COWEB PROJECT

    The idea of this project proposal stems from the experience and the impetus created during the extraordinary emergent conditions under COVID-19, where all the consortium partners of this project have been put in a fait accomplish position to use alternative tools and channels to keep the teaching and learning process going, regardless of the fact whether staff and/or students possessed proper competencies and capacities to comply with such shift. An initial assessment was conducted with all WB HEIs to identify their specific needs and support required regarding digital transformation in the education sector. The results evidenced the substantial need for support and new solution for digitalization of the teaching and learning processes as well as the need for the development of digital skills to be better integrated into the education system.

    COWEB is planned to address the following needs.

    • The need to modernize and promote teaching and learning practices with technology-enhanced methods and tools, and the need to introduce international virtual/blended elements in the existing study programs.
    • The need for Academic/Administrative Staff and E-Tutor student innovative pedagogical trainings, and collaboratively producing didactic materials for the VCL course content and activities.
    • The need to align student learning outcomes with modern dynamic labor market needs for digital skills and competencies.
    • The need to set up interactive virtual learning spaces and platforms that connect HEIs, educators, and other enablers of these innovative activities for an enhanced cross-border regional collaboration.
    • The need for more concrete top-down approaches and strategies that promote digital transformation in the education sector by enhancing digital skills and formalizing VCL modules.

    SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

    Improving the level of competences, skills, and employability potential of students in HEIs in WB by implementing new and innovative pedagogical approaches to the education programs.

    Improving the quality of higher education in third countries not associated to the program and enhance its relevance for the labor market and society.

    Stimulating cooperation of institutions, capacity building and exchange of good practice between project partners.

    TARGET GROUPS

    The COWEB project addresses the following Target Groups:
    01.

    WB HEI Students

    VCL course encourages virtual exchange between Western Balkans and EU students through international virtual student teams solving case scenarios.

    02.

    WB HEI Academic Staff

    The trainings and short-term exchange visits planned during the project implementation will support academic staff from Western Balkans HEIs

    03.

    WB HEIs

    Trainings for administrative staff and project activities will address capacity building in implementing Virtual/Blended Exchange/Mobility for Internationalization at Home.

    GENERAL OBJECTIVE

    The general objective of COWEB (Promoting and Facilitating Collaborative Virtual International Learning in the Western Balkans Higher Education Institutions) is to build capacities in the Western Balkans Higher Education Institutions for international virtual collaboration as an innovative pedagogy in teaching and learning, with a focus on co-creating virtual/blended learning spaces and course content that will boost 21st century skills and competencies and address the low cross-border collaboration among young students in the Western Balkans region. The virtual exchange activities planned in the framework of this project will further improve the digital culture among academic staff and students of the region. The outcomes of COWEB will have a significant and long-term impact on the targeted HEIs beyond the projects’ lifetime and as such benefit the society in general

    WORK PLAN

    COWEB is a joint project arranged in a work plan of well-defined activities which are appropriately distributed in 5 work packages. The WPs are categorized into 3 vertical core work packages (WP2, WP3, WP4) and 2 horizontal work packages (WP1, WP5).

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    COWEB project is financed by the European Union

    • Project Reference – 101083013
    • Project Coordinator: Epoka University
    • Duration of the Project  –  36 months
    • Call: ERASMUS Programme 2022
    • Topic: Capacity Building in the field of Higher education (ERASMUS-EDU-2022-CBHE STRAND-2)    
    • Granting authority: European Education and Culture Executive Agency

    PROJECT PARTNERS

    Consortium cooperation

    The COWEB Project Consortium consists of 10 partner universities – three partners are from the European Union, respectively Technical University of Dresden, International School for Social and Business Studies, and University of Salento.

    Seven partners are from the Western Balkans region, respectively 2 from Albania, EPOKA University & European University of Tirana, 2 from Kosovo, University for Business and Technology & Biznesi College, 2 from Bosnia-Hercegovina, International Burch University &, University of East Sarajevo and 1 from Montenegro, University of Montenegro.

    The Consortium was designed based on previous successful collaboration between the partners, the complementarity of skills and competencies as well as a proper geographical representativeness  of the Western Balkans region.