Development of Higher Education

The primary aim of this project is to enhance the quality of medical education in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), excluding the Baltic states, through the implementation of peer review mechanisms and capacity-building frameworks. It also seeks to lay the foundation for similar improvements in other former Soviet countries.

Despite varying levels of progress across EECA countries, most face common challenges due to their shared educational legacy—marked by a highly centralized, uniform Soviet system. This initiative aims to align medical education practices with international standards, particularly those defined by the Bologna Process and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).

Core Objectives:

• Promote Peer Review Culture: Raise awareness of peer review as a tool for continuous academic and administrative improvement in medical schools. The project will highlight peer review not as a threat, but as a path to collective growth—drawing parallels from successful industry models like Georgian wine exports.
• Establish the Multinational Peer Review Board (MPRB): Form a diverse and expert-led governance body to oversee the peer review process, guide implementation, and ensure long-term sustainability of project outcomes.
• Implement Peer Review Mechanisms: Develop and deploy a structured framework for peer review of both academic programs and administrative operations. The MPRB will coordinate expert teams to conduct institutional assessments and provide feedback.
• Build Institutional Capacity: Train faculty and staff to effectively self-assess and conduct peer reviews, preparing institutions for national and international accreditation, and enhancing their consultancy potential.
• Launch PRIMED-EECA Journal: Establish an annual scientific journal—Peer Review in Medical/Health Education for Eastern Europe and Central Asia—to disseminate project insights, case studies, and research.
• Advance Internationalization: While no separate measures are dedicated to this objective, all activities support increasing the global engagement of partner universities.
• Disseminate Project Outcomes: Develop a targeted strategy to share key project outputs (audit reports, journal issues, best practices) with stakeholders, ministries, and institutions across the region.

Methodology & Implementation

With 12 universities across 6 countries (including EU participants), the project requires a harmonized and inclusive implementation strategy.

Key Methodologies:

• Knowledge transfer and capacity building
• Coaching, tutoring, and strategic analysis
• Expert-led assessments
• Long-term planning and innovation
• Public relations, publishing, and outreach
• Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)

Inclusive Values:

• Equal participation and transparency
• Gender balance and minority inclusion
• Fair resource distribution and merit-based staffing
• Commitment to European values

Planned Activities & Milestones

Preparatory Phase:

• Establish central project office at BAU IUB and satellite offices at partner institutions
• Procure necessary equipment and hire staff
• Conduct an initial online meeting among coordinators

Goal 1: Capacity Building Workshops

• Identify key academic and administrative leaders in each institution
• Conduct weekend workshops in each country led by international experts from Bulgaria and Lithuania
• Focus: peer review principles, benefits, case studies, logistics
• Include pre- and post-assessments; award certificates

Goal 2: Formation of the MPRB

• Each institution appoints a board member (total 13, rotating annually)
• Draft and adopt a charter, elect annual chair
• Hold quarterly meetings and yearly regional conferences
• Ensure media coverage for transparency and outreach

Goal 3: Peer Review Operations

• Develop and approve the Peer Review Framework
• Assemble 4 expert teams (no local participants) for institutional visits (twice per institution)
• Each visit lasts 8 working days; reports submitted and published in PRIMED-EECA
• Draft a long-term “business plan” for sustainability

Goal 4: Expert Training & Association Formation

• Train ~40 experts in Bulgaria and Lithuania (2 tracks: administrative and academic)
• Award certifications; track impact via pre/post assessments
• Begin formation of PRAMED-EECA: a peer review association for medical education

Goal 5: Journal Creation

• Develop concept and editorial plan for PRIMED-EECA
• Hire technical staff or outsource publication tasks
• Publish annually; build a regional distribution list
• Engage stakeholders (ministries, associations) to fund the journal post-project

Goal 6: Internationalization

All other goals contribute directly or indirectly to this outcome

Goal 7: Dissemination Strategy

• Develop stakeholder lists and tailored dissemination plans
• Create a project website and social media presence
• Publish compact annual reports and organize a dissemination symposium in Year 3