K2W

The Western Balkans region, despite producing a significant number of university graduates each year, continues to struggle with some of the highest unemployment rates in Europe. The unemployment rate among recent higher education graduates is alarmingly high across the region, reaching as much as 50.7% in Kosovo, while the average unemployment rate for recent graduates stands at 37.1%. Graduates take about 9 months on average to secure their first job, and more than half report having experienced unemployment at some point since entering the labour market.

A key barrier to the successful transition from higher education to the labor market is the lack of relevant work experience among graduates, combined with limited career guidance within universities and a low level of cooperation between higher education institutions and employers. Employers highlight shortfalls in interactive skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication - skills that are crucial for success in modern work environments but often neglected in traditional higher education systems.

K2W - Empowering Career Readiness and Industry Collaboration for Higher Education in the Western Balkans - aims to enhance career readiness and foster stronger industry-academic collaboration in Albania and Kosovo. By aligning academic curricula with the evolving demands of the labor market, the project addresses existing skills gaps, ensuring that university graduates are better prepared for the workforce. The specific objectives of the project are to:

• Modernize academic curricula by aligning them with industry needs and labor market demands.

• Integrate life skills training (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving) into academic programs to enhance career readiness.

• Foster stronger collaboration between universities and SMEs to bridge the skills gap and improve employability.

• Develop a dual-study model, offering students work-based learning experiences through internships and apprenticeships.

• Establish career centers at participating universities to provide career counseling, job placement services, and professional development support.

• Create a digital platform, SkillsBox, to provide students, professors, and SMEs with resources for career development, life skills, and mentorship opportunities.

Within the consortium of nine partners from Croatia, Greece, Albania, and Kosovo, VERDE leads Work Package 5 (Dissemination, Communication, and Exploitation), develops the project's Quality Assurance Plan, and compiles the Good Practices report on industry-academic collaboration. Through the establishment of modern career services and training tools, K2W aims to contribute to regional education reforms, making the Western Balkans more competitive on the international stage.