Creating Theory to Practice Centres for Innovation and Employment

“Creating Theory to Practice Centres for Innovation and Employment” project aimed to improve the relevance of higher education for the labour market and society in Kosovo through creating sustainable models of interaction between universities and enterprises. It responded to the Erasmus + objective in the Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education that strives ‘to improve the quality of higher education and enhance its relevance for the labour market and society’, since it assumes the establishment of Theory to Practice Centres (T2Ps) as sustainable models of fostered cooperation between universities and enterprises and exchange of experience and good practices with HEI from Programme countries. Six Theory to Practice Centers were established, which were also united into European Association of Theory to Practice Centers-T2P Europe, to ensure further sustainability of the project. While using a new teaching methodology (case studies), the T2Ps will continue to serve not only as advice centres, but will act as hubs for three disciplines and three sectors (education, business, public sector). The new established centres already brought together more than 150 local teaching staff from six partner institutions in Kosovo engaged in peer learning activities, 83 individual mobilities were realised, more than 500 students benefiting from updated courses and lifelong education studies and more than 340 researchers and business professionals at the conferences. The project will benefit to 20,000 persons engaged in higher education and economy in Kosovo and abroad (through its professional dissemination). This project will contribute to resolving the problem of identified skills mismatches in the long run, through modernization of higher education in Kosovo, its improved cooperation with the private and public sector and introduction of recognized lifelong learning outcomes as a base for flexible career paths. It is the first endeavor of this size and the impact to the whole territory of Kosovo, embracing its ethnic, cultural and language diversity as strengths in the project design.