The Quadruple Helix in Practice: M.A.R.K.E.T. at SEEU
South East European University (SEEU) convened the forum “Connecting Education and the Labor Market” under the ChallengeEU umbrella, a milestone event reflecting the alliance’s ambition to shape its immediate environment and co-create its future. The meeting advanced cooperation among universities, industry, public institutions, and civil society in the spirit of the quadruple-helix model. We believe regional development and academic excellence go hand in hand. In his opening, SEEU Rector Prof. Dr. Sadudin Ibraimi highlighted the University’s commitment to creating tangible opportunities for students and partners through innovative, collaborative platforms. Acad. Prof. Dr. Abdylmenaf Bexheti followed with a motivational address on how the quadruple helix strengthens links between education, industry, government, and the community. Prof. Dr. Veli Kreci presented the ChallengeEU initiative, while Shpresa Alija outlined her responsibilities as M.A.R.K.E.T. Officer. Hamit Kamberi introduced the M.A.R.K.E.T. Digital Center, showcasing its features and partner benefits. The forum closed with an open discussion and networking reception, where participants exchanged ideas and explored avenues for future cooperation. Attendees included representatives of associated partners and key stakeholders. M.A.R.K.E.T. (Mapping, Awareness Raising, Knowledge Exchange, and Training) is a digital hub and collaboration platform developed by SEEU within ChallengeEU to connect the University with businesses, public institutions, and civil society organizations.
For Better Communication: Internal Training at SEEU
Effective internal communication is key to the success of any international alliance — and the ChallengeEU Alliance is no exception. With this in mind, the Work Package 6 (WP6) team, which leads communication and dissemination efforts across the Alliance, organized a dedicated internal training session at South East European University (SEEU) on 2 July. The training, titled “Internal Communication Tools and Effective Collaboration”, aimed to strengthen coordination among different teams involved in the ChallengeEU project at SEEU and to establish a more unified and effective communication culture across all university departments engaged in the initiative. The session was led by Edlira Palloshi Disha, communication specialist and researcher at the Max van der Stoel Institute (MVDSI), who introduced key tools, techniques, and principles for impactful communication within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. Drawing from practical experience, Nerodia Selimi from SEEU’s Public Relations Office shared valuable best practices and examples from the university’s communication strategy. The training brought together a diverse group of participants representing all SEEU work packages involved in ChallengeEU, including colleagues from Participants included representatives from the International Relations Office, Career Center, the Pro-Rector for Digitalization, Business Innovation Center, MVDSI’s Project Coordination Unit, deans, and other academic staff and administrative offices across the university. This broad participation created a dynamic environment for knowledge-sharing and collective reflection. One of the session’s main objectives was to initiate a more standardized internal communication framework across SEEU’s project teams, ensuring smoother collaboration, clearer messaging, and improved responsiveness. Participants actively engaged in discussions on: The training session laid the groundwork for more efficient collaboration within SEEU and, by extension, within the broader ChallengeEU Alliance. By aligning internal communication practices, the university is taking a critical step toward ensuring that the Alliance functions as a truly integrated and collaborative ecosystem. This event highlights how internal capacity building can directly contribute to the success of international cooperation — reinforcing ChallengeEU’s core mission to bring European universities together to tackle shared challenges through joint innovation, research, and education
Paving the Way for the Talent Academy: ChallengeEU at ISCBE 2025
The 8th International Scientific Conference on Business and Economics (ISCBE), hosted by South East European University (SEEU), provided an excellent platform for international dialogue and innovation. As part of the event, a dedicated Networking Event brought together international students and industry experts to co-create the vision for the Talent Academy – one of the key initiatives within the ChallengeEU alliance. The session served as an inspiring forum for exchanging ideas and aligning academic ambition with practical realities. Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening the bridge between higher education and the labour market. Key outcomes included: 🔹 Aligning academic programs with real-world industry needs🔹 Focusing on hands-on learning, internships, and mentoring🔹 Enhancing cooperation between universities, businesses, and institutions🔹 Improving accessibility through flexible, inclusive learning opportunities – including online formats🔹 Promoting a culture of continuous improvement driven by feedback The insights gained during the event will play a crucial role in developing a future-ready Talent Academy that is inclusive, innovative, and closely connected to the evolving demands of the job market. The ChallengeEU Talent Academy will provide early-career researchers and lifelong learners with bothmethodological capacities and entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to undertake socially-relevant research and/oreffectively translate research findings. Reciprocal learning with and from stakeholders, as well as transdisciplinarylearning, will support and foster the open innovation processes within the Alliance.
