Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) action: Regional Report - Western Balkans¹

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency’s evaluation of the first final project reports of the first generation of CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015. Altogether 138 projects were funded in 2015² and 88 finalised projects have submitted their final reports in 2019, among which 15 were implemented in the Western Balkans.

The report’s results are therefore based on a relatively small sample of finalised CBHE projects³ and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage. The analyses takes also into account the institutional monitoring visits and cluster meetings that were organised by the  Agency as part of its monitoring strategy.

The report is analysing the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of HEIs (HEI), their modernisation of study programmes and their teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEI’s technical capacities. It will zoom into the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, chambers of commerce, etc.

The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, mainly but not exclusively through ‘Structural Projects’. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region.

Finally, the analyses will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.