International Business College Mitrovica (IBC-M)

IBC-M was founded in 2010 by the Dutch NGO SPARK at the request of Kosovo’s Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MEST). It has been supported by multiple international donors and its pedagogical model was developed through a consortium of Danish partners, including the Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education (EAL), as well as the University College Lillebaelt (UCL) and Tietgen Business College. The partnership is maintained to this day through a double diploma agreement between IBCM, EAL and UCL.

IBC-M is an education institution of higher education, which offers practice-oriented professional education. It is at present the only inter-ethnic higher educational institution in Kosovo and one of the most successful international efforts to include the Kosovo Serbian community in North Kosovo. It was formed with the aim of improving employability through study programmes with a heavy focus on practice and skills, supporting economic development in the region and bridging the ethnic groups in Mitrovica. IBC-M offers three study programmes:

  1. Marketing and Management (AP) with a top up Bachelor programme in International Sales and Marketing;
  2. Environmental and Agricultural Management (AP) with a top up Bachelor programme in Environmental and Agricultural Management;
  3. Public Administration (AP) or Bachelor’s degree in Public Service Management

IBC-M is a member of the SPACE European Network for Business Studies and Languages and participates in their conferences and learning activities (i.e. simulations) regularly. Through Spark, IBCM previously participated as a partner in the ERASMUS+ KA2 Strategic Partnership project, Developing Innovation Agents for SMEs (DIGAS) from 2014-2016. This involved developing locally adapted learning modules designed to improve the skills of unemployed youth in Kosovo according to labour market needs.

IBC-M also holds ERASMUS+ KA1 Mobility Agreements with 4 EU partner HEIs, and 8 bilateral agreements for study exchanges with international partner institutions. IBC-M management and teaching staff have also delivered training to international educators in conflict-affected societies (including Libya and Turkey), and all staff have opportunities to be trained and attend conferences abroad as part of their professional development.