Capacity Building In Higher Education: Western Balkans

CBHE funds international higher-education partnerships that strengthen universities and systems in eligible third countries not associated to the Programme. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, it supports quality, modernisation, and responsiveness in higher education to address socio-economic recovery and global challenges. The action is expected to contribute to the overarching priorities pre-defined by the European Commission.

It also contributes to broader EU external policy goals, including Global Gateway initiatives and the Pact for the Mediterranean.

For more information, please consult the call document (Programme Guide).

For Region 1 (Western Balkans), the indicative 2026 CBHE budget (in EURO) and the indicative number of projects to be funded are defined below.

Please also note that there is a flexibility of transferring budgets between the Strands.

The action is structured in Regions and Strands.

In Region 1 - Western Balkans, the overarching priorities apply. For Strands 1 and 2, the applicable priorities are further detailed in the regional context as follows:

• Green Deal: Projects should promote long-term economic recovery by increasing the Region’s competitiveness and stimulating green jobs. Priority areas include climate, environment, circular economy and fighting pollution. Projects should pave the way to a climate neutral society by supporting reforms of education systems in order to guarantee that people are equipped and prepared for the labour market and society of tomorrow.

• Digital transformation: Projects should support the development and uptake of digital skills to make the digital transformation as comprehensive and inclusive as possible. Encourage development and implementation of digital education strategies. Accompany the digital transition by mainstreaming digitalisation in education systems and reinforcing programmes covering digital skills. Provide assistance to teacher training and online education learning.

• Integration of migrants: Projects should promote mobility and in particular, support recognition of degrees and credentials in the Region, and contribute to a regional credit transfer system to enable intra-regional connectivity and building a regional higher education area.

• Governance, peace, security and human development: Address regional structural weaknesses by supporting cooperation and/or reforms in the areas of governance, rule of law and the fight against corruption. Project proposals centred on health governance are encouraged, particularly those linked to preparedness and resilience.

• Sustainable growth and jobs: Quality education is a key factor for securing growth and jobs and for addressing challenges linked to unemployment and skills mismatches. Investing in human capital and entrepreneurship helps societies to prepare for the future, by putting a halt to brain drain and supporting the transition to a knowledge-based economy. A key objective is to tackle the existing mismatch between education outcomes and labour market demands, including through the development of work-based learning. Inclusive participation of all citizens, including Roma, in education and training systems will ensure that no one is left behind.

For Strand 3 and given the nature of the Strand, which aims at supporting structural reforms in the third countries not associated to the Programme, projects must address the needs of higher education in the country(ies) concerned at large.

In addition, each applicant will need to identify in Part A of the application form one of the overarching priorities, which are defined by the European Commission and reflected in the Programme Guide. This is compulsory. Please note multiple priorities cannot be selected.

Beyond the applicable overarching priorities, and in order to respond to the various challenges in the third countries not associated to the Programme, the CBHE action in Region 1 is composed of three specific Strands:

Strand 1: Fostering access to cooperation in higher education

This Strand is designed to attract less experienced HEIs and small-scale actors to the CBHE action to facilitate access to newcomer organisations, through small-scale projects and primarily focusing on the following areas within third countries not associated with the Programme:

• HEIs from least developed third countries not associated to the Programme

• HEIs located in remote regions/areas of third countries not associated to the Programme

• Newcomers or less experienced HEIs and Faculties from third countries not associated to the Programme

• Students and staff with fewer opportunities.

The proposed activities and project results under any of these areas should have a clear added value for the targeted beneficiaries. A non-exhaustive list of possible activities is provided below:

Activities aiming at enhancing the management/administrative capacity of the targeted HEIs, such as:

• reforming and modernising the university governance, including the enhancement of services in particular for the benefit of students (student guidance, counselling and job orientation etc.);

• establishing or strengthening international relations offices and elaborating internationalisation strategies;

• establishing new or developing existing quality assurance units and processes/strategy within HEIs;

• creating or increasing the capacity of planning and evaluation units;

• enhancing mechanisms for communication and dissemination of results from international cooperation projects;

• building capacities to support students and staff mobility activities.

