Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkans

This 3-year regional project provides support for higher education institutions and universities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, that are interested in modernizing their teacher education modules, with an aim to improve the quality of teacher education for future teachers in the region.

Regional Network of Universities

12 universities and higher education institutions are participating in the project. They will develop and integrate new teacher education modules with a focus on practice-oriented teaching, promoting citizenship, democracy and human rights.

Teacher Education Modules

One key endeavor of the project is to develop new and innovative teacher education modules emphasizing practice-oriented teaching, promoting democracy and human rights.

Network of Practice Schools

The national networks of practice schools with mentors play a significant role in the project. The goal is that all students get to spend at least 20% of the course practicing teaching in real-life classrooms.

Background

Read more about the background for the project, the work of our steering group and get to know the partners involved

Related articles

Result report Western Balkan 2021

Result report 2021: Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkan: Educating for Democracy and Human Rights.

Impressive results and continued cooperation in the Western Balkan

Over 100 participants representing governments, higher education institutions, students, NGOs and schools participated at the final conference of the EWC project “Preparing future teachers in the Western Balkans. Educating for democracy and Human Rights”.

Quality Teaching through Classroom Mentoring for future Teachers (QUAMEN)

The EWC project Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkans is conducting a pilot project to support mentoring of teacher students in North Macedonia.

Reaching 1.200 teachers in Serbia

A semester course developed in the EWC project Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkans forms the basis for a new training programme which will reach 1.200 teachers in all the 17 school districts in Serbia.

Sharing the good results across the Western Balkans

The Western Balkans are slowly opening and travelling across the region is finally possible. EWC Regional coordinator Bojana Dujkovic visited 6 countries and met with universities and embassies travelling with the recent result report for Preparing Future Teachers in her suitcase.

Result report 2020 Western Balkan

Result report 2020: Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkan: Educating for Democracy and Human Rights

Learning democracy through art

At the University of Skopje in North Macedonia, teacher students could participate in the new course “Democracy through visual art Education” in the spring of 2020. We had a talk with the professor who developed the module and one of the students that participated.

New University Semester Module accredited in Serbia

As of this academic year teacher students at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Nis will develop communication skills using, among others the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for a Democratic Culture.

The Peace Education Hub in Sarajevo

The Peace Education Hub at the University of Sarajevo is a partner in the EWC project Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkans. In this interview we get to know Prof. Dr. Larisa Kasumagić- Kafedžić and the work she does with her colleagues at the hub.

Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkans moved online

When project activities were postponed due to the corona pandemic, the project team started to look into the possibility to move parts of the “Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkans” project online.

Strong cooperation in the Western Balkans

When faced with restrictions and rules of social distancing due to the outbreak of the Corona virus, partners and participants of the EWC project “Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkans” have come together to offer each other support and find alternative ways of continuing with the project implementation.

Teacher training modules & materials

Experts for Learning in Practice. A manual for Mentors of Teacher Students

“Experts for Learning in Practice. A manual for Mentors of Teacher Students” is written by Rolf Gollob and developed as part of the Preparing Future Teachers in the Western Balkan project.

Reference Framework of Competence for Democratic Culture

The Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competence for Democratic Culture offers educators a reference and a toolbox for designing, implementing and evaluating educational interventions.

Living Democracy

Living Democracy is a unique educational resource promoting democracy and human rights in school. It combines ready-made lesson plans with ideas for action in the classroom

Teaching Controversial Issues

Teaching Controversial Issues (2015): This CoE training pack is a professional development programme for teachers which is designed to support and promote the teaching of controversial issues in schools in Europe.

MANAGING CONTROVERSY

Managing Controversy (2017): This CoE tool offer practical support to school leaders/ senior managers on how to proactively manage and react to controversial issues in and beyond the school, including within a whole school approach.

Our partners

The six key project partners compose a Steering Group ensuring the project is in line with education policies and needs in the region, providing advice on the program concept, supporting in the recruitment of universities and participating staff, as well as monitoring progress.

*All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.