The International Balkan University (IBU) hosted the opening day of the Executive Workshop for Facilitators: Bridging Education and Industry through 21st Century Skills and Virtual Collaboration, held within the framework of the European Commission–funded project Skills Enrichment for Adaptive Leadership in the New Reality (SEAL-NR).

The workshop brought together representatives and facilitators from a diverse consortium of partner institutions across Europe and beyond, including: Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (Ukraine), Politechnika Warszawska (Poland), Baltijas Starptautiska Akademija (Latvia), Institute of Social and Economic Initiatives (Ukraine), Mingachevir State University (Azerbaijan), and the Kyiv Education, Training and Youth Centre (Ukraine). The associated partner, DITELC Switzerland – Swiss Center of Excellence in Digital Transformation and Ecosystem Leadership (Zurich, Switzerland), joined to share its expertise in digital transformation and adaptive leadership.

The day began with registration and welcome coffee, followed by opening remarks from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katerina Mitevska Petrusheva, Vice Rector for Projects and Research at IBU, and Prof. Dr. Snezana Bilic, Lead Project Coordinator. Both emphasized the importance of building bridges between education and industry, and the role of 21st century skills and virtual collaboration in preparing future leaders.

The morning sessions featured an engaging lecture by Prof. Dr. Sead Dzigal of IBU on “Media Literacy and Critical Thinking in Education: Challenges and Strategies in the Digital Age.” The two-part discussion encouraged participants to reflect on the role of critical thinking in navigating today’s information landscape and provided practical strategies for integrating media literacy into education.

In the afternoon, participants engaged in networking activities and coordination meetings, while selected project partners visited the Swiss Embassy in Skopje for a special session exploring the cooperation opportunities. The day concluded with a wrap-up discussion, feedback surveys, and a cultural networking activity - a guided city tour of Skopje’s historic Old Bazaar.

The training program is designed to strengthen the role of facilitators within the SEAL-NR project and to foster collaboration between academia and industry. By equipping facilitators with innovative tools and methods, the project aims to enhance adaptive leadership and ensure that students and professionals across partner countries are better prepared to meet the challenges of the new reality.