The project aims at enhancing quality of design and delivery of initial teacher education (ITE) towards increasing the professionalism bar for teaching profession in Kosovo through the implementation of European-inspired quality assurance mechanism that produce teacher professionalism aspired by teaching profession in Kosovo. The two important concepts in this project are 1) internal quality assurance mechanism in Initial Teacher Education (including but not limited to program review, organised monitoring, collecting feedback from students on quality of teaching and learning resources, review of quality of student services, review of managerial practices including staff policies, review of research activity etc, and 2) the development of teacher professionalism. The project makes the link in a way that the proposed internal quality assurance mechanism needs to contribute to the achievement of the desired professionalism in school system. The desired professionalism is referred to the policy set up for the teaching profession which the internal quality assurance system needs to contribute to. In addition, in order to achieve a quality culture in initial teacher education, the project supports the development of management skills and practices to manage internal quality assurance as well as development of teacher educator competencies to be able to deliver quality courses (specified in quality indicators for teaching in teacher education) that are in line with the expectations of professionalism in teaching profession and at the service of school reform. In order to address this, the project provides capacity building and resources for teacher educators and managers of initial teacher education. In this way the project brings all stakeholders together to link to the development of a quality culture in teacher education in Kosovo.

The disabled, stigmatized, chronically ill and elderly people in Kosovo are being served with allied health services of low quality level, often worsening their already limited capacities to cope with everyday life. The existing educational offers are failing to develop necessary competences needed to deliver better services. The aim of this Project is to enhance the development of research and innovation capacities in the area of allied health through education in line with the Bologna process in collaboration with clients, professionals, business, academic, industry, and governmental authorities. The main pedagogical strategy utilized during the Project is multidisplinary co-configuration. Consortium consists of 3 HEIs, 1 ministry and 2 NGOs from Kosovo and 2 HEIs from Finland and 1HEI from Turkey. The latter are specialized in multidisciplinary collaboration and modern pedagogy, innovation and entrepreneurship in the area of allied health. The project reaches its goals through establishing the SMAHPC, teacher training and development of CPD courses.The outputs and results are: - Clear and practical definitions of the research and innovation competences of allied health professionals - An innovation and research conducive student-run multidisciplinary allied health practice center - Eight continuous professional development (CPD) courses: one top-up course for teachers and seven for students/stakeholders on EQF levels 5, 6 and 7, and a digital platform to support the implementation of the courses.- Teacher and student handbooks, course plans and other relevant teaching and learning material.- Regional, national and international networks for disseminating and sustaining the work for development of research and innovation capacities in allied healthThe main impacts are improvement of the education environment, introduction of new learning methods, development of new and high quality allied health services/products, and new investment opportunities.

The general objective of this project is to contribute in the development of the research and innovation capacities of HEIs in Albania and Kosovo by enhancing their institutional capabilities, staff skills and networking.For both countries, improved capacities are needed in terms of the HEIs research management and adopted methodologies, but most importantly a closer cooperation of the universities with other actors in the innovation ecosystem, especially local actors as businesses and international partners. The cause for poor performance in both countries, in terms of innovations, lays not only in the economic structure of Albania and Kosovo (dominantly composed by SMEs), but also on the underdeveloped capacities of the HEIs, and the weak links they have developed locally and internationally. The needs analysis for both countries reveals two major fields for action:- The need to improve the HEIs capacities for research and innovation,- The need to foster the links and cooperation among the actors in the innovation ecosystem.As a result, the project seeks to support the development of capacities for research and innovation in intra and inter institutional level.The foreseen outputs can be summarized as follows:- Newly established/ strengthened research and innovation support structures- Modernized teaching and mentoring methodologies that enhance students’ capacities for research - Trained researchers and managers - Research quality indicators developed- Enhanced International linkages through interdisciplinary research groupsThe short term impact is to have increased capacities for research in the HEIs participating in the project, as well as generate synergy and a stronger cooperation among them.The expected long term impact is improved research performance in quantitative and qualitative terms.

Universities in Kosovo face similar challenges in terms of research activity. They all face low capacity to undertake quality scientific research, as well as they lack the institutional structures and certain policies to support research activity on a constant basis. Project expected results:- An assessment report published in outlining research situation in Kosovo.- Seven (7) research offices will be established, one per each university partner (except UP which already established it). - Respective universities will nominate at least one research coordinator per each research office.- Seven (7) strategic plans developed, one per each university (except UP who has already established it).- Establishment of six (6) scientific journals, one per a research priority in Kosovo.- Establishment of six (6) interinstitutional Scientific Committees, one per each scientific journal.- Establishment and update of a register of reviewers (international reviewers, also local reviewers with established international scientific reputation).- Establishing an inter-institutional Organizational Committee for the Annual Scientific Conference;- Organization of at least one conference during project life in six scientific sessions, with participation of around 200 researchers, from which 100 who present research work;- Minimum 60 papers fulfilling standards selected for publication into the scientific journals.- Policy/regulation on research ethics and integrity adapted in each beneficiary university (eight policies/regulations).- At least eight (8) Research Ethics Committees established and made functional, one per each beneficiary institution (respective universities may establish such committees at faculty levels).- An online open access database developed and launched;- Around 100 researchers, minimum 10 researchers per beneficiary partner will be trained on preparation research articles by meeting criteria of internationally indexed journals.

Health and well-being of citizens is of high priority on the social political agenda in Kosovo and Russia, as it is in the EU. However, the quality of health and social care systems in the two regions is often insufficient and, equally as in most European countries, jeopardized for sustainability.This leads to a pressing need to change the underlying systems and improve the quality. An important part of this change encompasses the manner of current education, the collaboration of health and well-being professionals, and research and innovation strategies to bridge this gap.The SUSWELL project modernizes health curricula of higher education institutes (HEI) from Pristina, Gjakova, Perm, St. Petersburg and Belgorod. It builds capacity through social innovation in order to improve and sustain health and well-being at community level.For it, SUSWELL is determined by an open, impact-driven multi-sector and multi-stakeholder approach of communities of practice (COP). These local COP seek for learning partnerships between HEI, non-for-profit representatives, businesses, public authorities, students and citizens. The outcomes of the local COP are co-created new solutions and practices that determine and lead to the development of innovative continuous professional development courses. These are aligned with European qualification standards and sustainably implemented in 5 HEI in Kosovo and Russia.SUSWELL is composed of 9 HEI and 6 social stakeholder organisations from 7 European countries who are embracing the complexity of health systems and accepting the need of co-creation to allow for social change. Other than traditional health initiatives, the consortium recognise the need for interaction of stakeholders across systems, professions and disciplines.SUSWELL will build increased institutional capacity of the targeted HEI, enhanced individual capacity of (future) health and well-being professionals, and greater social capacity in the related 5 local communities.