The EU and Germany provided free public Wi-Fi across 33 municipalities, and opportunities to study abroad through the EU’s Erasmus+ programme were among October’s highlights in Kosovo. The EU in Kosovo’s Europe House also hosted activities exploring artificial intelligence, mental health and the role of young people in public life.

People across 33 municipalities in Kosovo can now access free public Wi-Fi following the completion of the WiFi4WB rollout, an initiative co-funded by the European Union and Germany and implemented by GIZ in cooperation with local partners. The completion was marked at the National Library in Pristina, with more than 1.1 million logins already recorded across the network.

Part of the regional EU4Digital programme, WiFi4WB makes it easier for residents and visitors to study, work and use online services in public spaces.
Alongside improved internet access, October also brought discussions about the reliability of information people encounter online.

At the When AI Meets Fake News conference in Pristina, organised by the Kosovo Law Institute and regional partners through the EU-funded FACT project, journalists, fact-checkers and civil society representatives from Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia and Romania discussed the challenges of AI-generated disinformation, fact-checking and media literacy.

In Mitrovica North, Tijana Kolutac led the AI, Trust & Transparency masterclass at Europe House, introducing young participants to the EU AI Act and the responsible use of artificial intelligence, with practical exercises on recognising manipulated online content.

Erasmus Days launched at Europe House Pristina, bringing together students, educators and representatives of youth and civil society organisations to discover what the EU's Erasmus+ programme has to offer. Alexis Hupin, Deputy Head of the EU in Kosovo, highlighted that more than 12,000 students and academic staff from Kosovo have benefited from Erasmus+ mobility since 2015.

The programme continued at Europe House Mitrovica North, where Erasmus+ alumni shared their experiences of studying and living abroad, the skills they gained and the connections they made. The discussion also covered opportunities beyond university exchanges, including youth projects, virtual exchanges and cooperation in sport.

Another session in Europe House Pristina, organised with the Kosovo Erasmus+ Office, introduced participants to eTwinning, which connects schools across Europe, and EPALE, a platform supporting cooperation in adult education. Meanwhile, the University of Pristina hosted an Erasmus+ information session focused on academic mobility opportunities for students and university staff.

Marking World Mental Health Day, the YOUTH2YOUTH Skills Lab at Europe House Pristina brought young people and Young European Ambassadors together to discuss how the digital world affects mental health. The afternoon continued with a range of activities, including painting, dance and music, giving participants different creative ways to express themselves and reflect on today’s mental health challenges.

Youth were also at the focus of the one-day session with the European Youth Parliament Kosovo, where participants worked in teams, simulated European Parliamentary Committee work and debated European issues before developing their own policy recommendations.

The EU’s support for GRAN Fest continued in October. Following September’s Sketching Pristina initiative and exhibition, the drawings were brought together in a publication of the same name. The festival also presented Minerva, a comic by Finnish cartoonist Juba. Both publications were released in Albanian and Serbian, with support from the EU in Kosovo and the Municipality of Pristina.

October concluded with Austrian Film Nights, a three-day celebration of Austrian cinema organised in cooperation with Kino ARMATA and the EU in Kosovo. The programme introduced audiences to three thought-provoking films: The Last Ambassador, The Dreamed Ones and Peacock – Am I Real?.