Curriculum Reform

Curriculum reform is a core component of the ValuED project, aiming to reshape how future teachers in Kosovo are prepared to promote values-based, inclusive, and democratic education. The project works closely with faculties of education to ensure that university programs reflect contemporary European standards and respond to the diverse needs of Kosovo’s learners.

Through a comprehensive review of existing pre-service teacher education programs, ValuED identifies gaps in how values, diversity, inclusion, and responsible citizenship are addressed in current courses. Building on this analysis, the project supports the redesign of curriculum content, learning outcomes, and pedagogical approaches so that teacher trainees develop not only subject knowledge, but also the attitudes, skills, and professional dispositions needed to work effectively with children from all backgrounds.

A key emphasis of the reform is strengthening practical learning experiences. The project reconceptualizes the pedagogical practice component to include community engagement, democratic participation, and reflective practice, ensuring student teachers experience first-hand how values-based education unfolds within real school environments.

European university partners provide mentorship and expert input throughout the process, helping to align the reformed curricula with the EU Framework for Supporting Teacher Competence Development and the Council of Europe’s Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture. This ensures that Kosovo’s teacher education programs are not only modernised, but also internationally benchmarked.

The curriculum reform pillar of ValuED supports the creation of future educators who are prepared, confident, and committed to fostering inclusive classrooms, democratic school cultures, and responsible citizenship among the next generation of learners.

systematic review of programmes

UP and UPZ, in close cooperation with EU partners, undertook a systematic review of core BA and MA programmes, examining curriculum structures, course content, and alignment with international teacher education models. Department-level Working Groups were established to lead programme reform, focusing on embedding values, equity, inclusive pedagogy, and democratic citizenship competences throughout study programmes. Workshops supported programme orientation, restructuring of course sequences, strengthening practicum components, and integrating cross-cutting themes such as diversity, participation, and reflective practice.

All existing teacher education programmes continue internal review processes. Faculty departments at UP and UPZ held regular consultations, coordination meetings, and stakeholder workshops with MESTI, municipal representatives, school practitioners, and NGOs to ensure alignment with school realities and sector priorities. Quality assurance offices gathered additional input through surveys with students, alumni, staff, and employers. Departmental workshops will consolidate all feedback and prepare programmes for final revisions and accreditation in 2026.

new ba on inclusive education

A major milestone was the transformation of the former General Pedagogy programme at the University of Prishtina into the new BA in Inclusive Education—the first of its kind in the country. Its development included a series of structured curriculum workshops, international expert input from LMU Munich, and a study visit dedicated to inclusive education models. The programme will now move toward finalization, including preparation of the self-evaluation report, course descriptions, and accreditation processes planned for 2026.

Reforming pedagogical practice

UP and UPZ conducted a comprehensive review of 14 pedagogical practice courses across BA and MA programmes, examining course objectives, practicum structures, supervision models, assessment practices, and the integration of value-based education, inclusive pedagogy, and responsible citizenship competences. This marked a major step toward aligning practicum experiences with the principles established under the new Teacher Education Policy and national frameworks. A series of workshops brought together course instructors, practicum coordinators, and student representatives to identify strengths and gaps in current practice courses. These sessions highlighted the need for stronger emphasis on equity-focused teaching, reflective practice, child-centred observation, and systematic collaboration between universities and schools. Workshops held between March and September 2025 defined redesign priorities and clarified expectations for student-teachers across all placement levels.

To build institutional capacity, the consortium organized a study visit to the University of Graz (19–23 November 2025), where academic staff from UP and UPZ engaged in dedicated training sessions, one-on-one mentoring with EU experts, and joint work on updated practicum modules and manuals. This visit strengthened understanding of European practicum models and supported the redesign of practice-based learning.

In parallel, UP initiated the development of new pedagogical practice manuals for all programmes, providing clearer guidance for student-teachers, mentor teachers, and university supervisors. These manuals are being aligned with WP3 principles and will support consistent implementation across institutions. Additional inputs were collected through quality assurance surveys with students at both BA and MA levels.

Further capacity building included a Training of Professors for Pedagogical Practice, focusing on supervision skills, reflective dialogue, and evaluation of practicum competencies. By beginning of 2026, redesigned practicum courses and draft manuals will be finalized and prepared for piloting, followed by structured evaluation in summer 2026. Final approvals are expected by late 2026, ensuring alignment with the revised Teacher Education Policy and the wider programme reforms.

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