The Second Annual Workshop of the Adult Education Network in Kosovo (ALE NK)

From December 21 to 24, 2024, at Hotel Opera in Tirana, DVV International, in cooperation with members of the ALE NK Network, organized the second annual workshop of the Adult Education Network in Kosovo (ALE NK). The main goal of the workshop was to enhance the functionality and strengthen the National Adult Education Network in Kosovo (ALE NK).

This workshop brought together 14 participants, including representatives from public and private institutions, as well as members of the governing board of the ALE NK Network.

Among the participants were representatives from the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI); the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AVETAE), The Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo (EARK); the Kosovo Education Center (KEC), the European College of Kosovo (ECK), the Youth Center – Hareja, the NGO THY, and the two Youth and Adult Learning and Education Centers in Kosovo, YALEC Prizren and YALEC Peja.

The opening speech of the workshop was delivered by Mr. Lah Nitaj, Director of the Department of Pre-University Education at MESTI, who emphasized the significant importance of this workshop and the institutional support for adult education in Kosovo.

He highlighted the achievements and progress made in this field so far, emphasizing that the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) is actively working on reforming and developing new legislation for Vocational Education and Training.

Mr. Ramadan Alija, the Head of DVV International in Kosovo, expressed special gratitude to all members of the ALE NK Network, emphasizing the annual activities successfully carried out by the network in corporation with DVV International, including the workshop held in May and the Lifelong Learning Week.

He also highlighted the importance of further development of ALE NK Network, particularly in terms of its operationalization and formalization.

The workshop continued with presentations and the sharing of information from all the network's member organizations. Following this, a summary of the current projects for 2024 was presented, along with an overview of the preliminary plans for 2025.

Ms. Ryve Prekorogja, Chair of the ALE NK Board and the main moderator of the workshop, led the discussions by encouraging collaboration and the exchange of best practices among the members.

Thus, the main aim of the workshop was to develop a sustainable plan for the formalization and official registration of the ALE NK Network, ensuring its legitimacy and functionality.

The discussions focused on registration options for the network as an NGO/CSO or through a government decision, analyzing the advantages and challenges of each alternative.

The participants actively contributed through discussions, analyses, and group work, sharing their perspectives and expertise.

Special attention was given to the Development Strategy of the ALE NK Network (2026-2030), where the objectives and modalities of the Sectoral Strategy for Adult Education were discussed. Through their ideas and recommendations, the participants helped shape a strategy that reflects the needs and priorities of this sector.

The final discussions focused on finalizing the Annual Plan for 2025. During this session, participants agreed on joint activities and co-financing modalities.

Among other things, activities were highlighted for promoting adult education, capacity building, advocating for the development of Adult Education and Lifelong Learning, designing programs that meet the needs of society, collaborating with national and international institutions, developing sustainable objectives in harmony with local and international goals, offering high-quality and attractive courses, innovative approaches to education, monitoring and evaluating adult education, as well as digitalization and the green economy.

The Second Annual Workshop of the ALE NK Network marked an important step toward the functionalization, sustainability, and coordination of activities for the development of adult education in Kosovo. The productive discussions and collaborative atmosphere significantly contributed to achieving the network's strategic objectives, fostering an integrated and effective approach to advancing adult education in the country.