This collaboration brought together Dr. Klodian Gradeci, Diaspora Scholar, Senior Business Developer at SINTEF and Adjunct Lecturer at Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway; and Dr. Ledian Bregasi, Resident Scholar and Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Design at POLIS University, to co-design and co-teach the course entitled ‘New European Bauhaus Innovation Studio.’

For Dr. Gradeci, the opportunity to contribute to higher education in Albania was both professional and personal. Motivated by curiosity and a strong desire to give back, he co-designed and co-taught a two week intensive course with Dr. Bregasi at Polis University in Tirana as part of Tirana Design Week. From the outset, the goal was clear: move beyond theory and create a space where students could actively practice innovation. Teaching in Albania carried a strong sense of purpose. By returning to actively contribute to the academic landscape, he transformed his role as a diaspora scholar into a direct investment in Albania’s emerging talent and intellectual growth. 

Turning Theory into Practice

The course introduced students to innovation through a structured and hands-on approach built around three phases. First, students analyzed existing innovations to understand key principles. Then, they entered an intensive design sprint, where they developed their own concepts through real world user research. In the final phase, students refined their innovative pitches and presented them to an external jury composed of experienced professionals.

A flipped classroom model shaped the learning experience. Instead of focusing on lectures, class time centered on teamwork, application of tools, and direct feedback. The course also integrated the New European Bauhaus framework, encouraging students to consider sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics as essential design criteria.

The course focused on bringing together people from different fields who don’t usually work together in the same classroom. By encouraging these different viewpoints to meet, Dr. Gradeci challenged students to think beyond their own discipline. The active collaboration of students from architecture, design, computer science, and business created a dynamic environment that pushed them to approach challenges from multiple perspectives and develop more thoughtful solutions. 

At the beginning, students showed some hesitation, especially during the analytical phase. As they moved into developing their own ideas, their engagement shifted. Collaboration strengthened, confidence grew, and a clear sense of ownership emerged. By the final presentations, the students’ commitment had reached a level that went well beyond the requirements of the course. Their passion was most visible in the final push—working through the last day and night to ensure their ideas were fully realized. This insight reinforces the importance of experiential learning. Students learn most effectively when they actively build, test, and refine ideas that they feel responsible for.

Moments such as teams debating competing ideas, conducting interviews with real users, and refining their concepts showed learning in action. Dr. Gradeci also observed a strong sense of optimism among students about Albania’s innovation potential, offering a hopeful contrast to earlier perceptions.

A Lasting Impact Beyond the Classroom

The impact of the course extended beyond its duration. Two participating students went on to win first prize at the CliMobility City Lab Demo Day, an innovation-driven initiative aimed at mitigating Urban Heat Island effects and pioneering sustainable mobility solutions in the Western Balkans. By directly applying the tools and methods they learned during the course, they secured a €50,000 award to implement their winning idea: “Urban Oasis.”

For Dr. Gradeci, this outcome confirmed the value of a practice oriented approach. The course did more than deliver content. It helped students begin to see themselves as innovators capable of driving change in their fields.

The Power of Collaboration

The partnership between diaspora and resident scholars played a central role in the course’s success. Dr. Gradeci brought international methods and experience shaped by his work in Norway, while Dr. Bregasi contributed deep knowledge of the local academic environment and ensured effective integration within the institution.

This collaboration created a balanced and grounded teaching model. It demonstrated how global expertise and local insight can complement each other to produce stronger outcomes.

The composition of the student group further strengthened the experience. Many students later identified multidisciplinary teamwork as the most valuable aspect of the course, highlighting the importance of collaboration across fields.

This collaboration reflects the wider potential of diaspora engagement in education. When international experience connects with local knowledge, it creates meaningful opportunities for growth. Students gain practical skills, educators exchange perspectives, and institutions strengthen their capacity for innovation.

As initiatives like Diaspora4Innovation continue to evolve, they offer a clear path forward, one that empowers students and builds stronger links between Albania and global knowledge networks.

On behalf of the European Union, Germany, and Sweden, @eu_4_innovation is supporting Germin to facilitate the circulation of Albania’s global knowledge, locally!

