The ““EU Support for the Competitiveness of Kosovo’s ICT Sector”, project, funded by EU and implemented by WEglobal in consortium with Prishtina REA and European Management, and in cooperation with Ministry of Economy, marked a significant milestone with the successful organization of the Award Certification Ceremony for the 10th Semester of the ICT and Digital Skills Training Programme and its project closing event.

The event celebrated the achievements of a five-year journey aimed at boosting Kosovo’s digital economy through advanced ICT training, professional upskilling, and cross-sectoral digital transformation. The project provided tailored training to students, graduates, professionals, start-up founders and freelancers, helping bridge the gap between education and employment in the ICT sector.

Among the key achieved results by the end of the 10th Semester are the following: 

• 3.103 young people trained 
• 2.502 young people certified on 8 modern ICT training modules, with over 43 % of female certified trainees, while over 500 declared being employed,
• 40 paid internship positions supported by the project, half of them got employed
• 18.661 applications to participate in the ICT training were received
• 116 certified ICT courses implemented with over 35.000 training hrs,
• 7 international B2B events were implemented in EU countries for 45 Kosovar ICT managers with over 60 participants, with over 358 meetings undertaken, over 85 valuable contacts established and over 22 LoI/ NDAs’ were signed 
• 25 regional B2B events were organised for ICT companies to meet with Companies from other sectors of Economy in Kosovo: with more than 960 participants 

10th Semester Certification

A total of 240 participants successfully completed a 300-hour advanced ICT training programme across eight modules: Web Development Professional, Enterprise Java Programming, Cyber Security, Web Development Practitioner, Python, Big Data Analytics/Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. The training, delivered by both international and local experts, equipped participants with in-demand digital skills. Certified trainees included software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, data scientists, network engineers, and IT administrators.

Distinguished Guests & Ceremony

The event gathered over 230 attendees and featured high-level representatives including:

• H.E. Mr. Aivo Orav, EU Ambassador to Kosovo,
• Mrs. Artane Rizvanolli, Minister of Economy,
• Mrs. Daniela Huhmann, Team Leader, EU Office in Kosovo,
• Mr. Agim Kukaj, Head of ICT Department, Ministry of Economy,
• Mrs. Vjollca Çavolli, CEO, STIKK

The ceremony commenced with welcoming remarks from Mr. Ahmet Jetullahu (Meti), Communication and Visibility Expert/Prishtina REA director and a documentary video premiere highlighting the project’s journey and achievements.

Ambassador Orav hailed the initiative as a flagship success story of EU support in Kosovo, while Minister Rizvanolli emphasized Kosovo’s growing readiness to embrace digital transformation. Mrs. Çavolli praised the collaboration among stakeholders that ensured the project’s tangible impact.

Mr. Jetullahu outlined the project’s legacy, followed by trainer Mr. Arber Kukaj and trainees Rubina Berisha, Lirak Hasani, and Altina Braha sharing personal stories of growth and employment resulting from their training experiences.

Top-performing trainees received certificates from Ambassador Orav and Minister Rizvanolli, marking a proud moment of achievement for all involved.

Thematic Session: From Training to Employment

Following the ceremony, a dedicated session titled “From Training to Employment: Sustaining Kosovo’s Digital Skills Development” addressed:

• The impact and lessons of the 10th Semester and full project cycle
• Opportunities for enhancing ICT sector competitiveness
• Forward-looking trends: AI, global e-services, and innovation
• Building a multi-stakeholder platform for sustainable ICT training

Facilitated by Mr. Ahmet Jetullahu, Prishtina REA Director, the key contributors included:

• Mrs. Daniela Huhmann, EU Office in Kosovo
• Mrs. Vjollca Çavolli, CEO of STIKK
• Mr. Kostas Metaxiotis, Project Director
• Mr. Grigoris Kontzoglou, Team Leader
• Mrs. Vlora Avdiu, EBRD
• Mrs. Sytrime Dervisholli, Prefarb Cluster
• Mr. Skender Boshtrakaj, VET Specialist
• ICT companies, trainees, and interns

Celebration & Networking

The evening concluded with light catering and a networking reception, closing the event on a high note with new connections, shared successes and a vision for the digital future of Kosovo.