Chapter 26: Private Sector Partnerships for the Public Good: A Toolkit for Supporting University Students’ Career Development in Kosovo

Something many higher education institutions (HEIs) have in common is their limited capacity to deliver vital career services support. Career services administrative units are sources of expertise and coordination for private sector partnerships. In developing states like the Republic of Kosovo, building career services capacities can help these administrative units function more efficiently and equitably and have positive individual-, institutional-, and state-level effects. This chapter presents practical guidance for the creation of blended learning experiences that provide valuable career services. The authors introduce Kosova Learn (KL), a suite of original, customized e-learning courses that prepare university students, mentors, and internship supervisors in Kosovo with essential knowledge, skills, and habits of mind from the cognitive and affective domains that relate to career services. The authors maintain that the success and sustainability of KL depend on Kosovans’ continuous active engagement in recruitment and matching with experiential learning opportunities. By supporting users in their online and offline career and professional development experiences, tools like KL can bridge the gap between HEIs and private sector partners.