The post Bridging Innovation and Education: A Diaspora Scholar’s Impact in Albania appeared first on Germin.

Albania’s higher education system is under increasing pressure to prepare graduates not only with disciplinary knowledge, but also with the entrepreneurial, digital, and innovation-oriented competences required by a rapidly changing economy. In this context, diaspora expertise can play an important role in helping universities refresh curricula, introduce new pedagogical approaches, and strengthen connections with industry. GERMIN has highlighted this model through recent stories of diaspora-resident academic collaboration in Albania. 

A teaching and innovation collaboration led by Prof. Valentina Ndou, as diaspora academic, and implemented together with Prof. Blerta Dragusha at the University of Shkoder “Luigj Gurakuqi,” represents a concrete example of this approach in action. During the 2025–2026 academic year, the collaboration focused on the Corporate Finance course offered in the Master of Science in Finance and the Master of Science in Accounting, with the aim of making the course more practice-oriented, innovation-driven, and responsive to the challenges of digital transformation in the financial sector. 

The revised course was designed not simply to transmit financial knowledge, but to expose students to a broader set of competences connected to entrepreneurship, design thinking, innovation management, and the application of Artificial Intelligence in finance. The updated syllabus integrated themes such as entrepreneurial competencies, business planning, Business Model Canvas, and design thinking in finance, with the broader objective of guiding students toward a deeper understanding of how innovation can be financed, structured, and scaled. 

One of the main issues this collaboration sought to address was the persistent gap between classroom learning and the real needs of the financial sector. To respond to this challenge, the course introduced a project-based and challenge-based learning model. In November, an Open Innovation Challenge in the Finance Sector brought together students and representatives of local banks, creating a space where academic learning could directly engage with real-world industry problems. According to the course documentation, the initiative asked student teams to develop innovative and financially sustainable business solutions to concrete enterprise challenges, supported by academic supervisors and company mentors. 

This was not a purely theoretical exercise. Students were exposed to practical problems related to digital transformation, operational efficiency, customer engagement, financial inclusion, and the adoption of emerging technologies in banking. The guiding materials prepared for the course framed these opportunities very clearly, highlighting areas such as fraud detection, alternative credit scoring, financial education, compliance, remittances, SME cash-flow management, and AI-supported financial inclusion in Albania and the Western Balkans. 

A further milestone of the collaboration was the Final Presentation and Pitch Workshop, held on 13 February 2026, which marked the culmination of the students’ project-based learning journey. Students were organised into 11 teams and developed project ideas centred on the use of AI in the finance sector. Their proposals ranged from AI solutions for operational efficiency in banks, to chatbots for customer service, to more inclusive financial services for older adults, people with disabilities, and underserved groups. The use of the Business Model Canvas gave students a structured way to articulate value propositions, customer segments, key resources, costs, and revenue logic. 

Projects were evaluated by a distinguished jury composed of representatives from academia, industry, and innovation ecosystems:

• Gazmend Selmani – tech, finance, and real estate entrepreneur 
• Valentina Ndou – University of Salento 
• Egzon Sadiku – Project Manager, GERMIN Kosovo 
• Denada Bushi Hafizi – Director, BKT Shkoder Branch 
• Enkelejda Nabolli – Raiffeisen Bank representative 

The collaboration also introduced an important pedagogical shift. Rather than limiting learning to lectures, it emphasized teamwork, mentoring, pitching, dialogue with practitioners, and problem-solving around local and regional challenges. Student response to this model appears to have been strongly positive. The engagement report notes enthusiasm for the new pedagogical approach, especially the experiential and project-based component, which enabled students to identify problems in their environment and transform them into structured, evidence-based proposals. Students also valued teamwork and the opportunity to present before external experts, even though this represented a significant challenge. 

Beyond teaching, the collaboration also generated broader academic and institutional value. Joint activities included research collaboration and the co-development of a major Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education proposal, submitted with an international consortium. The proposal aims to strengthen research and innovation capacities in Western Balkan higher education institutions, addressing structural issues such as low research visibility, weak knowledge transfer, and fragmented cooperation between universities, industry, and public institutions. This shows that diaspora engagement can extend beyond individual courses and contribute to wider institutional development. 

