The overall objective of the project is to accompany the reform of the HE in the Balkan region through the development of common QA objectives and integral strategy for the institutional assessment. Specifically, the action aims at the creation of a quality assurance framework through the development of common QA practices and netweork at national and regional level and to the strengthning of capacity building through targeted training programme and pilot assessment activities for the external institutional assessment of universities and quality assurance agengies in Western Balkans.The first project year will be devoted to the setting up of the QA framework necesary to implement longterm strategies for QA policies. More specifically the project foresees the identification and creatioin of a group of network wihtin partner institutions at national and regional level. Then equipement will be purchased in order to implement and develop an information system to collect relevant data information. the framework for QA will finialised with the drafting and publication of a study trends within universities and QA agencies carried out by the Network of Expert. Meanwhile a Western Blakan Obervatory will be set-up and a webpage will be created, meetings with stakeholdesr will be holded to analyse their needs and expectation and to promote the QA Observatory as a working tool. The seconf project year will be devoted to the adaptation of common methodologies and guidelines for the promotion of QA at National and Regional level. HEIs main players -universty top managers, QAA directors and representant of Minister of Education will join together in National Round tables first and in an Inter-Regional conference on the Processes and challenges in the development of a strategic plan for quality assurance within HEIs and Accreditation Agencies. The National roud-table will conduct to the drafting of common and flexible rules and legislation for the assessment of HEIs in line with national reform priorities and ongoing European developments. Targeted training programmes will be conducted during the second and third project years. 5 programmes have been carefully selected in order to addres capacity building needs of partners universities. Following the training programmes, and during the third project year a pratical implementation of the knowledge gain during the training programme will be carried out. The third project year will conclude with one of the main output of the project the institutional assessment of EES universities and QAA.The consortium has been carefully selected and EU partners have the full capacity and expertise to carry out the tasks they have to performed. EES have been selected for their compromise with QA initiatives and correspond to the geografic coveraged: from North to South and also represent Small-middle-large, old and recentrly opened Universities. Universities, QAA and Ministery in EES together with EU Partners will help strengthening Quality Assurance Systems within West Balkans HEIs in support of National and Regional Planning.