Advancing Internationalization: Second Annual Meeting of the Me Study in English Project

The second annual meeting of the project Promoting Internationalization of Higher Education Institutions in Montenegro through Capacity Building for Studies in English brought together representatives of partner institutions to review progress, plan upcoming activities, and address key challenges. The meeting took place on March 20th and 21st at the Faculty of Economics in Podgorica, providing a platform for strategic discussions and collaborative decision-making.

In addition to the Faculty of Economics, national partners in the Me Study in English Erasmus + project include the University of Donja Gorica, the Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education in Montenegro, the Ministry of Education of Montenegro, and the Student Union of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Montenegro. The EU partners are the Université Côte d'Azur in Nice and the Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb.

The project made significant progress in its first year across five work packages. The Project Management Handbook and Quality Assurance Plan were developed to streamline operations and maintain high standards. Plans for the sustainability of project outputs and ecological responsibility were also established.

Montenegrin universities implemented a digital service for recording student interest and internal capacity mapping software. The EMI Benchmark Study provided insights into university policies, financial models, and teaching capacities.

University capacity building included a teacher training program, a visiting teachers program, and language courses for teachers (English) and students (Montenegrin). A report covering new teaching materials, covering production, translation, and purchase, was completed.

Policy improvements featured study visits for public servants and a policy co-creation workshop to drive innovation in higher education.

Communication and dissemination efforts led to the development of the project website and an open-source document management system. Six "International Café" podcasts were produced, and annual cultural, promotional, and ecological events were organized. English content was refined for clarity with ongoing website updates.

The results from the first year were presented by the project coordinator, Assistant Professor Dr. Tamara Backović. These achievements provide a strong foundation for the project's subsequent phases, reinforcing commitments to university capacity building, policy enhancements, and long-term sustainability.

Following the review of first-year achievements, the meeting continued with a presentation of activities planned for the second year within the five work packages.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from all partners to continue collaborative efforts in advancing the internationalization of higher education in Montenegro.