Within Task 4.2 – Develop New Study Programmes at CEPS, two new study programmes in Disaster Risk Management (DRM), comprising 180 and 240 ECTS credits, have been successfully developed. The development process was based on the findings of the Report on Comparative Analysis between Western Balkans (WBC) Partner Needs and EU Trends (D2.1), the Report on Needs Assessment for Western Balkan Countries’ Digital and Green Education in Academia (D2.3), and the Report on Stakeholders’ Needs for Green and Digital Skills in Bosnia and Herzegovina (D2.4). Additional inputs included peer reviews by EU partners, an assessment of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s disaster risk profile, and a review of existing international and regional study programmes. Through this process, CEPS Kiseljak has successfully developed two new DRM programmes designed to address the growing need for qualified professionals in disaster risk reduction, emergency management, and resilience building.

A key achievement is the development of 36 new courses covering a broad range of subjects, including civil protection, crisis management, risk assessment, hydrology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), critical infrastructure, early warning systems, disaster recovery, and tactical intervention and rescue. The curricula combine multidisciplinary knowledge, practical competencies, and digital approaches relevant to disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Both study programmes and their course syllabi have been prepared in Bosnian and English, incorporating the findings and recommendations of Work Package 2 and responding to identified educational needs, stakeholder expectations, and the growing importance of green and digital skills.

The curricula were developed through the collaborative work of an international and interdisciplinary Expert Commission comprising representatives of CEPS Kiseljak and partner higher education institutions in Serbia, North Macedonia, and Slovenia. Their academic relevance was further supported by an independent expert opinion provided by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sc. Marija Jelčić Rukavina of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, on 14 April 2026. Her assessment concluded that the proposed curriculum and study programme fully meet the requirements set out in the study programme’s objectives. This achievement represents an important contribution to modernising higher education in Bosnia and Herzegovina and strengthening the knowledge and skills needed to build a safer, more resilient, and sustainable society