RCF Awards €495,350 to North Macedonia in Fourth Grant Ceremony

The Regional Challenge Fund (RCF) held its fourth National Grant Award Ceremony in North Macedonia on 27 April, at the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia in Skopje. The event brought together national and international partners, and attended by institutional representatives, business leaders, educators, and RCF representatives. It marked a moment to recognise the people and partnerships shaping the future of skills in North Macedonia. Azeski, President of the Chamber, has watched the RCF’s partnerships take root across the country’s VET landscape.

“Today, I would like to express my gratitude to the Embassy representatives present here and to the Chamber Investment Forum community. I can say that the Chamber Investment Forum has completely changed our perspective. I believe we have achieved a great deal for business development in the Western Balkans. This is most evident in our networking and joint appearances in third markets, which have encouraged companies to invest in their own growth and employment.“ – Mr. Branko Azeski, President, Economic Chamber of North Macedonia

Throughout four open calls, the RCF has committed €7.63 million to 17 projects in North Macedonia, drawing in 91 partner companies alongside the VET institutions .

The fourth call alone attracted 187 expressions of interest from across the Western Balkans, including 14 from North Macedonia. Following a competitive selection process, one awarded project, received a grant of €495,350. The funding will support the upgrade of training infrastructure at the selected vocational education institution and the expansion of its cooperative training programme.

Beyond the financial contributions, Petra Drexler, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to North Macedonia, reflected on the deeper mission of the Regional Challenge Fund—to foster skills that ensure the Western Balkans remains a vital and resilient part of the European family:

„We must strengthen local economies, invest in skills,and build supply chains less vulnerable to global disruptions. As Germany, alongside with Switzerland, we are proud to support this partnership. I thank all of our partners for their strong commitment. Together we are building a stronger Europe“ –  Mrs. Petra Drexler, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to North Macedonia.

Ms. Michal Harari, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland, pointed to the broader ambition behind the Swiss contribution to the Fund not just infrastructure, but the kind of collaboration between schools and employers that gives young people a real foothold in the labour market.

“Cooperation between educational institutions and the private sector is key to enabling youth to acquire market-relevant skills that lead to gainful employment, while also fostering a competitive private sector with a skilled labour force. Switzerland remains committed in cooperating with North Macedonia in this endeavou“ – Ms. Michal Harari, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Switzerland in North Macedonia.

The ceremony also highlighted the RCF’s alignment with national education reform priorities. Mrs. Vesna Janevska, Minister of Education and Science of North Macedonia, has championed closer ties between formal VET systems and the private sector.

“ The students recognized the value to enter on the labor market or in the higher education prepared, not only with theoretical, but also with practical knowledge. That is why also the number of students in the dual classes in the secondary vocational schools from year to year is ever larger. I thank also the German and the Swiss embassy that the perception for the secondary vocational schools changed“. – Mrs. Vesna Janevska, Minister of Education and Science of North Macedonia.

Highlighting the enduring value of professional craftsmanship, Moritz Remé, Country Director at KfW for Kosovo and North Macedonia, reflected on why human skill remains the ultimate competitive advantage in the age of AI:

„We are entering and era shaped by rapid technological change, including the rise of AI. I think in this development skilled workers remain not only relevant, but indispensable. While AI improve efficiency, it can not replace hand-ion experience , practical judgment and human adaptability in real world conditions. AI will incersingly serve as a tool to support such work, but not replace it.“ – Mr. Moritz Remé, Country Director for Kosovo and North Macedonia, KfW Development Bank

As the event closed, one message stood out: real change happens through collaboration. With each new partnership it supports, the Regional Challenge Fund is helping shape a workforce that is better prepared, more adaptable, and closely aligned with the needs of the economy—creating lasting opportunities for both businesses and the next generation.

The Regional Challenge Fund (RCF) is a financing facility designed to boost the competitiveness of enterprises in the Western Balkan 6 by funding investments in equipment and infrastructure of dual and vocational training projects designed by vocational training providers and enterprises in partnership. The grants are allocated through a competitive regional challenge. 

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development commissioned 83.4 million EUR for the RCF, and the Swiss Government, represented by the SDC Swiss Development Cooperation, co-financed an additional 10 million EUR. The funds were commissioned to the KfW Development Bank and executed by the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6-CIF), a joint initiative of chambers of commerce from the region. The Fund is implemented by the consulting consortia.

For more information, please follow the Regional Challenge Fund via its official social media channels Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram, and website.