Within the framework of the Erasmus+ project INTECO – Improving the Capacity of International Cooperation and Economic Cooperation of Western Balkan HEIs (101177758 — INTECO — ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE), the third project partner meeting was held at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) from 23 to 25 September 2025.
The meeting was hosted by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and brought together representatives of eight partner institutions from the Western Balkans and the European Union. Participants included representatives of the coordinating institution, the European University Brčko District, as well as partner institutions: University Vitez, Herzegovina University, Adriatik University Bar, Veleučilište Baltazar Zaprešić, Academy of Technical and Art Applied Studies Belgrade, RTV Hit Brčko District, and the host institution UPM.
Workshops and Thematic Discussions
The first two days of the meeting were dedicated to workshops for staff of International Cooperation and Career Development Centres (ICC and CDC) of Western Balkan higher education institutions. Participants discussed key aspects of international cooperation in higher education, including the role and activities of international offices, the development and harmonisation of institutional internationalisation strategies, the preparation of action plans for improving international cooperation, opportunities and challenges of international cooperation for Western Balkan HEIs, and the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).
Special emphasis was placed on the exchange of experiences among partner institutions and on examples of good practice presented by the host institution, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
Meetings of Project Governance and Working Bodies
In addition to the workshops, several meetings of the project’s governance and working bodies were held. These included the Project Quality Monitoring and Control Committee (PQMCC) meeting, which focused on the quality of project deliverables and achieved results; the Project Management Committee (PMC) meeting, featuring progress reports from partner institutions and work packages; and the Steering Committee meeting, during which completed activities were reviewed, the activity plan for the upcoming period was discussed, and administrative, financial, and risk management issues were addressed.
Significance of the Meeting
The third partner meeting in Madrid represents an important milestone in strengthening the capacities of partner higher education institutions in the field of international and economic cooperation. Through joint work, knowledge exchange, and coordinated planning of future activities, the INTECO project continues to contribute to the modernisation and internationalisation of higher education in the Western Balkans, in line with the objectives of the Erasmus+ programme.
