EUA launches new projects to support universities in EU neighbouring countries

EUA is pleased to announce that it is launching two new projects which are designed to support the development of higher education institutions (mainly EUA members) in a number of countries/regions neighbouring the EU: one project will involve universities in Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine while the second will involve universities from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
Both projects are co-funded by the Tempus Programme of the European Commission, which supports the modernisation of higher education systems in the EU's surrounding area.
The first, entitled ‘Fostering Sustainable and Autonomous Higher Education Systems in the Eastern Neighbouring Area’ (ATHENA), builds on the findings of EUA’s work on autonomy and funding. Over three years, EUA will organise a series of national workshops in Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine in partnership with local universities, with the aim of increasing awareness of the importance of institutional autonomy for the modernisation of universities’ management structures.
Particular attention will be given to financial management, including the development of sustainable financial strategies for universities. To complement the approach at system level, a series of training seminars will be organised at partner universities in the EU. These will enable participants from the Eastern Neighbouring Countries to deepen their understanding of the changes at institutional level entailed by greater autonomy, and to benefit from best practices regarding strategic financial management.
The second project, entitled ‘Empowering Universities to fulfil their responsibility for Quality Assurance’ (EUREQA), will support universities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo in improving their internal quality assurance (QA) processes and in linking them into a comprehensive, all-encompassing system that leads to the enhancement of quality and the creation of a quality culture.
The project will focus on extensive capacity building for universities in quality assurance, through training, mentoring and study visits. It primarily seeks to benefit EUA member universities in the Western Balkans while also involving experts from EUA members in the EU member states.
The Tempus Programme promotes institutional cooperation that involves both EU and Partner Countries and focuses on the reform and modernisation of higher education systems in the Partner Countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean region.