Why Western Balkans partnerships matter

When I think about internationalisation in the Western Balkans, I don’t just think about strategies or statistics. I think about people.
I think of the young Kosovar student who, after a semester in Germany, returned with new research skills and the confidence to launch a startup. Or the Albanian professor who, after teaching in Italy through Erasmus+, became a mentor for a whole new generation of scholars back home.

For me, internationalisation is not an abstract policy goal. It is about lives changed, opportunities opened and institutions slowly but surely transforming to meet European standards. Having worked closely with higher education institutions in Kosovo and across the Western Balkan region, I have seen first-hand how cooperation with European partners is a lifeline for our development and a powerful source of inspiration for Europe, too.

The landscape today

The Western Balkans share many of the same challenges: higher education systems that are consolidating, institutions that are modernising while dealing with resource constraints and academic communities that are eager—sometimes desperately eager—to connect with Europe and the wider world.

Over the past decade, Erasmus+ has been nothing short of transformative. Thousands of students have studied abroad, hundreds of staff have trained in European institutions, and dozens of institutional partnerships have improved governance, curricula and teaching.

But this is just the beginning. Internationalisation here is not yet a routine, institutionalised process. It remains a work in progress driven largely by individual passion, openness and the willingness of European colleagues to take a chance on partnering with us. 

From where I stand, three areas matter most if we want to make cooperation more meaningful:

1. Stronger international offices
   Many HEIs in the region lack the trained staff and infrastructure to fully manage mobility flows. Joint projects that build administrative and digital capacity can make mobility more sustainable and effective.
2.  Balanced mobility
   Our students love going abroad and they return full of ideas and ambition. But we need to see more Europeans coming here, too. When students from Berlin or Barcelona spend a semester in Pristina, Sarajevo or Podgorica, they take home stories that change how the region is perceived.
3. Research and innovation networks
   Our young academic community is hungry to contribute. When we are invited into European consortia, the collaboration is not only a capacity boost for us it also diversifies and enriches the research with new perspectives and contexts.

Why should European universities look to the Western Balkans?

From my own experience, four compelling reasons rise to the top:

• Impact: Here, even small-scale cooperations have visible effects. A single mobility programme can spark a new department initiative or even a national reform. 
• Perspective: Students and staff from the region bring resilience, creativity and fresh outlooks shaped by societies that are changing fast.
• Proximity: Despite sometimes being seen as peripheral, the Western Balkans are not far-flung. We are part of Europe, geographically and culturally and eager to play a role in its academic future.
• Safety: If thousands of young people from across Europe already travel safely to Kosovo for cultural events like Sunny Hill Festival (to see Dua Lipa) then there is no reason they should not also feel confident about spending a semester here. Kosovo, and the whole Western Balkans, offer the same welcoming atmosphere and safety, combined with a vibrant student life and academic opportunities that make it an excellent Erasmus mobility destination.

How to get started

If you are reading this from a European institution and wondering, "Where do we begin?" here are some suggestions:

• Pilot exchanges: Start small, with a handful of students or staff. You will be surprised by the enthusiasm on both sides.
• Regional projects: Don’t think in terms of just one partner. Projects that involve multiple Western Balkan HEIs foster collaboration across borders and amplify the impact.
• See it yourself: Nothing replaces a visit. When you sit in a classroom in the region, talk with students and feel the energy, you understand why this cooperation matters.
• Get in touch with the National Erasmus Offices (NEOs) in Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania or National Agencies in Serbia and North Macedonia: We are your one-stop hub for connections to institutions, study programmes and partnerships across the region. And don’t overlook the EAIE community: for many Western Balkan institutions, the EAIE annual conference has been the first place where bridges to Europe were built, and trust-based collaborations were born.

Looking back, looking forward

When I look back at the stories of students, professors and administrators who have passed through Erasmus+ cooperation, I see a mosaic of growth and transformation. My own country, Kosovo, has changed profoundly thanks to these opportunities and so have I, personally, as an education professional, who has had the privilege to witness this journey.

But the story is far from over. Kosovo and Western Balkans are not just waiting to be integrated; we are ready to contribute. And the next chapter of internationalisation in our region will be written together by those who believe in the power of mobility, partnership and shared European values.The EAIE has a crucial role in this next phase by continuing to give our institutions a stage, a network and a professional community where we can grow as equals and co-creators of Europe’s higher education future.

So, to my colleagues in HEIs across Europe: the door is open. Step into the Western Balkans and let’s build the future of higher education together.