High level exchange in YHELD

Partners of the YHELD (Yemen Higher Education Leadership for Development) project gathered virtually on 24 June 2025 for their monthly coordination meeting. This EU-funded initiative brings together universities from Yemen and Europe to strengthen the leadership, internationalization, and resilience of Yemeni higher education institutions.

The meeting featured a high-level exchange with Ms. Carla Giulietti, Project Advisor from the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Ms. Giulietti acknowledged the project’s improved coordination and confirmed EACEA’s willingness to support a six-month extension to facilitate on-site training activities, while reiterating that no additional funding would be granted.

Participants discussed the possibility of conducting on-site training sessions in Jordan or Egypt to overcome travel restrictions in Yemen. UNIMED proposed a two-week, in-person training format focused on implementing internationalization strategies and enhancing communication skills. The creation of a national IRO (International Relations Office) network and a Yemen-EU academic cooperation platform were also proposed to promote long-term institutional ownership and cross-border collaboration.

Yemeni partner universities, including the University of Aden and Abyan University, expressed appreciation for YHELD’s role in establishing and strengthening international offices. They highlighted local challenges, including low faculty salaries and limited travel capacity, which continue to hinder participation in international training programs.

LCU, the project coordinator, addressed these challenges by proposing a budget reallocation across work packages to fund training and travel activities. Partners agreed on the need to develop a cost forecast to facilitate the necessary budget amendment request.

The meeting also reviewed progress on upcoming deliverables. ACEEU is finalizing improved survey tools to support Deliverables 2.1 and 2.2, which will gather insights from at least five representatives per Yemeni university. These surveys are expected to guide future project actions in a more impactful and targeted way.

Dissemination and communication efforts were also discussed. SASS emphasized the need for stronger input from all partners, calling for more proactive sharing of event coverage, media links, and participant data to enhance YHELD’s visibility and outreach. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to completing key project activities ahead of the summer break.