528 | wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ejed Eur J Educ. 2020;55:528–541. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd DOI: 10.1111/ejed.12425 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Moving from survival to development: Experiences in Kosovo from developing academic identity in a transitional context Blerim Saqipi 1 | Xhavit Rexhaj 2 1 Faculty of Education, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo 2 Faculty of Foreign Languages, AAB College, Prishtina, Kosovo Correspondence Blerim Saqipi, Faculty of Education, University of Prishtina, Agim Ramadani, 351, 10 000 Prishtina, Kosovo. Email: blerim.saqipi@uni-pr.edu Abstract The purpose of the study on which this article reports was to elaborate on career trajectories of academics in Kosovo. Particular attention is given to efforts to follow international benchmarks such as the Bologna Process at key stages of Kosovo's historical and political development in the last three decades. In this qualitative study, semi-structured in- terviews were carried out with eleven academics with and without management experience as well as administrators. Findings revealed that Kosovo's higher education system is characterised by a weak organisational culture and an ori- entation towards externally driven change. Also, we found that academics perceived their role narrowly. The findings suggest that while higher education in Kosovo has moved towards adopting international benchmarks, the identity of the academics has not evolved in parallel to support the transition. A managerialist approach catalysed by the Bologna Process has helped a transition process in higher education in Kosovo. Finally, we propose that for a context in transition, local meaning-making processes for policy transfer are needed. Moving forward, institutional develop- ment should be led by academic managers and should serve the professionalisation of academics in Kosovo.