The first meeting of the ERASMUS+ project “Reforming doctoral studies in Montenegro and Albania – good practice paradigm – MARDS” was held today at the premises of the Rectorate building of the University of Montenegro.

The main objective of the MARDS project is to harmonize doctoral studies in accordance with the Salzburg Principles, and to establish a sustainable and modern system of doctoral schools between the two neighboring countries, that will serve as an example of “good practice” in the Western Balkan region.

The meeting was opened by the Rector of the University of Montenegro, prof. Danilo Nikolić, who emphasized that the expectations of the University of Montenegro were to conceive a sustainable manner of financing doctoral studies in Montenegro and Albania, and to create PhD programmes that will attract students not only from Montenegro, but also from the wider Region of the Western Balkans and EU countries.

Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office in Montenegro, Vanja Drljević, emphasized this project to represent huge success for Montenegro, taking into account the great competition among the submitted applications in 2018. This project is the project of great importance, since it represents the only structural project that has been approved at the level of the Western Balkan region. The project deals with an important topic, the reforms of doctoral studies, and involves a great number of partners, that will be a big challenge for the University of Montenegro in terms of project management. The Rector of the University of Vlora (Albania), prof. Roland Zisi; representative of the University of Vienna, prof. Lucas Zinner; representative of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth from Albania, Jeltir Gjergji and coordinator of the MARDS project prof. Radovan Stojanović addressed the audience.

The meeting was attended by representatives of 16 partner organizations, involved in the MARDS project. In addition to the University of Montenegro, that is the coordinator of the project, the University of Donja Gorica is also taking part in the project, as well as universities from Albania, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Austria, the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Education from Montenegro, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth from Albania and the Chamber of Commerce from Montenegro and Albania.