RCF Award Ceremonies Held Across the Western Balkans 6

The Regional Challenge Fund (RCF), a unique instrument designed to increase the employability of citizens, primarily youth, as well as to facilitate the competitiveness of businesses in the Western Balkans 6 by financing investments in equipment and infrastructure for selected dual or cooperative education projects, announced the first regional call for support to projects focused on improving cooperative and dual education, open from February 01 until April 30, 2021. The first round of applications attracted up to 205 consortia from all six economies of the Western Balkans. As a result, the first phase of the Regional Challenge Fund project was successfully completed, supporting investments in dual education projects. In total, 37 projects from the Western Balkan region will receive grants worth EUR 200,000 to EUR 600,000.

The awarded consortia consisting of educational institutions and businesses that set up a partnership aimed at the development and implementation of dual or cooperative education were proposed for financing within the first phase of the Regional Challenge Fund project, for investments in equipment and infrastructure works in educational institutions, as well as for financing training of personnel in schools and businesses. Furthermore, the funds will also be allocated to adapt and refurbish classrooms, workshops, and laboratories.

The RCF organized the Award Ceremonies in each economy participating in the project. The series of the Award Ceremony started in Pristina on January 28, continued in Skopje on January 31, Belgrade on February 01, and Podgorica on February 02. Ceremonies will be continued in Tirana on February 04 and Sarajevo on February 08.

On the occasion of the Award Ceremony organized by the RCF in Belgrade, Mr. Marko Cadez, President of the Board of Directors of the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum and President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, pointed out that the Regional Challenge Fund project contributed to the higher competitiveness of the local economy and emphasized its relevance for the education of young professionals via dual education. He invited governments from the region to work together toward improving the educational system reforms because that brings inevitable benefits for the economy.