In today’s ever-evolving higher education landscape, the demand for sustainable project management skills has never been more pressing. Universities in the Western Balkans face a critical challenge: how to equip both staff and students with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively and sustainably manage international projects.
SuProM directly addresses this challenge by bridging key gaps in project management training, which were identified through recent higher education reforms. With a focus on sustainability, digital transformation, and alignment with labour market demands, SuProM aims to provide universities with the tools and resources necessary to enhance their project management capabilities through collaboration and knowledge exchange with EU universities and partners.
The project aims to integrate sustainable project management practices into university curricula and offer targeted training to academic staff. This approach will strengthen the region’s ability to engage in international collaborations, tackle global challenges, and simultaneously strengthen the link between universities and society.
On January 29, 2025, project partners gathered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to officially kick off their collaboration. Hosted by the University of Ljubljana, the project coordinator, the event brought together key partners: the University of Palermo, CESIE ETS, and UNIMED from Italy; the University of Elbasan ‘Aleksander Xhuvani’, University of Vlorë, and University Fan S. Noli Korçë from Albania; and the University of Tuzla and University of Mostar from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The project responds to the urgent need to improve sustainable project management skills in Western Balkans universities. This need emerged after higher education reforms, which highlighted skills gaps among academic staff and students. In Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, national authorities have encouraged international cooperation through university consortia and joint projects with global partners. However, university staff often report inadequate project management skills within administrative teams and a general lack of sustainable project management skills. This initiative seeks to address these gaps by providing targeted training and integrating sustainable project management into university curricula.
The first step of the project will be to assess the current state of project management processes in the participating countries. While many gaps are common among institutions, universities also have unique needs and specificities. Therefore, it is essential to conduct a thorough analysis of the situation, involving as many stakeholders as possible. This will ensure that activities are better targeted and that both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the project are adequately addressed.
At the core of the SuProM project are two training sessions scheduled for autumn 2025 in Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The partners are developing effective training formats and content, ensuring they include practical and real-world applications. Additionally, pilot courses will be designed and tested in the beneficiary countries.
Finally, the partners discussed dissemination and exploitation strategies. The entire consortium will focus on promoting the project’s activities and results in order to increase the number of beneficiaries and ensure the transfer of knowledge and skills even after the project’s completion.
For further information contact Caterina Impastato: caterina.impastato@cesie.org.
About SuProM
SuProM – Sustainability project management in Balkan HEIs is a project funded by EACEA.
Partners
- University of Ljubljana (Slovenia, coordinator)
- Università degli Studi di Palermo (Italy)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
- UNIMED (Italy)
- Aleksandër Xhuvani University of Elbasan (Albania)
- Ismail Qemali University of Vlorë (Albania)
- “Fan S. Noli” University (Albania)
- University of Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- University of Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
For further information
Read more about the project and visit https://www.suprom-project.eu/.
Contact Caterina Impastato: caterina.impastato@cesie.org.