What makes this experience particularly relevant is that it responds to a real and pressing issue in Albanian higher education: the need to connect teaching with innovation ecosystems and labour-market realities. In this case, diaspora expertise did not remain external or symbolic. It was translated into syllabus revision, co-teaching, mentoring, industry engagement, and the creation of learning experiences that encouraged students to think entrepreneurially and apply financial knowledge to real-world challenges. 

This experience demonstrates how diaspora expertise can move beyond knowledge transfer and become a driver of systemic change. By combining updated content, innovative pedagogy, and strong stakeholder engagement, the collaboration created a replicable model for enhancing higher education in Albania.

It highlights that the future of education lies not only in what students learn, but in how they learn, through interaction, experimentation, and real-world application in close connection with the innovation ecosystem.

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The conference will bring together diaspora professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs, academics, institutions, and partners to exchange ideas, build connections, and explore new ways to turn global Albanian expertise into local impact. As the closing conference of the Diaspora4Innovation project, it will also reflect on achievements, lessons learned, and future opportunities for continued collaboration.

Join us for two days of discussions, networking, and new opportunities that support innovation, education, entrepreneurship, and collaboration across borders.

On behalf of the European Union, Germany, and Sweden, EU4Innovation is supporting GERMIN to facilitate the circulation of Albania’s global knowledge locally.

Register here

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A teaching fellowship was proposed by Associate Professor Dorina Pojani from the diaspora (The University of Queensland, Australia) and implemented in collaboration with a resident academic (Dr Irina Branko, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania) over the course of one year. A combination of in-person visits and online activities took place in 2025–2026. The fellowship focused on refreshing a landscape planning course led by the resident lecturer. Normally, the course is delivered through a combination of theoretical lectures and studio-based work. Historically, the planning program at PUT has placed a strong emphasis on design rather than theory or policy. In this fellowship, the key innovation was a series of guest lectures by domestic and international practitioners from the public, private, non-profit, and international assistance sectors. These lectures, complemented by visits to the lecturers’ workplaces, introduced students to a range of career opportunities for planning graduates beyond the more typical employment in design studios.

Student feedback on this initiative was very positive. In an anonymous survey completed by more than half of the students (20 out of 37), the course—and particularly the new elements—received an average score of 4.75 out of 5. Beyond the quantitative results, qualitative feedback gathered through a focus group attended by 15 students was especially illuminating. Students clearly expressed a desire for more than technical training. They sought greater exposure to real-world practice, including experiences outside the capital city in coastal and mountainous regions; insight into non-traditional career pathways; and stronger links between urban planning, architecture, and communities. Students highlighted the importance of learning about non-design aspects of professional practice, including coordination with institutions, financial management, budgeting, and project governance—areas they felt were largely absent from their formal training but central to real-world work. They also valued the interdisciplinary nature of several guest organisations. Importantly, students welcomed the territorial breadth of the course, which deepened their understanding of landscape, tourism, and regional challenges, and strengthened their appreciation of planning at multiple scales.

Below is a summary of the factors that, in Pojani’s and Branko’s experience, contributed to the success of this program.

Funding. While the fellowship is competitively awarded, it is low-cost. This is a positive feature, as it enables broader participation. The administrative burden is also limited, with short application forms and minimal reporting requirements. With planning being a social science discipline, course expenses were relatively low.

Presence. Pojani’s physical presence in Albania was essential for the fellowship to succeed, as teaching activities are generally less effective online than through in-person engagement. Being present allowed the diaspora scholar to guide activities and provide mentorship, in line with Albania’s relational culture. During her visit, Pojani also undertook additional activities, such as media appearances and workshops, which also helped Branko expand professional networks. This networking support aligned closely with one of the program’s key objectives.

Collaboration. While the team members were acquainted prior to participating in the program, they had not collaborated professionally before. Nevertheless, the program was successful, driven by a strong motivation to work together. Much of the success can be attributed to Branko being well liked and to the positive rapport that already existed between her and the students. This created a welcoming environment into which Pojani could be effectively integrated. GERMIN and EU4Innovation have actively supported ongoing connections through formal and informal networking opportunities, including a study visit in Venice and a workshop in Tirana.

