QATEK

Towards a quality-oriented system of initial teacher education to increase teacher professionalism in Kosovo (QATEK)

The project aims to improve the quality of the design and delivery of primary teacher education towards increasing the professionalism of the teaching profession in Kosovo through the implementation of the European-inspired quality assurance mechanism that produces the professionalism of teachers aspiring to the teaching profession in Kosovo.

The two important concepts in this project are:

1) the internal quality assurance mechanism in primary education (including but not limited to program review, organized monitoring, collection of information from students about the quality of teaching and learning resources, review of the quality of student services, review of managerial practices including staff policies, research review activities, etc., and

2) development of teachers' professionalism.

The project makes the connection that the proposed internal quality assurance mechanism should contribute to achieving the desired professionalism in the school system.

The overall goal of this project is to introduce mechanisms and skills in initial teacher education institutions in Kosovo to implement internal quality assurance practices that lead to improving the quality of graduate students who can advance school reform, which is described through the activities shared on the project WP-es. Increasing the quality of graduates in primary education in Kosovo has the potential to influence permanent changes in school practice which are accepted as necessary in the educational system of Kosovo.

Changing teacher practice to reflect new professionalism implies the need to develop teacher education institutions that are oriented towards improvement and monitoring the achievement of these objectives to close the significant gap between the current realities of teacher practice in schools and the required professionalism of teachers, as reflected in the current local policy drafting and European level references.

The specific goals of this project are:

- Development of internal quality assurance mechanisms and processes within initial teacher education institutions in Kosovo, which respond to specific quality indicators;

- Development of capacities for the management of internal quality assurance mechanisms in teacher education, including the approval of the ITE staff policy and the policy of designing subjects;

- Developing the capacities of professors to provide quality teaching as one of the indicators in the internal quality mechanism;

- Implementation of a full quality assurance process for all relevant areas of teacher education (course implementation, program relevance, research program, international cooperation, student services, administrative practices, and management, etc.) to identify an improvement program for teacher education institutions in Kosovo.

The project partners are:

University of Ljubljana in Slovenia;

Tallinn University in Estonia;

University of Lumsa in Rome, Italy;

University of Prishtina;

University "Fehmi Agani" in Gjakova;

University "Isa Boletini" in Mitrovica;

University "Kadri Zeka" in Gjilan.

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The implementation of the QATEK project with teachers of the Faculties of Education begins

The first meeting for the implementation of the project "Towards a quality-oriented system of primary education to increase the professionalism of teachers in Kosovo - QATEK" is held.

The meeting was led by Prof. Blerim Saqipi, project coordinator, from the Faculty of Education of the University “Hasan Prishtina” in Pristina. Other participants were the academic staff from the Faculties of Education of the University “Fehmi Agani” in Gjakova, the University of Gjilan and, the University of Mitrovica.

From our University, the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Quality Improvement, Prof. Vjollca Dibra, from the Faculty of Education, Vice Dean Prof. Asst. Dr. Laura Naka and the academic staff of this academic unit took part. In this meeting, the initial situation in which the development of the project was analyzed, some tasks were divided, and the follow-up activities were discussed. The QATEK project is made possible by the European Union funds of the ERASMUS + program. In this project, UFAGj is a partner with the University of Pristina, the University of Ljubljana, the University of Rome in Italy, and the University of Tallinn in Estonia.

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Documents:

Implementation Plan of QATEK package instruments 2021-2022

Implementation Plan of QATEK package instruments 2022-2023 - QATEK questionnaires

Summary Report for Employers - QATEK questionnaire

Summary Report of Course evaluation - QATEK questionnaire

Summary report of Pedagogycal Practice in FE UFAGj - QATEK questionnaire

Summary Report of Research -Publications in FE Academic Staff in UFAGj - 2021 - 2022 QATEK form

Summary Report of Research-Publications of FE Academic Staff in UFAGj- 2022 - 2023 - QATEK form

Summary Improvement Report - QATEK Project Questionnaires

Chapter 6 The role of pedagogical practice

1. Questionnaire for Graduates ( Alumni)