WSB University at the Kick-off Meeting of the SINCERE Project in Korçë, Albania

On 26–27 November 2024, WSB University took part in the official kick-off meeting of the Erasmus+ project SINCERE – Strengthening Integrity and Ethical Culture in Higher Education in the Western Balkans, hosted in Korçë, Albania. The university was represented by Anna Ziomek, PhD, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, and Denis Spahija, Deputy Director of the International Relations Office, who joined academic partners from across Europe and the Western Balkans for strategic planning and the formal launch of the initiative.

The SINCERE project responds to the growing need for stronger academic ethics, transparency and institutional credibility across higher education systems. Evidence collected through reports of UNESCO, the European Commission and national quality bodies shows that many universities in the Western Balkans continue to face challenges such as plagiarism, contract cheating, insufficient monitoring mechanisms and limited integration of academic integrity into teaching practices. Digital tools to prevent malpractice remain scarce, and many cases of misconduct go unreported due to weak institutional frameworks. These gaps intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote learning environments made academic dishonesty more difficult to manage. At the same time, positive developments in previous EU-funded initiatives show that progress is possible when universities collaborate, exchange experience and introduce shared standards.

SINCERE has been designed to address these needs through a joint European-regional effort. The project will support universities in Albania and Kosovo in building sustainable academic integrity systems, developing new ethical guidelines, implementing digital tools for plagiarism prevention, and training both staff and students. It promotes fair and responsible research practices, strengthens trust in academic work, aligns institutional policies with European standards, and contributes directly to international priorities such as SDG4 Quality Education and SDG16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, while also supporting the EU Global Gateway strategy through its focus on digital transformation.

The consortium consists of nine institutions working collaboratively to ensure wide impact. Fan S. Noli University (UNIKO) in Albania, the project coordinator, leads implementation and partner coordination. Eqerem Çabej University (UECG) in Albania co-develops the Academic Integrity Framework and contributes policy assessment expertise. University of Medicine Tirana (UMT) and Ukshin Hoti University, Prizren (UPZ) carry out training activities and support integration of integrity measures into academic practice. UBT Prishtine (UBT) in Kosovo and West University of Timișoara (UVT) in Romania co-lead the development of digital tools, user interfaces and capacity-building technology. WSB University in Poland co-leads work on institutional reform, ensuring that the framework corresponds with international standards and reflects European policy experience. Western Balkans Institute (WEBIN) in Serbia leads dissemination, sustainability and the establishment of a Regional Academic Integrity Network, while the associate partner HUN-REN Research Centre for the Humanities in Hungary supervises the delivery of training and the introduction of digital tools.

Through this initiative, WSB University joins an important international mission to advance ethical standards, foster academic responsibility and contribute to the long-term quality of higher education in Europe. The project’s launch in Albania marks the start of an ambitious collaboration, and our university is proud to be actively involved in shaping solutions that will support higher education institutions, researchers and students across the Western Balkans and beyond.