- CIHEAM Zaragoza took part in the Second Steering Committee Meeting of the INSIST-VAT project, held on 2–4 June 2026 at the University of Prishtina (Kosovo), marking a key transition in the project as needs assessments and benchmarking work are now translated into concrete vocational training plans for farmers, advisors and agricultural institutions in Albania.
- In parallel to the meeting, CIHEAM Zaragoza signed an MoU with the University of Prishtina, reinforcing bilateral cooperation in training, scientific research and rural development within European cooperation frameworks.
The INSIST-VAT project
INSIST-VAT — Institutional, Sustainable and Innovative Strengthening of Vocational Agricultural Training in Albania — is an EU-funded project aimed at strengthening agricultural vocational training, knowledge exchange and innovation in Albania. The project seeks to establish a permanent training centre at the Agricultural University of Tirana, modernise agricultural advisory systems, and promote sustainable and climate-resilient farming through tailored training programmes adapted to the needs of the sector and the demands of the labour market.
The project brings together eight partners from Albania, France, Kosovo and Spain: the Agricultural University of Tirana, the Centre of Agricultural Technology Transfer Fushë Krujë, and the Agricultural Technology Transfer Centre of Korça (Albania); CIHEAM Montpellier, the Agricultural Technical Coordination Association (ACTA), and the Association for Quality in Research and Higher Education (France); the University of Prishtina (Kosovo); and CIHEAM Zaragoza (Spain).
Second Steering Committee Meeting
On 2 and 3 June 2026, project partners gathered at the University of Prishtina for the Second Steering Committee Meeting of INSIST-VAT. Over the course of two working days, partners and stakeholders reviewed progress achieved during the first 18 months of the project, assessed training needs identified among farmers, advisors and institutions in Albania, and examined benchmarking findings on European vocational agricultural training systems — all of which will inform the design of the future training centre at the Agricultural University of Tirana. For CIHEAM Zaragoza, leading Work Package 5, this meeting has marked a decisive transition: from analysis to action. The assessments, benchmarking work and needs analyses carried out during the project's first phase are now being translated into concrete training plans designed to support farmers, advisors and agricultural institutions in Albania.
As part of the Steering Committee programme, partners also visited the Department of Viticulture and Enology of the Ministry of Agriculture in Rahovec, gaining insight first-hand into the sector's activities and development in Kosovo. The visit provided a valuable occasion for exchanging experiences, strengthening inter-institutional cooperation, and exploring opportunities to advance education, scientific research, and innovation in viticulture and enology.
Second INSIST-VAT Workshop
On 4 June, the second INSIST-VAT Workshop — 'Building Sustainable Agricultural Training Systems: Current Practices, Partnerships, and Funding Opportunities' — brought together partners and external stakeholders around two thematic round tables.
The first, moderated by Thierry Dupeuble, Director of CIHEAM Montpellier, examined how education, vocational training and advisory services can be better aligned with the evolving needs of the agricultural labour market. Drawing on evidence from farmers and trainers, it explored the integration of digital, green and managerial competencies into training provision, and the alignment of national systems with EU agricultural and rural development policies.
The second round table, moderated by Raúl Compés, Director of CIHEAM Zaragoza, addressed the practical and institutional dimensions of establishing a sustainable vocational training centre. Participants discussed financing models, public–private partnerships, and international funding opportunities, with particular attention to the mechanisms that can ensure the long-term operational viability and institutional relevance of the future centre at AUT.
Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Prishtina
Parallel to the meeting of the Steering Committee, CIHEAM Zaragoza and CIHEAM Montpellier each signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Prishtina, formalising their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. The agreements cover training, scientific research, joint international activities and the development of projects of common interest — including the identification of funding opportunities within European cooperation frameworks and coordinated action on agriculture, food security, rural development and climate change adaptation.
The memoranda were signed by the Rector of the University of Prishtina, Prof. Arben Hajrullahu, Raúl Compés López, Director of CIHEAM Zaragoza, and Thierry Dupeuble, Director of CIHEAM Montpellier.
