of Education and Science (MES).

During the meeting, Mr. Kovacevic introduced the new project  HERAS+ and the project team. HERAS+ is funded by ADA and implemented by a consortium led by WUS Austria. Mr. Aqim Emurli, team leader, gave a detailed presentation on project objectives, expected results, and activities of the project.

In return, Minister Likaj welcomed the introductory notes of the project and ensured full support of the ministry throughout the implementation of the project. The higher education reforms will be among the priorities of the new Minister hence the support of HERAS+ will be highly welcomed in this direction. An intensive cooperation between the project staff and the Ministry was therefore agreed upon.

On 11 August 2020, the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) has established a working group (WG) which will be in charge of the policies and the regulatory framework in the field of applied science. This development came as a result of advocacy and request from the HERAS+ towards the MES Minister and his cabinet. Through the WG, the HERAS+ will also provide support to the development and implementation of recommendations outlined, therein related to the development of these regulatory frameworks. The joint work will be based on an ongoing dialogue between the project team and MES together with other key stakeholders and it is expected that it will result with a potential new law, and or new administrative instruction and or new regulation in the field of applied science. Noteworthy, the WG was initially established during the previous phase of the project (HERAS) and now updated with new decision of MES. .