Bilateral Agreements and Worldwide Cooperation
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Published on Eurydice (https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice) Bilateral Agreements Bilateral cooperation between Albania and European and non-European countries in the field of education is coordinated and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sport. It is defined in bilateral agreements, programmes and protocols on cooperation. MoES is responsible for operational implementation of bilateral scholarships in the field of higher education. These bilateral-multerial acts enable exchange of university teachers, students, scientists, experts, as well as direct cooperation of education institutions and language learning opportunities. Bilateral programmes of mobility in higher education are based on bilateral agreements and programmes involving scholarship exchange. Scholarships are awarded to students, teachers, scholars and researchers and fall under following categories: semester /partial studies; scholaships for undergraduate, graduate and PhD programmes; partial PhD studies; postdoctoral studies, research scholarships and research visits; scholarships for language summer courses. Promotion of Albanian language, literature and culture is one of Albanian policy priorities. MoES support learning Albanian language in Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. Educational cooperation of primary and secondary schools encompasses cooperation with relevant ministries in other countries. Scholarships' exchange in the field of primary and secondary education refers to scholarships for professional training for teachers working in Albanian schools. Albanian culture and language classes abroad are intended for the children of Albanian citizens living abroad and for the children who live abroad but whose family language is Albanian. Albanian classes are open to other children who wish to learn Albanian language and about Albanian culture. The Ministry of Education and Sport organizes and finances Albanian pupils with Albanian books. Albania schools cooperate directly on projects with schools in other countries in the areas of common interest such as:school management, education for democratic citizenship, teaching cultural heritage, information and communication technologies, human rights, as well as on other subjects important for the development of human potential. Multilateral Programmes and Initiatives This cooperation is achieved through various multilateral organizations and initiatives, such as: the United Nations and its specialized organization for education, science and culture (UNESCO), as well as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Council of Europe, OECD (Organization for economic cooperation and development) and other relevant organizations. Albania is a member of UNESCO. UNESCO is active on all levels of education, from pre-school to higher education and adult education. The main areas of its activity and connected initiatives in which Albania has actively participated are: Education for All, UN Literacy Decade, and Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, and World Heritage Education. The Ministry of Education and Sport have a closely collaboration with UNICEF. UNICEF is working with the government to create a rights-based, comprehensive educational policy and to promoteChild Friendly Schools [1] (CFS) that embrace a multi-dimensional concept while addressing the total needs of the child as a learner. Together with the cross-sectorial action [2] (addressing out-of-school factors and barriers of inclusion), these are the major means through which UNICEF advocates for and promotes quality and equity in education. The school as a community center is an initiative undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2013 with foreign donors ( UNICEF, Save the Children, World Vision , Terre des Hommes). This initiative aiming at re-dimensioning and improving the quality and the role of schools in the Albanian education system not only from the teaching and learning perspective but also in making schools more accessible for the community. “The schools as a community center” initiative is seen as an opportunity to provide a more quality education for all students and embed democratic values, ensure social, emotional, and health welfare of students, engagement and development of the community. The initiative enables possibilities for joint decision-making, respect for diversity, and the use of community resources in supporting the schools. Albania became member of the Council of Europe (CoE) on 13 July 1995. Following its accession to the CoE, an Information Office was established in Tirana, in June 2003, according to the resolution (99)9 adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 28 July 1999 at the 677th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies, aiming to reinforce the previous Information and Documentation Centres. The work programme is focused on the following topics: education for democratic citizenship, learning and teaching modern history, learning and teaching language, inter-cultural and inter-religious education, education of minorities and the Roma community, preventing violence in schools, including European dimension in education, developing education policies and continuous professional development of teachers. "Regional Support for Inclusive Education" is a regional project for South East Europe. It aims to enhance social inclusion and social cohesion in the region (in line with the Beneficiaries' commitments to European Union accession and Council of Europe standards) by promoting inclusive education and training. The project will promote the concept of inclusive education as a reform principle that respects and caters for diversity amongst all learners, with a specific focus on those who are at a higher risk of marginalisation and exclusion. Albania cooperates or is a member country of several scientific organizations that also provide support to education activities in its member and partner countries. Thus the Ministry of Education and Sport is part are CERN, WISE, CEEPUS, ect. Cooperation within the framework of the European Union Open Method of Coordination Education falls within the competence of the member states but they cooperate by sharing best practices, operating thematic working groups and developing indicators, benchmarks and qualifications frameworks in order to achieve their common goals in education. This is done through the open method of coordination (OMC). MES has decided its representatives in OMC aiming to actively follow the activities predicted within the framework of respective working groups. Participation in these working groups according to respective themes will continue also in planned meeting enabling the benefiting of experiences and best practices from several countries that participate in the following working groups: Schools Modernization of Higher Education Adult Learning Digital and Online Learning Promotion of citizenship and common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination by education European Union’s education programmes and initiatives Of all the Western Balkan countries currently participating in the Tempus programme, Albania has been involved the longest. Since 1992, Tempus programme opened the door to the European academic community and gave Albanian lecturers one of the first opportunities to connect with their counterparts in the region and in Europe. For more than 20 years since then, the Tempus programme has played a vital role in promoting cooperation between Albanian and EU higher education institutions. During the last years, Albanian institutions have also been particularly involved in regional cooperation projects with other Western Balkan countries. Since 1992, all Albanian public universities and some private ones have participated in 141 Tempus projects in total. The number of the applications significantly increased during the last three years. From 28 applications in 2011, Albania has submitted 65 applications in 2013, which is the highest number of proposals since 1992. Also, the number of the selected projects has notably increased from 5 projects in 2012 to 9 projects in 2013. The overall budget of Tempus that Albania has benefited since 1992 is 36.75 million Euros. During the last there years, the annual budget has significantly increased: in 2011 the budget allocated to Albania was 1 million Euros per year, in 2012 it increased up to 1.9 Million Euro and in 2013 the budget reached the peak of 3.8 Million Euros per year. It is absolutely positive that the entire annual budget for Albania is absorbed from the Albanian universities which are still implementing 21 ongoing Tempus projects. Tempus funds and projects have been particularly instrumental in retraining and upgrading academic staff. A high percentage of Albanian academic staff has been trained abroad by the programme. Tempus has provided opportunities to improve soft skills and to acquire knowledge on new teaching methodologies and different processes of higher education reform, in particular through a high number of individual mobility grants, given between 1992 and 2006 in Tempus I, II and III. It has also had an important impact in raising the capacities of universities, in terms of institutional management and governance. Two overall long‐term processes, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and the building of the European Higher Education Area, have shaped Tempus cooperation in Albania since 2000 and the dynamics of both have led to the updating of higher education priorities on a yearly basis. Tempus has been crucial in supporting the reform of the Bologna