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Through Diaspora4Innovation, GERMIN and EU4Innovation create space for meaningful academic exchange between diaspora scholars and resident faculty in Albania. The Meet the Scholar Series documents these collaborations and shows how shared teaching experiences translate into stronger universities, more relevant curricula, and empowered students.

One such collaboration brought together Dr Adelajda Matuka, diaspora scholar from the University of Bologna, and Dr Edmira Cakrani, from the European University of Tirana in Albania. Together, they co-designed and co-taught the course Applied Economics with R Studio at the European University of Tirana, introducing students to modern, applied approaches in economics education.

From the early planning stages, the collaboration focused on aligning international academic practices with the realities of Albanian higher education. The scholars worked closely to structure the syllabus, define learning outcomes, and design assessments that encouraged active participation and problem solving.

The course integrated applied quantitative analysis, programming, and economic reasoning through the use of R Studio. Students analyzed, modeled, and visualized real world datasets, linking empirical results to economic and policy questions relevant to Albania and beyond. Rather than relying on abstract theory, the course emphasized learning by doing.

Classroom delivery centered on live coding sessions, guided exercises, and step by step examples. Students worked directly with data and learned how to interpret findings in a policy context. This approach helped them build confidence in computational thinking and understand how applied economics supports evidence based decision making.

Student response played a key role in shaping the experience. Curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to experiment defined the classroom dynamic. Many students expressed pride in completing their first data analysis projects, seeing their skills grow in real time.

What made this collaboration stand out for the diaspora scholar was the opportunity to engage in an academic environment that felt both evolving and familiar, as someone who had once studied in the Albanian education system. The partnership with the European University of Tirana and with Prof. Edmira Cakrani created a meaningful bridge between past academic roots and current international experience. Beyond teaching, the collaboration also extended into research. The joint research article developed through this partnership is now near completion, with the aim of submitting it to a top ranking academic journal. The scholars also presented their work at the READ International Scientific Conference 2025, where around 300 research papers from researchers worldwide were shared. This experience strengthened not only academic cooperation but also personal commitment to contributing to higher education in Albania.

For the resident scholar, the collaboration introduced new pedagogical approaches, digital tools, and applied teaching methods. Exposure to international academic practices inspired curriculum innovation beyond this single course and encouraged broader integration of technology driven learning.

Both scholars see strong potential in continuing this model of collaboration. Future plans include co teaching, joint research, curriculum development workshops, and stronger links between Albanian universities and international academic networks. These partnerships help bridge gaps between diaspora and resident scholars while preparing students for competitive job markets in Albania and abroad.

The Meet the Scholar Series captures what Diaspora4Innovation makes possible when engagement moves beyond short visits and into sustained academic partnership. It shows how shared responsibility, adaptability, and mutual learning can strengthen higher education and build lasting connections between global knowledge and local institutions.

On behalf of the European Union, Germany, and Sweden, EU4INNOVATION is supporting GERMIN to facilitate the circulation of Albania’s global knowledge locally.

The post Co-Teaching Across Borders, Bringing R Studio into Albanian Classrooms appeared first on Germin.

Diaspora4Innovation showed how sustained collaboration between diaspora scholars and resident academics can strengthen higher education in Albania through shared responsibility and long term impact.

Through the Diaspora4Education component, the programme supported a close academic partnership between Dr. Ernil Sabaj, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, and Dr. Ledjon Shahini, Professor of Economic Sciences at the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana. Together, they co designed and co taught the Environmental Economics course for third year undergraduate students, creating a joint teaching model based on equality, exchange, and practical learning.

The collaboration began with a thorough review of the existing curriculum and its alignment with international academic standards. Dr. Sabaj and Dr. Shahini updated the course content to include contemporary themes such as carbon pricing, emissions trading systems, circular economy models, and green and blue economy approaches. EU environmental policy frameworks, including the EU Emissions Trading System and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, became core reference points, directly linking the course to Albania’s European integration agenda.

