On August 24^th, the Kosovo NCP Platform, developed by HERAS Plus, was launched, presented and elaborated. During the second half of the event, the respective Kosovo NCPs were trained on using and utilizing the platform, guided by the training Manual prepared for this purpose. The utilization of the platform and enhancing Kosovo’s participation in the Horizon Europe Program were also discussed among NCPs.

The support for developing the Kosovo NCP Platform has been reiterated after several consultations and meetings with MESTI officials. The platform is considered necessary because it is a pledged commitment in the association agreement signed by MESTI with European Commission. The platform is a crucial tool for NCPs to exercise their role in communicating to the general public and target groups the respective calls, other training and networking opportunities, training or/and grants offered to build capacities of NCPs and/or researchers. The platform will be administered and populated by the NCP members, with the support of HERAS Plus (for the initial piloting phase).

On 28 and 29 March 2022 a two-day tailor made training with University “Ukshin Hoti” in Prizren (UUHP) on Project Cycle Management (PCM) took place.

On their welcoming speeches Vice-Rector for International Relations and Quality Assurance Arsim Susuri and HERAS Plus Office Manager Donjeta Ibra, stated how important and necessary are these kind of initiatives at university level. They elaborated the benefits that UUHP in general, will gain from this tailor-made training and encouraged the participants to make a maximum use of resources offered by the project.

During the training, the participants were guided through the phases of PCM and also Logical Framework Approach. The participants were provided with essential information on the policies, programmatic, regulatory and technical aspects of project management and ways to ensure coherence, sustainability and transparency of project work. All the training sessions were followed with concrete examples in working groups. The participants were mentored on advancing concrete proposals and which will be ready for fund-raising.

The training was tailored and specifically designed for the needs of the UUHP and is part of support provided to University based on the competitive fund for strategic development of public HEIs.

In the scope of support to enhancing Kosovo’s research capacities and participation in Horizon Europe, on March 9^th, 2022 the first workshop was held to define the containing features of the platform and coordinate the National Contact Points) NCP’s involvement in the process.

Development of the Kosovo NCP Platform supports Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MESTI) towards fulfilling the requirement deriving from Kosovo’s association to Horizon Europe by developing the Kosovo NCP Platform.

The platform will be operated by NCPs to promote the services offered and activities of the NCP structure, to disseminate information about the Horizon Europe open calls in the respective clusters they’re assigned to represent, reach out to target groups and potential applicants with awareness-raising and assistance to access and benefit from the EU funding available through the Horizon Europe Program.

The support of HERAS Plus to the internationalization of research and innovation and utilization of the available funding from EU funding Schemes (Horizon Europe Program) includes capacity building training for NCPs and individual researchers, grants for applications submitted to Horizon Europe from Kosovo, and technical expertise to MESTI in upgrading and aligning the regulatory framework in place to operate these processes.

On 8 July 2021, In cooperation with Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the scope of support for the National Contact Points (NCPs), the first session in the cycle of Training of Trainers was held with the newly appointed NCPs.

The newly appointed NCPs will be performing under Kosovo’s conditional associated country status to Horizon Europe with added benefits and eligibility for a range of calls. The HERAS Plus expert Mr. Gorazd Weiss, from consortium member ZSI, gave an overview of the New Horizon Europe Program, respective pillars, and calls, and all accompanying procedures were elaborated during the training. The New NCPs were also introduced with services they can provide to raise awareness about specific programs and give detailed information concerning the eligibility and application procedure.

The direct support of HERAS Plus by this activity and the overall support for the NCPs is expected to have a significant impact in increasing participation of Institutions and Researchers from Kosovo in the Horizon Europe Program, the most ambitious EU Research and Innovation Program of EU, with broader eligibility for participation for Kosovo as an associated country (in the process).