The Western Balkans Alumni Association (WBAA for short) is a regional association of alumni who have spent part of their studies abroad, funded by EU education and training programmes such as Erasmus+ and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.
Officially launched in March 2018, WBAA was born from the EU’s Western Balkans Platform on Education and Training in 2014, where the Ministers of Education of the 6 Western Balkan countries agreed on the need to establish a regional network of alumni. Since its inception, WBAA has come a long way! Today, the association brings together all the relevant actors in the Western Balkans to make sure that the young people’s voices in the region are heard loud and clear.
Which countries are concerned?
WBAA covers the six Western Balkan countries, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.
Find out more at https://www.western-balkans-alumni.eu/
I am Lirim Mehmetaj, a student from Kosovo at the University of Prishtina. Last winter semester, and currently this summer semester, I am studying at the University of Salzburg. By coming and being part of a new living and studying environment it was pretty interesting, but also challenging and very demanding. Referring to life in Salzburg, you can easily find yourself traveling into times because Salzburg indeed is a very old city filled with culture. Small and narrow alleys, paved with stones at the old part of the town, are impressive. Moreover, University is filled with students of different countries from all around the world, therefore every new acquaintance, except a new friendship is also a lesson which makes you know and understand better the diversity and multiculturalism. Erasmus is a great opportunity for Kosovar students to study and travel abroad. It is awesome that this kind of program gave me the chance to meet the world and meet new experiences, because I as a Kosovar citizen, cannot always travel freely. It is great that the EU made it possible for me to study with Erasmus. The program helps you not in just fulfilling your dreams, but also, living beyond them. Therefore, it is an extraordinary experience which changes your life forever.
"In life to be successful, you have to face challenges... and most of the time these challenges will make you understand yourself, life itself and your skills".