Teaching methods shifted toward applied and interactive learning. Students worked with real data from EU institutions, the World Bank, IMF, and EUROSTAT, and engaged with policy documents used in real decision making processes. Case studies focused on Albania’s environmental and economic realities, including air pollution, waste management, hydropower reliance, and institutional capacity challenges. This approach strengthened analytical thinking, policy evaluation skills, and confidence in applied economics.

Student engagement increased significantly. Discussions often extended beyond class time, with students actively debating how global policy tools could function within Albania’s specific context. The co teaching model helped students connect international knowledge with local challenges and see themselves as future contributors to policy, research, and sustainable development.

For the resident scholar, the collaboration also enabled professional exchange and exposure to international academic practices. A reciprocal visit to the University of Warwick allowed Dr. Shahini observe course design, assessment methods, student engagement approaches, and research culture, insights that are now informing his teaching practices at the University of Tirana.

The partnership extended beyond a single course. Dr. Sabaj and Dr. Shahini are laying the groundwork for continued co-teaching, joint research in environmental and development economics, and preparation of a Jean Monnet Action module under Erasmus Plus. This initiative aims to institutionalise cooperation between the two universities, expand faculty involvement, and further modernise economics curricula in Albania.

This experience confirms that diaspora engagement creates meaningful impact when it is structured, reciprocal, and embedded in institutions. Diaspora4Innovation demonstrated how knowledge exchange can strengthen universities, empower students, and contribute to Albania’s path toward a more sustainable and informed future.

On behalf of the European Union, Germany, and Sweden, @eu_4_innovation is supporting Germin to facilitate the circulation of Albania’s global knowledge, locally!

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The event was opened by Arieta Dragusha, Communication Officer at GERMIN, who highlighted the role of women in politics, with a special focus on the local level, where representatives are closer to citizens and their daily needs. She emphasized that women’s participation in local decision-making translates into more responsive policies and practical solutions for communities.

Era Ahmeti, Project Coordinator at GERMIN, presented the main achievements of the project, which aimed to promote greater political participation and representation of women in Kosovo. The project was implemented in seven municipalities and involved a total of 54 women, either serving as municipal assembly members or having been candidates for local assemblies. Seven mentors from the diaspora and seven experts participated throughout the project. The initiative included three training sessions and seven community initiatives addressing concrete local needs.

During the conference, the implemented initiatives were presented by Hyrije Uka Hoxha from Vushtrri, Sanie Kuqi Rexhepaj from Suhareka, and Besiana Syla from Lipjan, providing practical examples of women’s impact in politics and local community initiatives.

The discussion rounds highlighted key challenges, including insufficient cooperation among women from different political parties, while Suhareka was recognized as a positive example of cross-party collaboration. Participants also addressed the lack of public debate about the fact that 38 municipalities in Kosovë are led by men, online harassment of women in politics (mostly perpetrated by men), low media representation, and the burden of unpaid work that continues to fall primarily on women.

Concrete recommendations emerged from the discussions, including the continuation of professional training for women, especially in public procurement, strengthening cooperation with organizations like GERMIN, which were deemed highly necessary and productive, and initiating actions at the central level. Participants proposed more systematic work to enhance the role of female assembly members, changes in voting procedures in municipal assemblies, allowing citizens to vote up to three candidates instead of one, and the need for monitoring and transparency regarding the Democratization Fund.

The conference was held on International Migrants Day, reaffirming the diaspora’s role as an important partner in supporting women in politics and strengthening local democracy.

The event concluded with the clear message that women do not seek privileges in decision-making; they seek the positions they deserve because democracy only has meaning when decisions are made by all. This conference marked the conclusion of the “Women in Politics” project, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and implemented by GERMIN in seven municipalities across Kosova.

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The exchange of experiences and the acquisition of new knowledge from some of the most advanced models in Europe and beyond is one of the core objectives of the project “Diaspora4Innovation.”

The goal of knowledge exchange was at the heart of the study visit to Venice, carried out by a group of 12 academics from both Albania and the diaspora, along with representatives from GERMIN, EU4Innovation, and the media. The visit included the innovation hub H-FARM, a platform and campus built around developing innovative enterprises and innovation ecosystems, aiming to create impactful change and empower new generations to lead with purpose, all supported by artificial intelligence (AI). The group also visited Future Farming, a technology transfer center developed in partnership between Zero and H-FARM.

