The Strong Partnership of UP with the University of Iowa for a Future Strategy

During a meeting with Professor Cassie Barnhardt from the College of Education at the University of Iowa, the leadership of the University of Prishtina (UP) discussed the future strategy and the ongoing reforms of study programs to adapt them to the labor market and industry needs.

The Rector of UP, Prof. Arben Hajrullahu, welcomed his guest together with the Vice-Rector for Scientific Research, Projects, and Innovation, Prof. Avni Hajdari. Prof. Barnhardt, who is the Director of the "Private Sector Partnerships for Strengthening Higher Education in Kosovo" project, was accompanied by the project's Activity Director, Elmaze Gashi.

Within the framework of his vision and strategy for the future of the University of Prishtina, Rector Hajrullahu mentioned internal mobility—joint programs among UP's academic units—external mobility—bringing in as many professors and students from abroad and vice versa—as well as the digitization process in this era of rapid technological developments and artificial intelligence

The UP leader stated that we must have big dreams and projects, but we must sequence them into segments with defined timelines to achieve them more easily. 

Professor Barnhardt expressed her satisfaction that the good work done together with the University of Prishtina will continue, indicating that the activities of the project she leads will focus on creating student career clubs where they will be trained to use artificial intelligence tools. She mentioned plans for the near future, including building digital databases for the university and fostering collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine and the University of Iowa.

The University of Iowa's project, "Private Sector Partnerships for Strengthening Higher Education in Kosovo," with the University of Prishtina and the universities of Peja and Prizren, launched three years ago with support from 59 private sector partners, aims to create educational curricula coordinated with the needs of the private sector in order to better align graduate career preparedness and higher education reforms with the labor market.  

Rector Hajrullahu and Vice-Rector Hajdari also held a meeting with the University of Iowa's Professor Barnhardt in November 2024.