Teams

There are four WBAA teams that work as a collaborative body and support the objectives of the WBAA organisation according to democratic principles.

Each WBAA team is open to any registered WBAA member who wishes to participate in the team’s activities. Individuals may join up to two teams. You can become a member of a WBAA team by submitting a join request to the relevant group in the WBAA Online Community. Log into the Online Community, in order to get to the following groups:

  • Quality mobility / student exchange within higher education
  • Higher Education Reform & Equal access to higher education
  • Transition from higher education to labour market and professional life
  • Research

Each team is made up of a “Head of the team”, a “Vice Head for advocacy” and a “Vice Head for communication”. There are three communities in which the respective positions from the different teams exchange information.

Higher education reform & Equal access to Higher education

The aims of this WBAA team are:

  • to align higher education systems in the WB6
  • explore the status quo and opportunities for different reform initiatives, e.g. adapting the curriculum to labour market requirements
  • lobby for the alignment of higher education systems in the WB6 with EU standards and the strategic frameworks of the EU, the UN and the Council of Europe and finally to advocate for closer cooperation between higher education institutions in the Western Balkans.

Furthermore, the focus is on:

  • Student rights in WB6: benefits, duties, tasks and responsibilities of students in the region; mapping needs and addressing specific issues through advocacy and publicity campaigns; engaging WBAA members, e.g., making awareness raising videos; advocating for the rights of students who seek a balance between education and work.
  • Social inclusion in higher education: focusing on educational equity, equal opportunities for and inclusion of marginalised groups and rights of underprivileged groups in terms of their access to quality education; promotion of the successful social inclusion component of the Erasmus+ Programme.

If you would like to become a member of this team, please log into the WBAA Online Community and submit a join request to the following group here.

Shukrije Rama Head of Team
Shukrije Rama
Community Profile Email
Vjoela Allkanjari Vice Head for Advocacy
Vjoela Allkanjari
Community Profile Email
Nikolina Adžić Vice Head for Communication
Nikolina Adzic
Community Profile Email

Quality mobility / student exchange within higher education

We as a team are highly motivated to improve the mobility experience of the young generation in the Western Balkan region.

This WBAA team is dedicated to topics such as:

  • visa issues, formal academic recognition of credits
  • improving the environment for student exchange, internationalisation, advocacy and enhancement of higher education cooperation, cooperation through EU-funded programmes, etc.
  • promoting exchange programmes and the Erasmus+ programme as a driver for international mobility and experience, raising awareness of the added value of joining exchange programmes.

If you would like to become a member of this team, please log into the WBAA Online Community and submit a join request to the following group here.

Mariglend Pepmarku Head of Team
Mariglend Pepmarku
Community Profile Email
Xhevahir Doçaj Vice Head for Advocacy
Xhevahir Docaj
Community Profile Email
Anxhela Bakiasi Vice Head for Communication
Anxhela Bakiasi
Community Profile Email

Research

The aim of this team is to explore and propose research opportunities relevant to WBAA in collaboration with other WBAA teams or with other interested parties. In addition, this team also focuses on the promotion of research findings and recommendations, on seeking and advertising relevant research through the WBAA network and lastly on the support of other research efforts within the network.

This WBAA team which is made up of different partners, chooses to invest its capabilities with sincere motivation, in order to help improve the conditions of Western Balkans higher education. Working with a special focus on research and science, we utilise the connections to different EU institutions which we have been part of, as well as translating the learnings and experiences into the context of the Western Balkans.
Our vision is to establish WBAA researchers as significant contributors to the academic landscape and the economy in the Western Balkan region and in all of Europe. Ideally, we would like to create a graph with nodes and links – a network of interrelated entities which act with great independence to build functional connections and help grow and co-evolve the entire network. Within this network we have no hierarchy. Everyone acts within their own professional & personal judgement and their highest standards.

If you would like to become a member of this team, please log into the WBAA Online Community and submit a join request to the following group here.

Renata Petrevska Nechkoska Head of Team
Renata Petrevska Nechkoska
Community Profile Email
Adelina Basholli Vice Head for Advocacy
Adelina Basholli
Community Profile Email
Klejda Harasani Vice Head for Communication
Klejda Harasani
Community Profile Email

Transition from Higher education to labour market and professional life

The potential of the youth in the Western Balkan region is very high, however education and employment remain one of the biggest challenges.
Exploring the needs of fresh graduates and young professionals in the Western Balkan region, this team intends to help the young generation in accomplishing a smooth transition into the labour market. In order to reach this goal, this WBAA team tackles the following subjects:

  • promoting fair competition in the market for young people
  • encouraging quality internships, apprenticeships and job shadowing
  • Capacity building of WBAA members and young people in the region – soft skills and career skills training
  • Promotion of the different benefits of the Erasmus+ Programme for personal and professional development and finally bridging the gap between academia and practice.

If you would like to become a member of this team, please log into the WBAA Online Community and submit a join request to the following group here.

Aleksandar Nacev Head of Team
Aleksandar Nacev
Community Profile Email
Jolta Kacani Vice Head for Advocacy
Jolta Kacani
Community Profile Email
Dinka Smajlagic Vice Head for Communication
Dinka Smajlagic
Community Profile Email