Conclusions and Recommendations for Action adopted by participants in the meeting "Strengthening Higher Education and Research in South East Europe - Priorities for Regional and European Cooperation"

The Western Balkans countries have great potential in spite of the scale of the challenges still facing universities. Despite the problems, governments, higher education institutions and students share the common objective of creating a European Higher Education and Research Area, and of supporting the fundamental premises of the Lisbon Strategy that knowledge societies and economies can only be realised through strong and socially responsive higher education institutions. While these goals are shared throughout Europe, they are particularly pertinent for the Western Balkan countries. Growth and the creation of jobs is of the utmost urgency and action is required now if this is to be achieved.