ABOUT THE PROJECT

The topic of the project application is Dual Higher Education (DHE). During project it will be enhanced the strategic
improvement of relationship between the universities and companies. Universities will develop mechanisms and measures
to increase participation in training and improve the companies’ ability to provide trainings for students. Also, very important
issue will be change in the interlinking of dual training with general education. The Law of Albania on higher education does
not regulate DHE. Therefore, it is necessary to develop legal and strategic framework with regards to dual education
through formulation of draft legislation documents. The National Policy on Higher Education of Albania promotes the
implementation of mechanisms for HEIs to become agents of change, creators of knowledge and promoters of innovation
which contributes to the sustainable development and the continuous improvement with the ability of adaptation and
reconversion against new changes and demands of the local and global environment.
In El Albania the link between labour market and Higher Education Institutions (HEI) is still week. The government of
Albania see many challenges regarding cooperation between labour market and higher education. The knowledge that
students gained at the university cannot respond to the real challenges of the employment market. There is an imbalance
between the knowledge gained, the skills developed at the university and the requirements of the employer. This imbalance
causes labour market to distrust the universities not only as a serious partner in solving technical and technological or any
work-related problems but also cannot see their role in the creation of skill and knowledgeable graduates, who are fit for
employment. Vice versa, Universities are not recognizing companies as those who can contribute to the modernization of
study programs and who could help adopting them to the future needs of society. At the same time, according to the
statistics data provided by the Statista (www.statista.com) Albania has an average unemployment rate of 11.81% of the
economically active population (EAP), which is less than the 0.9% reported in 2021.
High unemployment among youth (27.75%) is one of the major challenges for the Albanian economy. Therefore, analysing
Albanian labour market trends is an important issue to be studied by universities and policy-makers. Except in rare good
practices, which are not systematically developed, work placement of students during studies is not institutionalised. The
graduates are mostly without any work experience when they enter the labour market and this disables them from getting a
job thus capturing them in the unemployment because their education is mostly out-dated and/or to theoretical, not job
relevant. A key factor of the academic offer is the employment rate of graduates. The employability of graduates is a
concept that has been considered relevant within education reforms, which is a condition widely pursued by HEI’s as an
indicator of efficiency. Actions and strategies have been reviewed to increase this condition. The link between HEI and the
labour market represents a solution to higher employability in order to enable the labour insertion of youth and a higher
inclusion into economic and social opportunities.
DUALBA project and its results will contribute significantly to the general objectives of the call through structured
cooperation between partners in the consortium, exchange of experience and good practices between Albanian universities
and universities from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
DUALBA project will improve the quality of higher education in Albania as third countries not associated to the programme
and enhance its relevance for the labour market and society. The project will develop a generic model of dual study
programs. Each of Albanian partner universities will develop specific dual education model. Additionally, dual education will
bring better and more intensive cooperation between industry and higher education and it will contribute towards increase of
innovation capacities. Students on dual education will be the channel for transferring knowledge and ideas from companies
to academia and vice versa.

DUALBA project will improve the level of competences, skills and employability potential of students in HEIs in Albania by developing new and innovative education programmes. The expected results of the project will impact HEIs in Albania by
making significant improvement of the competencies of higher education graduates, according to the needs of employers,
since dual education brings together theoretical knowledge but also practical skills and abilities for young educated people,
and improvement of legal and strategic framework through the development additional regulations to the existing legal
framework with regards to dual education.
DUALBA project will promote inclusive education, equality, equity and non-discrimination in Albania. The project will support
Albania as eligible third country not associated to the Erasmus+ programme country to address the challenges facing their
higher education institutions, HE system and economy, like labour mismatch and employability, improvement of quality of
teaching and quality of learning outcomes, relevance for the labour market, and equity of access through better
opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
Besides, DUALBA Project is expected to contribute to the goals provided by the Green Deal. Dual education programmes
will focus on spreading awareness regarding the standards and values established by the 2030 Climate Target Plan, the
New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 and a new Industrial Strategy for a globally competitive, green and digital Europe. Each
specific dual education model will support a green and sustainable global economic recovery of Albania in accordance with
the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement and aims at moving towards a circular economy.
Moreover, DUALBA Project aims to narrow the skills gap in the industries of the use of advanced digital technologies, which
focuses on digital, healthy and eco-friendly solutions, digital transformation and data technologies. Often the level of
production and pace of development in the digital age precedes university curricula. Consequently, the knowledge given to
the student in the university cannot respond to the real challenges of the employment market. Therefore, the project will
support the development of digital competencies of the students as one of the most important soft skills of the 21st century.
Priorities of the DUALBA project are referring to sustainable growth and jobs and include such issues, as ensuring
compliance of the education programs with the current and future requirements of the labour market, improvement of the
quality and access of education, professional training linked to the employment, the relation of the higher education,
science, technologies and innovations with the sustainable development of the economy of the country. Introducing dual
education will be extremely important for attracting needed investments in Albania, since investors demand not only positive
and friendly business climate but also highly trained and specialised workforce that can be produced fast enough through
flexible DHE.
DUALBA project will stipulate cooperation of institutions between the EU Member States and third countries associated to
the Programme and Albania as eligible third country not associated to the Erasmus+ programme through intensive transfer
of knowledge and experience from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme in the field of dual
education. Migration partnerships will be enhanced through study visits of Albanian professors to institutions from EU
Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, through visits of experts from EU Member States and
third countries associated to the Programme in the field of dual education to Albania, through development of a generic
model for dual education in line with existing European dual education models and according to Bologna requirements, and
through wide dissemination of results in the region. Teachers from four countries will cooperate for four years in order to
build a generic dual education model and to provide its sustainability in the future. The ground for even wider cooperation
will be established because the results of the project will be disseminated across the entire country of Albania, and the
region of South-East Europe. Having that in mind, all key deliverables and outcomes of the DUALBA project will be in three
languages: English, Serbian, and Albanian.
DUALBA project is referring to strategic planning and management of higher education institutions through the development
of the strategic approach regarding the implementation of DHE. Strategic improvement of university-enterprise cooperation
in the form of DHE connects the employers that request particular set of skills with students that have strong propensity and
potential to acquire that set of skills.
At the end we can conclude that this project is relevant to the scope of the call, because it is covering almos all horizontal
priorities: Supporting individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences; Social inclusion; Open
education and innovative practices in a digital era; Supporting educators through support of innovative teaching and learner
assessment; Social and educational value of European cultural heritage, its contribution to job creation, economic growth
and social cohesion.
DUALBA is compatible with the Key Action 2: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good, and the following
expected outcomes: innovative approaches for addressing specific target groups through more attractive education and
training programmes, in line with individual needs and expectations; use of participatory approaches and ICT-based
methodologies, greater effectiveness of activities for the benefit of local communities; new or improved practices to cater for
the needs of disadvantaged groups and to deal with differences in learning outcomes, new approaches to better support
competitiveness and employment in particular at regional and local level, more modern, dynamic, committed and
professional environment inside the organisation: ready to integrate good practices and new methods into daily activities,
reinforced cooperation with partners from other countries.
Additionally, the project will have a positive impact on the persons directly or indirectly involved in the project activities, such
as: increased competence in foreign languages; increased level of digital competence; greater understanding and
responsiveness to social, ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity; improved levels of skills for employability and new
business creation; more active participation in society; more positive attitude towards the European project and the EU
values; better understanding and recognition of skills and qualifications in Europe and beyond; improved competences,
linked to professional profiles (teaching, training, youth work, etc.); better understanding of practices, policies and systems
in education, training or youth across countries; increased opportunities for professional development.