The COWEB Project Midterm Meeting was successfully held at University of Salento, Italy, during July 03-05, 2024, marking a significant milestone in promoting Collaborative Virtual International Learning (VCL) in the Western Balkans' higher education institutions. This event brought together the project partners, stakeholders, academicians and students to discuss progress, share experiences, and plan future activities under the COWEB project.
The 1st day began with institutional welcome notes from the host university, including Prof. Antonio Ficarella, Director of the Department of Innovation Engineering, Prof. Giuseppina Passiante, Director of the MS&E Lab, Prof. Vincenzo Gentile , Vice Chancellor for International Erasmus Collaboration, and Prof. Enrico Ciavolino - Vice Chancellor for Research Funding and Promotion. The welcome session emphasized the importance of international cooperation in enhancing educational practices.
Later on, Dr. Esmir Demaj provided an overview of COWEB in 18 months, by focusing on its objectives and achievements so far. Dr. Valentina Ndou, provided the state-of-the-art on Project Dissemination and Communication of COWEB. Prof. Lucio De Paolis from the University of Salento discussed the role of extended reality in education, while Prof. Nada Trunk Širca, Dorsaf Ben Malek, Gianluca Elia, and Antonella Longo shared their experiences with VCL courses and the use of AI in education at the International School for Social and Business Studies, Slovenia and University of Salento, Italy.
The afternoon session was dedicated to the COWEB Project Steering Committee meeting. Key discussions focused on project management, quality assurance, and the status of various work packages. The committee discussed the progress of the midterm technical report, and evaluated the implementation of local VCL pilot modules. The session concluded with a detailed overview of the project's upcoming activities, ensuring that all partners were aligned on upcoming deliverables and deadlines.
The 2nd day featured insightful presentations on the implementation and impact of Local VCL Pilot Modules across Western Balkan HEIs. These presentations highlighted the transformative potential of VCL in enhancing learning experiences, emphasizing the integration of innovative teaching methods and technologies, benefiting both students and educators. The day concluded with a session summary and a Q&A, fostering an engaging dialogue among participants.
The 3rd day was dedicated to a workshop on Microsoft COPILOT held by Dr. Agim Kasaj from UET, which provided hands-on practical insights into utilizing AI tools for educational purposes.
The meeting closed with a follow-up session by the project manager, Dr. Demaj, underscoring the collaborative spirit and innovative approaches driving the project. As COWEB progresses, it continues to pave the way for enhanced virtual learning experiences, fostering international cooperation and educational excellence in the Western Balkans.