Objectives of the project

1. Promote excellence in teaching and research, in the field of European Studies, issues, and practices.
2. Expand knowledge about the EU and its respective policies, standards, convergence criteria, etc. Given the current revision of EU convergence criteria, this knowledge needs to be conveyed to the public and key stakeholders involved in the EU integration and access process in Albania.
3. Promote and establish a dialogue between academia and other stakeholders, focusing mainly on students in higher education institutions not normally dealing with EU issues.
4. Review, update and complement current curricula on EU policies, market, institutions, as well as the EU integration process.

Expected Results and Outcomes

1. The impact on academic curricula and research agendas that focus on EU studies in a variety of ways. They are expected to foster the development of existing capacities for quality scholarly and public activities at the universities involved in this project on matters related to the European Union, as well as create new avenues and forums for searching, teaching, debating, and sharing views, research methodologies and experiences in EU studies. Just as importantly, they are expected to have an important effect on the public and especially the younger generation’s perception about the European Union and EU policies, institutions, and EU.

Project Activities

(1) Teaching and lecturing on EU integration topics – review of existing curricula about EU integration, process and institutions; discussion about introducing new possible modules in humanities and social sciences, regarding the above issues and processes. This process will require the commitment of three experts and academics who will review and make relevant proposals and recommendations in this regard to competent academic authorities and structures. The target group of this activity are students attending UET and other universities. The experts will then continue with drafting a set of Lectures/modules for second cycle studies on EU policies, issues and institutions.

(2) Regional survey on Financial Literacy and knowledge on EU Financial Infrastructure and Institutions – Following the previous research conducted in the frame of the project ‘Mind Genomics’ in 20201 a similar study at the regional level, i.e. in Western Balkans will be conducted by including all partners. This will help understanding whether the issues observed with Albanian students in this regard, as well as the set of problems related to education literacy and knowledge about EU is isolated, related only to Albania and Albanian society, or they prevail and are evident at the regional level. Also, this study could help international partners reshape a new approach towards raising awareness and financial literacy level about the EU for citizens of the Western Balkans who one day will be part of the European Union itself. The regional survey will produce a research paper, which will be published as a separate document.

(3) Preparing a policy paper for Ministry of Education & Sport – This is necessary because, despite the fact that Albanian universities, in certain cases, have included in their curricula subjects that relate to and address policies and issues regarding the EU integration, this is considered insufficient and even deficient in this regard. Also, the financial and market dimension of European Integration process, and the respective level of knowledge and their implications for the Albanian national economy is rarely discussed, or even mentioned, not only in academic curricula, but also in general, technical and political discourse in Albania. Practically, the proposed policy paper should aim at proposing to the Ministry of Education & Sport (but also the government) that, during the accreditation processes of the first and second cycle programs, it must stipulate as an obligatorily standard the inclusion of at least 1 (one) subject that addresses aspects and issues related to EU institutions, markets, policies, and integration process.

(4) International quiz on EU policies, institutions, markets and interaction process – this special quiz is attended to ensure the participation of students from all partner universities. The purpose of this quiz is to energize students’ endeavours toward deepening knowledge and literacy about EU processes, convergence criteria, institutions, etc.

(5)  Open lectures, seminars, workshops and debates – these activities are intended to bring together participants and representatives from various stakeholders including academia, government, NGOs, EU representatives in each respective partner country, with the aim to create a comprehensive discussing and informing platform about thorny issues and challenges, regarding EU integration process in the Western Balkans, their respective pros and cons, obstacles and pitfalls faced by all countries in the region. The activity will start with two open lectures with keynote speakers/guests from EU representative offices and government, followed by a seminar and a workshop with academia and other scholars/experts in the field of EU integration processes. The activities will conclude with an open debate about the relevance, advantages and costs the EU integration process requires from Western Balkans countries. Following the conclusion of the above activities, academics and scholars/experts will be invited to prepare several papers which will be published in the Economicus scientific journal at UET.

(6) Students’ research papers (second cycle diploma thesis) on EU issues, market and institutions, policies, infrastructure. – during the entire the project implementation. Several excellent MSc students and their mentors will be invited to prepare and write a diploma thesis/research paper about EU issues, policies, institutions, markets and implications about EU accession process for national economies. These diploma theses will be published as a special edition and will be presented in the final regional scientific conference organized in this regard.

(7) A final regional scientific conference on the EU-Western Balkans relation – this event will be the concluding event of the whole project and is aimed at summing up all the findings, outcomes and outputs, achieved during the project implementation as well as a presentation set of all researches and products prepared under this project. The conference will be followed by the publication of conference’s book of proceedings.