The University Support Grants Program 2023/24 – Kosovo

The U.S. Embassy in Kosovo’s University Support Grants Program is an annual grants program that aims to support the development of higher education in Kosovo. This year, the University Support Grants Program will support higher education institutions in Kosovo to address social and economic development challenges through research, development, and additional services that support both faculty and students. Public and private universities, as well as education-related NGOs are eligible to apply. The primary goal of this grant program is to catalyze change within Kosovo’s higher education institutions.

This program offers an exceptional chance for higher education institutions to play an active role in advancing Kosovo’s development and prosperity through involvement in projects that drive positive transformation.

Grant Objectives

The University Grant Program will be dedicated to projects that focus on the following objectives:

• Objective 1: Support higher education institutions’ (HEIs) initiatives to align their teaching curricula with current labor market needs.
  • The objective of supporting HEIs’ initiatives to align their teaching curricula with current labor market needs aims to ensure that students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the modern economy and find employment in Kosovo.
  • This may involve revising or compiling new teaching curricula that provides students with the necessary skills to match local labor market needs, promoting internships and other experiential learning opportunities that give students exposure to real-world industry challenges, and facilitating networking events and other opportunities for HEI and industry professionals to connect and share knowledge.
• Objective 2: Support activities linked to establishing or functionalizing academic HEI’s research and development (R&D) centers.
  • The objective of supporting activities linked to establishing or functionalizing academic HEI’s research and development (R&D) centers aims to provide HEIs with the necessary resources and support to establish or improve R&D centers. As a result, HEIs are enabled to perform and advance research and train the next generation of experts across fields.
• Objective 3: Support HEIs to engage alumni and support alumni networks and activities
  • The objective of supporting alumni engagement within HEIs aims to create a network of alumni who can help current students access job opportunities, build business connections, engage in post-graduate activities with peers, and pursue give-back opportunities.
  • This may involve strengthening existing alumni networks, promoting alumni engagement with current students through mentorship programs and internship initiatives, and facilitating networking events and other opportunities for alumni to connect and share knowledge. The goal of this objective is to engage alumni to enrich higher education opportunities for current students and to link industry with higher education to provide students with practical experience that meets current labor market needs. Involvement of U.S. Government exchange program alumni in these activities is encouraged.

Funding Information

• Requests for funding provided by this grant program should not exceed $50,000.00. Allowable costs are directly related to project activities.

Ineligible Funding

• The University Support Grants Program cannot fund the following activities:
  • Humanitarian or charitable activities, including direct social services to the public.
  • Fundraising campaigns.
  • Projects/Events focused on personal career development.
  • Organizations with political affiliation, affiliation to elected officials, or religious groups.
  • Political or partisan activities.
  • Scientific research activities.
  • Individual trips abroad.

Eligibility Criteria

• Higher education institutions and/or NGOs whose operations are focused on higher education are eligible to apply. The institution should assign a project coordinator who will be responsible for implementing the project. Eligibility is limited to HEIs, and NGOs registered in the Republic of Kosovo.
• Eligibility Requirements
  • To be eligible for consideration, applicants must meet the following criteria:
    • Be an active player in the higher education field in Kosovo;
    • Apply with a project that is related to the program objectives;

For more information, visit Kosovo United States Alumni.