Strengthening Alumni Networks for Enhanced Employability and Cooperation

 

International Business College Mitrovica (IBC-M) participated in the AL4Life (Alumni4Life) Erasmus+ CBHE project kick-off event on 13 and 14 March 2023, hosted by the University of Montenegro, in Podgorica. The project aims to establish comprehensive and systematic alumni structures across the WB partner universities, fostering the continuous involvement of alumni in teaching processes, mentoring, and research projects, harnessing the potential of alumni as ambassadors to improve student employability, encouraging creative networking and multi-disciplinary collaborations, responding better to the challenges of the modern labor market.

The consortium behind the project includes the University of Montenegro (Project Coordinator), University of Donja Gorica, University of Mitrovica – Faculty of Technical Sciences, International Business College Mitrovica, University of Bologna, Autonomous University of Madrid, and the University of Ljubljana.

The first day of the event was about the general project’s outline, the introduction of partners, work packages, and communication plans.

Prof. Dr. Sanja Peković, Vice-Rector for Internationalization at the University of Montenegro, introduced the project and its objectives, followed by presentations of all other consortium institutions, showcasing their alumni communities and structures, their expectations, and plans.

Prof. Dr. Srna Sudar, Head of the Project Office at the University of Montenegro, provided a comprehensive overview of the AL4LIFE project and its work packages (WPs), reviewing with other Consortium members the distribution of activities foreseen for the project’s first year, implementation milestones, deliverables timetable, and communication strategy.

Vladan Perazić, Project Manager at the Project Office, University of Montenegro, discussed the project’s general management, new rules, and partnership agreement,  detailing each partner institution’s scope, duties, and reporting requirements.

On the second day, Prof. Dr. Srna Sudar, Prof. Dr. Sanja Peković, and their team from the University of Montenegro, together with project partners, defined and selected the AL4LIFE management structure, including Project Management Board, Quality Assurance Board, and the Deputy Project Coordinator, then presented new rules for the project, monitoring, and reporting procedures, document management system, and provided an overview of the project’s financial management.

The University of Bologna, the Autonomous University of Madrid, and the University of Ljubljana presented their plans for implementing WPs assigned to them and how they engage alumni after graduation, focusing on teaching, learning, and research.

The two-day event marked the beginning of an ambitious Erasmus+ project that aspires to create meaningful connections between alumni and their universities. By fostering a robust alumni network, the AL4LIFE project aims at improving student outcomes and prepare them for the evolving demands of the global labor market. The kick-off event has set the stage for productive collaboration among partner institutions, with a shared vision of enhancing education and employability through the power of alumni networks.

Professor Agron Hajdari and BD/Project officers Gresa Ferri and Damir Gashi represented the International Business College Mitrovica (IBC-M) at the AL4Life kick-off event.