Joint Programme

Horizontal Facility

Albanian institutions have improved their ability to identify and address corruption risks in the pre-university education sector through an updated methodology tailored to Albania’s education system. Developed with the support of the joint European Union and Council of Europe Action against Economic Crime in Albania, the methodology equips institutions with practical tools to gather evidence, assess risks, and plan appropriate mitigation measures.

Representatives of the Ministry of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption, the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and the Ministry of Education, as part of the inter-institutional working group responsible for conducting the corruption risk assessment in the education sector contributed to the revision process. Through Council of Europe’s guidance and collaborative efforts, the methodology was aligned with European standards and adapted to the specific context of Albania’s education system.

To support its implementation, a workshop was organised in Tirana on 23 July 2026. Through expert presentations and interactive group exercises, participants familiarised themselves with the adapted methodology and tested its practical application by analysing selected education processes, piloting evidence-collection tools and using a model risk register. The exercises were designed to prepare institutions for the forthcoming assessment process.

The workshop also provided a platform for discussing the practical organisation of the assessment process, including institutional responsibilities, evidence requirements, implementation timelines and follow-up arrangements. The result of this process is a strengthened foundation for Albania’s institutions to systematically identify, analyse, and address corruption risks in education. This achievement marks a key step in implementing the Cross-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024–2030 and fulfills one of the EU recommendations for conducting risk assessment to sectors most prone to corruption. This initiative will contribute to enhancing integrity, transparency and accountability in the education sector, in line with European standards and Council of Europe's recommendations.

The activity was organised within the framework of the Action against Economic Crime in Albania, implemented under the joint European Union and Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.