Launching the International Virtual Collaborative Learning Phase of the COWEB Project

On April 9th, 2025, the COWEB Project – Virtual Collaborative Learning in Western Balkans HEIs officially launched the International Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) phase, marking a major milestone in cross-border digital education and youth-driven innovation.

This exciting new phase welcomed over 140 participants, including students, professors, and e-tutors from ten institutions across Italy, Germany, Slovenia, Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Challenge Theme:

“TransDinarica: Building Value for Sustainable Tourism in the Western Balkans”

This edition of the VCL introduces a call-for-solutions competition where students are invited to collaboratively design new services and digital innovations that will enhance the TransDinarica platform—a regional initiative aimed at promoting sustainable tourism and connectivity throughout the Western Balkans.

Kick-Off Event Highlights

During the virtual launch event, participants were introduced to:

• The goals and structure of the competition
• How to organize into international teams
• Tools and strategies for virtual collaboration
• The key role of e-tutors in mentoring and guidance
• Milestones and deadlines, including pitch development and final presentations

We are excited to announce that 16 international student teams have already formed and officially begun their collaborative work!

What Comes Next?

The teams will work intensively over the coming weeks, engaging in research, ideation, and digital collaboration to shape their proposals. Each project will aim to address real-world tourism challenges with sustainable, innovative solutions.

The final presentations are scheduled for June 4th, 2025, during which all teams will pitch their concepts. One winning team will be selected to represent this phase at the Final COWEB Conference in Sarajevo, celebrating their achievement and presenting their project to an international audience.

Partner Institutions

We extend our deepest gratitude to the partner institutions making this initiative possible:

• Epoka University
• Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Innovazione – University of Salento
• International Burch University
• European University of Tirana
• University of Montenegro
• University of East Sarajevo
• Kolegji Biznesi
• Technische Universität Dresden
• International School for Social and Business Studies (ISSBS)
• University of Business & Technology

Toward the Next Generation of Tourism Innovation

This international VCL phase builds on the foundation of collaborative learning, empowering students to co-create sustainable and tech-driven tourism experiences for the Western Balkans. As part of the broader COWEB Project, it continues to showcase the value of digital collaboration, interdisciplinary learning, and regional cooperation.

We can’t wait to see how these students will shape the future of tourism in the region through the NextGenTransDinarica initiative.