When international companies enter a new market, they do not only look for manual workers to work on production lines; They also need "white-collar experts" (qualified experts) to manage operations, conduct research and development (R&D) projects, and perform advanced data analysis. University data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (ASK) shows that Kosovo has successfully built this advanced talent pool with its master's and doctoral (PhD) education capacity.
Active Capacity and Economic Focus in Postgraduate Education The fact that there are more than 6 thousand students studying at the master's level in one academic year (2016/2017) at the University of Pristina alone is the most concrete data proving the academic depth of Kosovo. Particularly the concentration in the fields of economics, law and engineering shows how vibrant the market is in the fields of "corporate management" and "financial audit" (audit/finance). The fact that Peja University alone has over a thousand Master's students confirms that regional management centers outside the capital also host HR infrastructure for R&D offices or advanced consultancy firms.
Transition from 'Cheap Labor' to 'Expert Labor Force' Current doctoral graduation statistics show that fields requiring specialization such as medicine, economics and law (Legal) take the lead. According to our Kosovo Investment editorial analysis, this increases Kosovo's position among international investors from the perception of a "cheap production center" to the perception of a "regional R&D, innovation and management center". Foreign companies can directly benefit from Kosovo's pool of doctoral and master's graduates, instead of appointing managers (expats) from abroad to their top management positions. The high representation of women in advanced academic degrees (for example, they make up the majority of medical doctorates) directly contributes to companies' diversity goals.
Preliminary Assessment for R&D and Consultancy Investors This qualified brain power in Kosovo; It is a great competitive advantage for investors who want to establish technopark investments, market research offices, corporate consultancy companies and medical/informatics R&D centers. However, in the processes of employing these qualified personnel; Special confidentiality agreements (NDA), non-competition provisions, transfer of intellectual property and patent rights, income tax incentives and company establishment steps in accordance with Kosovo commercial law must be taken with professional legal consultancy.