Periodic accreditation of UT Online Services
Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan Countries -BLUEWBC   - UNIVERSITY OF TIRANA

Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan Countries -BLUEWBC  

Research at UT education

Title: Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan Countries -BLUEWBC  

Reference: 609693-EPP-1-2019-1-NO-EPPKA2  

Duration: 15 Jan 2020 – 14 Jan 2023    

Program: ERASMUS+ KA2  

 

The BLUEWBC project has combined the capacities of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the program countries and partner countries to improve Montenegro’s and Albania’s blue economies through better education in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The project aims to achieve the sustainable development of Blue economies in partner countries through improvements in their education in Bachelor and Master studies through innovation and entrepreneurship concepts.

Project’s objectives and products:

  • Establishment of an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center focuses in developing tourism in the Faculty of Economy. The center’s purpose will be to enable students, mainly from the tourism profile, to put to practice their theoretical knowledge gained to be as near business needs as possible. Simultaneously, this center will serve for research purposes for academic staff, too;
  • Improvement of current curricula mainly related to blue economies and tourism by considering the methodology and experience of the institutions of this program’s more developed countries;
  • Building capacities and skills of the FE-UT staff (academic and administrative) related to the area of innovation and entrepreneurship in the blue economy;
  • FE-UT staff and student training by partners of program countries;
  • Creation of FE-UT pilot courses for Master students or even professionals.

The project’s activities will provide strategic thinking and flexibility to the educational systems of Montenegrin and Albanian HEIs to adapt to new challenges and needs.

Short-term impact:

  • Establishment of three Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centers at the UT, University of Vlora and University of Montenegro. These centers will enable students, mainly from the UT’s tourism profile, to put to practice their knowledge gained theoretically, putting them closer to business needs. Simultaneously, this center will be used for research purposes for academic staff of the Faculty of Economics, too, towards the applied research;
  • The update of current curricula with concepts related to innovation and entrepreneurship focused in tourism and blue economies, using the methodology and experience of institutions of more developed countries from this program, including business organizations in the curriculum drafting process;
  • Building capacities and skills of academic and administrative staff regarding the program area.

Long-term impact:

  • Development and improvement of competences, skills and capacities of Higher Education Institutions in partner countries focused in the Blue Economy;
  • Creation of new jobs and skilling existing staff with new knowledge directly related to market needs;
  • Developing new businesses or increasing sustainability of existing businesses through piloting business ideas in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centers;
  • Awareness raising of society regarding issues related to the Blue Economy;

Indicators of Project’s Development Objectives

  • 3 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centers created in the 3 HEIs of the project implementation countries.
  • Review of at least 20 curricula at Bachelor level in HEIs of project implementation countries.
  • Review of at least 9 curricula at Master level and creation of at least 4 new curricula in HEis of project implementation countries.
  • Participation of at least 2 business organizations in the creation of curricula.
  • Training and certification of at least 12 academic staff in the three HEIs.
  • Awareness raising of at least 10 business organizations from each country regarding Blue Economy-related aspects.

Partners

  • SVEUCILISTE U SPLITU (HR)
  • VILNIAUS GEDIMINO TECHNIKOS UNIVERSITETAS (LT)
  • Pro NTNU Ocean Training AS (NO)
  • DRUSTVO SA OGRANICENOM ODGOVORNOSCU INOVACIONO PREDUZETNICKI CENTAR TEHNOPOLIS – NIKSIC (ME)
  • University of Tirana (AL)
  • General Maritime Directorate (AL)
  • JAVNA USTANOVA UNIVERZITET CRNE GORE PODGORICA (ME)
  • PRIVREDNA KOMORA CRNE GORE PODGORICA (ME)
  • University of Vlora (AL)
UNIVERSITY OF TIRANA