We are pleased to participate at the Tirana Economic Forum where our President of the Board, Prof. Dr. Fatmir Besimi, contributed to the panel “Bridging Borders: Human Capital and Education as Catalysts of Economic Development”, emphasizing a fundamental truth: the Western Balkans’ most strategic asset is its people.

Human capital is the Western Balkans’ most strategic asset, and our ability to compete, innovate and converge within the EU will depend entirely on how effectively we develop it.
To unlock this potential, five key shifts are essential:

From brain drain to brain circulation – Creating opportunities to stay, grow and return through targeted scholarships, diaspora engagement, and strong remote-work ecosystems.

• From brain drain to brain circulation – Creating opportunities to stay, grow and return through targeted scholarships, diaspora engagement, and strong remote-work ecosystems.
• From education systems to learning ecosystems –Strengthening links between schools, universities, and industry, expanding dual education and adopting models for lifelong learning.
  
• From fragmented efforts to a regional human capital compact – Aligning skills standards and recognizing diplomas, setting shared regional targets and developing joint STEM and AI programmes to enhance competitiveness.
  
• From analogue to digital and AI-ready education – Ensuring every student has access to connectivity, well-trained teachers and foundational skills in AI and data literacy.
  
• From short-term projects to long-term investment in people – Protecting budgets for education, health, and R&D, while leveraging EU funds to catalyse private investment in skills.
  

“Our future will not be determined by what we have, but by what we know and what we can do. If we invest in our people, the Western Balkans can bridge borders, close development gaps, and build a competitive European future.”