Promoting and Facilitating Collaborative Virtual International Learning in the Western Balkans’ Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) – (COWEB)

Promoting and Facilitating Collaborative Virtual International Learning in the Western Balkans’ Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) – COWEB

STRAND 2

Duration: 36 months

Budget: 668,610

Keywords: Innovation in learning, teaching and assessment practices, Modernisation of Higher Education, Virtual learning, Virtual collaboration, cross-border exchange

Description: COWEB (Promoting and Facilitating Collaborative Virtual International Learning in the Western Balkans Higher Education Institutions) aims to build capacities in the Western Balkans (WB) Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for international virtual collaborative learning (VCL) as an innovative pedagogical approach in teaching and learning, with a focus on co-creating virtual/blended learning spaces and course content that will boost 21st century skills and competencies for students and address the low cross-border collaboration among HEIs and students in the WB region. The COWEB project is important for the following Target Groups of the project. – WB HEI Students – WB HEI Academic Staff – WB HEIs The objectives of the COWEB are aimed to be achieved through a set of activities including, – Desk research and first-hand observation about virtual collaboration in Western Balkans region – International Forum on innovative virtual teaching and learning pedagogies – Training academic staff with pedagogical and didactical methodologies and teaching tools for implementing of VCL/COIL modules – E-Tutor qualification of senior students as teaching facilitators – Short Term Exchanges of the academic staff among EU and WB partners – Delivery of VCL course content and activities in a Local, Regional and International level – Dissemination Events (Midterm, Final Conference) as multipliers of project results. Among the deliverables of the COWEB project are, – Report on EU Best Practices on VCL (Benchmarking) – Report on Western Balkans Needs Assessment on Virtual Collaborative Learning – Didactical Staff training materials and Teaching & Learning Materials – Local, Regional and International VCL Course Delivered – Research Output on VCL Course experience – Project Website, and Promotional Materials The outcomes of COWEB will have a significant and long-term impact on the targeted HEIs beyond the projects’ lifetime and as such benefit the society in general.