Today, the National Erasmus+ Office in Montenegro hosted the inaugural meeting of the newly formed HERE team. The event took place at the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation.
Under Key Action 3: Policy Support – Support to European policy tools, the EU supports national teams of Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) in the third countries non-associated to the programme.
HEREs provide a pool of expertise, promoting and enhancing progress toward further modernization of the higher education sector. The Bologna process is a source of inspiration, in the light of national needs and aspirations.
HERE are invited to devise Bologna development strategies with peers, as well as non-academic bodies such as industrial, cultural or social organizations, as long as they are in line with national strategies. HEREs also provide guidance to higher education institutions in the area of quality assurance, curricular reform, national and European Qualification Frameworks, tuning and international recognition (e.g. ECTS, Diploma Supplement).
It is important to mention that the National Erasmus+ Office is a key contact point for providing administrative and financial support to HEREs. The National Erasmus+ Office prepares a yearly report on HERE activities, including the achievements of the team and a statement of progress made toward reaching the agreed objectives and goals.
The primary objectives of this meeting were to familiarize the new HERE team members with their roles, responsibilities, and duties. Additionally, the team reviewed past events and strategized future activities, both locally and internationally. Discussions also focused on achieving lasting and sustainable outcomes from the HERE team’s initiatives.
The HERE team’s quality and success are heavily reliant on the support from Montenegro’s Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation. This support ensures the team’s work is highly visible and elevated to new levels. Additionally, actively promoting key topics relevant to both the Montenegrin higher education system and society at large is vital, as the impact and outcomes of the HERE team’s activities often extend beyond the academic community.
Additionally, today’s meeting centered on safeguarding the quality of higher education. This topic will be further explored in an upcoming HERE seminar, which will feature experts in the field.