Activities aiming at ensuring high quality and relevant education, such as:

• modules or study programmes, technical or professional orientations of programmes;

• establishing intensive study programmes bringing together students and teaching staff from participating HEIs for shorter study periods;

• developing capacities for postgraduate students and academic staff as well as promoting their mobility;

• implementing training courses for HEI academic staff;

• creating synergies and strengthening the links with the business sector and with private or public organisations active in the labour market and in the fields of education, training and youth;

Activities aiming at increasing the accessibility of the students/staff with fewer opportunities, such as:

• developing remote and inclusive learning pathways and opportunities by relying on digital technology and e-learning for vulnerable students;

• updating the digital technology to develop specific services aiming at ensuring equal and fair learning opportunities to students with disabilities;

• promoting initiatives aiming at positive discrimination by empowering women and ethnic/religious minorities;

• developing initiatives addressing and reducing barriers faced by disadvantaged groups in accessing learning opportunities;

• contributing to creating inclusive environments that foster equity and equality, and that are responsive to the needs of the wider community.

Strand 2: Partnerships for transformation in higher education

This Strand shall introduce new approaches and initiatives in higher education having a significant and long-term impact on the targeted HEIs beyond the projects' lifetime and as such benefit society as a whole. Projects should pursue:

• Innovation in higher education and

• Reform in HEIs.

The proposed activities and project results under any of these areas should have a clear added value for the targeted beneficiaries. A non-exhaustive list of possible activities is provided below:

• development, testing and adaptation of innovative curricula in terms of content [key competences and transversal skills, (entrepreneurship, problem-solving, green jobs etc.)], structure (modular, joint…) and teaching/learning methods [including the use of open and flexible learning, virtual mobility, open educational resources, blended learning, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), etc.];

• development, testing and implementation of new learning methods, tools and materials (like new multidisciplinary curricula, learner-centred and real problem-based teaching and learning) through practical training and placements of students;

• introduction of Bologna-type reforms (three-level cycle system, transparency tools such as credit systems and Diploma Supplement, quality assurance, evaluation, National/Regional Qualification Frameworks, recognition of prior and non-formal learning, etc.) at institutional level;

• introducing practical training schemes, internships and study of real-life cases in business and industry, which are fully embedded in the curriculum, recognised and credited;

• introducing dual learning systems bridging tertiary studies with upper secondary VET as a means to boost the employability of graduates;

• development of solutions for challenging issues, product and process innovation (students, professors and practitioners together);

• development and testing solutions to pressing social demands not addressed by the market and directed towards vulnerable groups in society; addressing societal challenges or relating to changes in attitudes and values, strategies and policies, organisational structures and processes, delivery systems and services;

• support the creation of centres, incubators for innovation, technology transfer and business start-ups, and the integration of education, research and innovation at institutional/regional/national level;

• development and testing of continuous education programmes and activities with and within enterprises;

• set-ups to trial and test innovative measures; exchanges of students, researchers, teaching staff and enterprise staff for a limited period; providing incentives for involvement of enterprise staff into teaching and research;

• reform of governance and management systems and structures at institutional level (incl. quality assurance methods and systems, financial management and HEI autonomy, international relations, student services and counselling, career guidance, academic and research boards, etc.);

• development of strategies and tools for the internationalisation of HEIs (international openness of curricula, interinstitutional mobility schemes), and their capacity to network effectively in research, scientific and technological innovation (scientific cooperation and knowledge transfer, etc.);

• development, adaptation and delivery of tools and methods for the upskilling, evaluation/assessment, professionalisation and professional development of academic and administrative staff, for the initial training of teachers and continuous career development;

Strand 3: Structural reform projects

This Strand shall support efforts in third countries not associated to the Programme to develop coherent, inclusive and sustainable systems of higher education to meet their socio-economic needs and broad ambition to create a knowledge-driven economy, including in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), through Structural Reform projects that involve the competent National Authorities (notably Ministries of Education) of third countries not associated to the Programme as well as HEIs, research institutions and other relevant authorities/bodies and stakeholders.

For additional guidance and complete information on the CBHE call, applicants are invited to consult the Call document (Programme Guide).