Summary of the project:The project aim is modernisation and internationalisation of VET and bachelor curricula in engineering for renewable energies in the targeted universities in Albania through innovation of curricula in line with the new development in the area and the labour market demand.The project addresses the regional priorities of the countries for modernisation of curriculum in engineering and the strategic plans for renewable energies and need of specialists for the new jobs in the area.Outputs:- Up-to-date curricula in the strategic disciplines in line with the new development in the area of renewable energy with 15 courses developed with applying the approach with learning outcomes, ECTS and e-learning practices, including virtual mobility of students and staff;- 5 innovated laboratories for efficient practical training of students and 6 multimedia laboratories;- Staff trained for the development and delivery of innovated curricula;- HE responsive to the labour market demand;-Real internationalisation of HE in engineering/manufacturing through collaborative development/update of BSc and MSc curricula.Benefits at:- Local level: HEIs will have modernised curricula, modern laboratories upgraded with new equipment; enterprises in the sector will have better educated young engineers for the new jobs in manufacturing and processing for renewable energies; young specialists better prepared for the labour market and as a result - higher employability;- National level: improvement of HE in the country following the national priorities and strategic development.

The proposal EntrAL supports the employability of young graduates through entrepreneurship education. By organizing entrepreneurial courses at different educational levels (pre-university and university levels) and to a large audience (pre-university teachers and university teachers and students), the project aims at a wider impact. The proposal does not only support the entrepreneurial mind-set of highly educated students but also of pre-university teachers, who will encourage the next generation to think outside of the box and be more risk driven. For this reason the project encourages entrepreneurial teaching methods, and nurture entrepreneurial behavior from the students. Teachers are supported by the university structure and mechanisms (LLL, activities for staff); students get from their teachers better support and advice in term of entrepreneurship and skills related to entrepreneurial attitude, supporting their employability after graduation. The project will implement entrepreneurship to the existing U3M-AL and TEAVET centers teacher qualification process lifelong and Third Mission according to the needs of the teachers. It will utilise the established specialized centers of teacher training in accordance with the needs of MESY to increase entrepreneurial mind-set at national level through accredited teacher training in entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurial mind-set at institutional level will be increased through teacher training and entrepreneurship modules using scientific methodologies, pedagogical issues, ethics and ICT use in learning. New expertise and standard of teacher training in entrepreneurship will be established in Albanian universities and schools through organizing seminars in Albanian universities and training visits to European universities.

The wider project objective was to establish and support quality assurance processes and mechanisms to ensure effective management and enhance teaching and learning at the private higher education institutions in Albania. The Project aimed to support the private higher education institutions in Albania to achieve the priorities of the two key documents: “Increasing the impact of EU Development: an Agenda for Change” and “European Higher Education in the World”. The project addressed the national priority for Joint projects, quality assurance processes and mechanisms, under category C – improving management and operation of higher education institutions. The project comprised the following specific objectives:- To establish / support the quality assurance structures / offices at the private HE institutions in Albania;- To provide capacity building on quality assurance;- To provide trainings on designing study programs based on labour market needs.- To draft action plans supporting the processes of quality assurance and enhancement in teaching, learning and administration.- To modernize the infrastructure of Quality Assurance Offices.- Development of QA guidelines. The principles characterizing the project focused on: knowledge transfer and adaption to local needs, capacity and institutional building, sustainability and local ownership, as well as QA throughout the project.The project delivered the main following results (project documents, templates and research publications): 1. Guidelines for Research Evaluation; 2. Research Evaluation; 3. Final Report on Needs and analysis about QA; 4. Report on Quality Assurance Qualifications Frameworks and recognition with HEIs; 5. Template for QA Manual; 6. Comparative analysis of the accreditation procedures between Kosovo and Albania on implementation of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area; 7. Challenges on implementation of e-Learning and online evaluation of teaching, learning and research in Kosovo and Albania; 8. QA Action Plans; 9. QA Manuals.

The CRED4TEACH project responds to the needs of higher education institutions and educational decision makers in countries Albania, Montenegro and Ukraine towards providing high-quality, responsive, inclusive, flexible and competence-based training provisions to in-service teachers across the educational sectors. The project’s solution is to establish the MOOC-based micro-credentials for enhancing the opportunities for teacher professional development in target countries. The project objectives are:- to boost staff skills for the development and delivery of MOOC-based Micro-credentials;- to develop and introduce national and institutional frameworks for the delivery, issuing and recognition of Micro-credentials,- to create, deliver and validate 11 pilot MOOC-based Micro-credentials,- to encourage the wider adoption of Micro-credentials for professional development of teachers and other target groups.Target groups: in-service teachers from secondary schools, VET and HEI sectors.Expected results:-46 teaching and research staff members upskilled to micro-credentials and MOOC-designers;-11 MOOC-based Micro-credentials in UA, ALB, MNE, each between 4-6 ECTS, delivered to at least 220 pilot teachers; -3 national and 8 institutional frameworks on the provision and recognition of micro-credentials for teachers;-3 national blueprints on adoption of micro-credentialing.To achieve the project objectives, CRED4TEACH will strengthen institutional capacities for the provision of MOOC-based micro-credentials through providing trainings by partners from program countries, create national and institutional guidelines for offering of micro-credentials, design, deliver and validate 11 MOOC-based micro-credentials, and promote the achieved results through a large-scale dissemination campaign. The project results will be reflected in the scope of 3 blueprints providing recommendations to educational decision makers towards a national-wide adoption of micro-credentials.