During February 21-24, 2023, EPOKA University organized and hosted the Kick-Off Meeting of the COWEB Project: Promoting and Facilitating Collaborative Virtual International Learning in the Western Balkans' Higher Education Institutions.

The COWEB project is coordinated by EPOKA University and co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union under the Capacity Building in Higher Education framework. COWEB will contribute to Digital Transformation in education as one of the overarching priorities of the European Commission, which is at the same time one of the pre-defined overarching Western Balkan Regional Priorities to be tackled. The Project Consortium is composed of 10 partner universities. Three HEIs are from the European Union, respectively Technical University of Dresden (Germany), the International School for Social and Business Studies (Slovenia), and the University of Salento (Italy), and seven other partner HEIs are from the Western Balkans region, respectively EPOKA University as Project Leader (Albania), European University of Tirana (Albania), University for Business and Technology (Kosovo), Biznesi College (Kosovo), International Burch University (Bosnia & Hercegovina), University of East Sarajevo (Bosnia & Hercegovina), and University of Montenegro (Montenegro).

The Kick-Off Meeting was opened by Dr. Esmir Demaj, COWEB Project Manager, who welcomed all partner participants and thanked them for the consortium synergy and collaborative approach in producing a successful project application. Dr. Demaj wished for a successful 3-year project implementation and provided a short guide on the agenda of the Kick-Off.

Afterward, the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alba Kruja welcomed all participants and emphasized the importance of the COWEB project for increasing capacities in the Western Balkans (WB) with technology-enhanced learning.

Given that the Kick-Off was the first physical on-site event for the consortium, an Institutional Presentation from each Partner University was foreseen. Dr. Alba Gerdeci provided information about EPOKA regarding study programs offered, students and academic staff, research areas, partnership agreements, and the implemented projects. This session aimed to get partners to know each other and enhance their collaboration. Ms. Edra Sota, from the Research and Projects Office at EPOKA University, delivered the COWEB Project Overview by highlighting important activities, deliverables, and milestones of this project.

Then, the focus and majority of time was shifted to a more hands-on presentation and elaboration of the project Work Packages by each WP Lead Institution. Partners were able to consult different issues and unclarities during the presentations. Important deliverables and milestones of each WP were discussed. Dr. Nertil Mera, Project Financial Officer, delivered a presentation on the key Administrative, Financial, and Reporting Issues that each partner should take into consideration during the implementation of the project. The last session, which was dedicated to upcoming Project Management Meetings, Travel Plans, Midterm Events, and Final conferences, was presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eglantina Hysa, COWEB Project Associate.

The Kick-Off Meeting was closed with a summary and wrap-up of conclusions by Dr. Esmir Demaj, followed by the partner's commitment toward a successful project implementation for the upcoming three years. A Social Activity was foreseen in Durrës as a courtesy of EPOKA University.