Economic and social development are widely affected by the impacts of climate change. It is of critical importance that higher education system contribute to building capacities and interdisciplinary knowledge for a sustainable and resilient society, able to build back better our vulnerable economies. Investors, insurers, businesses, cities and citizens across the EU and the Balkans should be able to access data and to develop instruments to integrate climate change into their risk management practices. This proposal is relevant to the objectives and activities of the CBHE action and specificities of Strand II. It is based on identified needs analysis performed in each of the target countries of Region 1 and of the target groups and final beneficiaries. The wider aim and the specific objectives of the project are in line with “Green Deal” EU overarching priority, as a project that supports action within higher education systems for creating climate resilient communities.The Needs Analysis revealed the following challenges across WBC HEIs, and advised on the possible areas of intervention:•Absence of climate centers/hubs affiliated to the WBC HEIs;•Limited or missing climate and sustainability courses;•Limited typologies of teaching and learning methodologies applied in teaching process; •Lack of professional courses in the field of climate and sustainability;•Lack of students activities targeting climate and sustainability;•Very limited collaboration capacities with business sector in the field of climate;•Lack or very limited efforts to implement climate smart solutions within HEI services.Based on the performed needs analysis the broader aim of the project was defined: Mainstream a holistic approach towards on climate and sustainability action. The WPs, tasks and activities of this proposal are conceived for fulfilling this aim.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) the link between labour market and Higher Education Institutions (HEI) is still week. The market has low level of trust in HEI as serious partner in solving technical and technological or any work-related problems but also cannot see their role in the creation of skill and knowledgeable graduates, who are fit for employment. The main aim of the project is to improve the competences of higher education graduates in BIH, through development of generic model of dual education (DUALSCI model) and legal framework for introduction of dual education in order to support different needs and interests of students, companies, higher education institutions (HEIs) in different cantons/entities of BIH and to provide recommendations to HEIs, companies and policy makers for implementation of dual education in the entire BIH. The model will be implemented, as a pilot test, in four universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The overall aims of the project are:• Improvement of the competencies of higher education graduates in cantons and entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the needs of employers,• Increase motivation to study as well as to improve the employability of graduate students, • Enable students from lower income families to access higher education, and• Improvement of legal framework and accreditation standards in four cantons and entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to adapt to dual education with long-term goal to motivate introduction of dual education in other cantons/entities/districts not involved in the project.

The construction sector, a major employer in Europe, has significant environmental, societal and economic impact and is identified as a priority for the twin transition and achievement of resource-efficient and competitive economy. The sector faces major challenges in attracting young and skilled workers as well as in re-skilling and upskilling of the active workforce. Knowledge gaps and evolving market needs towards transitional skills and competences emerge all over Europe while the VET systems in the different MSs are slow in the introduction of these skills into their offerings. Additionally, the competence recognition frameworks remain segmented in the MSs with no mutual standard for certification of transitional skills. The Academy for transitional skills in the built environment (BuildSkills Academy) will respond to these needs and will support the skills ecosystems to drive the twin transition by developing a transnational cooperation platform of CoVEs, aiming to foster VET excellence for the construction sector. By uniting 17 educational, industrial and exploitation partners from 7 EU countries (BG, CY, GR, IT, LT, DE, FR), 2 associated countries (Serbia and Norway) and 1 country not associated to the programme (Bosnia and Herzegovina) the BuildSkills Academy will design and roll-out: •BuildEnrichedSkills methodology and a procedure for adaptation of learning provision which will serve for VET centers in Europe to adapt their offerings more quickly and to prepare workers for the digital and green transition in occupations of high demand. •Certification framework for recognition of these skills and competences – a world-class reference for improvement and certification of VET provisionThese outcomes will be transferred to 6 pilots covering 300 trainees and exploited to reach out to 100 VET providers, 1000 companies and 20 high-level organizations in the construction skills ecosystem realizing 100 VET-industry cooperations for vocational excellence.

There are students that due to different reasons do not reach the bachelor degree or cannot study regularly and in expected age. Dropout rates are high and many students with one or two years uncompleted bachelor studies abandon their studies. This is very important if we bear in mind a high unemployment rate of young people between 19 and 30 years old, around 45%, in BIH (in all cantons and entities), a trend of growing inactivity of young people, early dropout of education and long-term unemployment, problems in legislation, which does not recognize PT and SCHE, etc.Bosnia and Herzegovina give high priority to build programmes for lifelong learning at all HEIs, according to their Priorities of Higher Education Development for 2016 – 2026 in BiH. This project aims to address this problem, providing appropriate legislation framework, tested and prepared for adoption. This problem was selected because of:1. Widening access to HE: PT and SCHE will be more convenient for larger population of new students (shorter, cheaper, employability prospects, etc.)2. Increase of efficiency of bachelor studies: Students having difficulties to reach bachelor degree, instead of abandoning their studies (dropout), can choose short cycle programs.3. Making HE more flexible and in line with labour market: SCHE studies aim to provide necessary knowledge and skills sets exactly specified for certain jobs, providing HEs to offer shorter programs in line with needs of employers.4. Increase of employment: PT and SCHE studies usually target areas where employability is relatively high and promising. Unemployed may faster and easier get new qualifications according to labour market demands. 5. Lifelong learning: with PT and SCHE, employees may easier upgrade or change their qualifications according to needs of employers.The main outputs of the project are new developed and implemented PT and SCHE programs and adopted changes in laws on higher education in BIH cantons and entities.