University of Prishtina Organizes the “Train-the-Trainer” Programme for Counselling and Job Placement

The University of Prishtina, in cooperation with the Institute for Applied Counselling Sciences (INfaBW) from Germany and the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers of the Republic of Kosovo, with the support of the German Government through GIZ Kosovo, successfully organized the intensive “Train-the-Trainer Programme for Job Placement Counsellors”, held from 16 to 20 December 2025 at the premises of the University of Prishtina.

The programme is part of an institutional cooperation formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the partner institutions. It aims to strengthen professional capacities in the fields of employment counselling, labour market intermediation, and active labour market services, in line with the needs of Kosovo’s labour market and European standards.

At the opening ceremony, the Vice-Rector for Institutional Development, Quality, and Student Affairs at the University of Prishtina, Assoc. Prof. Majlinda Gjelaj, emphasized the strategic importance of the programme for the university’s societal role:

“The University of Prishtina continues to strengthen the link between higher education and the labour market. This programme is concrete evidence of our commitment to building professional capacities that directly contribute to employability, the quality of public services, and sustainable institutional development,” says Vice-Rector Gjelaj.

She further noted that the involvement of academic staff and professionals from various fields makes the programme an important platform for the transfer of knowledge and international good practices.

D.Sc. Vjosa Mullatahiri, Programme Component Manager for Labour Market Policies and Measures within the Fit for Jobs II project, highlighted interinstitutional cooperation as a key factor in the programme’s success:

“The Train-the-Trainer programme was developed based on the needs of the Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo, with the aim of strengthening the capacities of employment officers. It seeks to empower professionals in the field and ensure that, in the future, this programme will be offered to employment officers as well as to students interested in working in the field of human resource development. The partnership with the University of Prishtina ensures that these capacities are built on a solid academic and professional foundation,” says Mullatahiri.

The representative of INfaBW and lead lecturer of the programme, Prof. Dr. Michael Scharpf from the University of Applied Labour Studies, emphasized the European dimension of the initiative:

“This training is based on contemporary approaches in counselling sciences, case management, and job placement. Our objective is to build functional bridges between theory, practice, and labour market policies,” says professor Scharpf.

From the participants’ perspective, Prof. Dr. Njomza Lullaku from the Department of Social Work at the University of Prishtina described the programme content as highly relevant:

“The programme offered a well-balanced combination of theoretical approaches and practical exercises, directly contributing to the enhancement of participants’ professional competencies,” says professor Lullaku.

Representatives from the Department of Marketing at the University of Prishtina also highlighted the importance of communication and mediation with employers within employment services.

Dr. Granit Baca, Lecturer at the University of Prishtina, underlined the value of the programme’s interdisciplinary approach:

“The inclusion of topics such as case management, ethics in counselling, marketing in counselling, and network management makes this programme exceptionally valuable for professionals operating at the interface between education and the labour market,” says Baca.

The five-day programme included intensive sessions on counselling sciences, job search and matching models, case management, professional diagnostics, ethical aspects of counselling, as well as practical didactic exercises (micro-counselling). The training was delivered in Albanian and German, with simultaneous interpretation.

A total of 15 professionals and academics from the University of Prishtina, other universities, public institutions, international organizations, and civil society participated in the programme, making it an important platform for experience exchange and professional networking.

This activity marks a significant step toward the development of a certified and sustainable programme for employment counsellors and labour market intermediaries, which will continue throughout 2026 through online sessions and a final evaluation phase.

The University of Prishtina remains committed to strengthening cooperation with public institutions, international partners, and the labour market, viewing this programme as a strategic investment in human capital development and the improvement of employment services in Kosovo.