The first day of the study visit took place at QTT Future Farming, one of Europe’s most advanced technological infrastructures, developed through strong public-private partnerships between businesses and research institutions. The company Zero, which holds a 49% share in Future Farming, is a leading European player in vertical agriculture, offering modular, AI-driven solutions for agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and eco-rehabilitation.

The academics learned about the methods and models applied at Future Farming, focusing on the use of technology in agriculture through the “Nature Co-design” paradigm, which studies how life forms in nature to replicate it in ways that produce new solutions for business and social needs through scientific research, laboratories, and technology.

The next visit took place at H-FARM, a space where education, entrepreneurship, and technology come together. The academics toured the modern campus, a space designed to foster creativity, new ideas, and student well-being. They visited the startup center, explored its programs for startup development, and learned about H-FARM College’s educational approach, which emphasizes its international learning offer.

The academics who took part in the visit highlighted how valuable this experience will be for implementing similar practices in Albanian universities in the near future. They also emphasized the importance of such study visits for expanding cooperation between academics based in Albania and those from the diaspora who have achieved great success at leading universities across Europe and the world.

Assoc. Prof. Valentina Ndou, who conceptualized and facilitated the visit, stated:
“Some of the initiatives we saw in Venice are already known to our academics. Many of them have already started applying these concepts in their university courses. However, in Albania, it is still difficult to fully implement such initiatives because the infrastructure is lacking, and broader collaboration is needed, both at the university and inter-ministerial levels, as well as with the business sector.”

Valbona Koçi, Advisor at EU4Innovation, described the study visit as an opportunity to bring diaspora academics closer to those working in Albania.
“Our goal is for diaspora academics to bring their knowledge back to Albania, not necessarily by returning physically. Knowledge is mobile, and in this way, it becomes even more valuable for our country, where the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem is rapidly growing,” she emphasized.

Lirim Krasniqi, Co-Director of GERMIN, the organization implementing the Diaspora4Innovation project in partnership with GIZ, described diaspora academics as a valuable national asset.
“Thanks to them, Albania is getting closer to the innovative developments taking place across Europe and beyond, helping to strengthen capacities and raise our standards. So far, we have had the engagement of 10 diaspora academics in 8 Albanian universities, across 12 faculties and departments. For over a year, they have been involved in numerous activities, including designing syllabuses, lecturing, joint research projects, and study visits such as this one to Future Farming and H-FARM, which link innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems with education. We are proud to see this project producing remarkable results,” he concluded.

The Diaspora4Innovation project, supported by EU4Innovation and funded by the European Union, the German Government, and the Swedish Government, demonstrates how institutions can play a key role in connecting academia in Albania, the diaspora, and policymaking. It ensures that Albanian universities are not isolated but integrated into Europe’s innovation trends.

All the initiatives carried out under this project show that learning knows no boundaries. Knowledge may grow abroad, but innovation always finds its way home, positioning Albania as an important contributor to the regional and European innovation ecosystem.

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Dr. Sonja Kurz, Director of GIZ Albania and host of the event, emphasized GIZ’s important role in driving change across Albania’s educational, social, and economic sectors. GIZ is the main implementing agency of the EU4Innovation project, funded by the European Union, BMZ, and SIDA. GIZ’s values closely align with the vision of Diaspora4Innovation, which highlights the inspiring contribution of the Albanian diaspora to improving academic and research fields.

Mr. Miha Pezelj, Head of Section at the EU Delegation in Albania, shared the European Union’s commitment to supporting innovation and education advancement through Erasmus, Horizon Europe, and EU4Education.

Dr. Iven Schad, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Tirana, highlighted Germany’s ongoing support for vocational education, noting that this project connecting Albanian universities with the global diaspora marks a new achievement for Germany.

Sebastian Berwanger, Project Manager of EU4Innovation, explained that Albania faces a gap between education and the labor market, especially in innovation and entrepreneurship fields. The Diaspora4Innovation project aims to bridge this gap by integrating these areas into higher education and aligning students’ skills with industry needs.

Participants were introduced to 12 collaborations between diaspora and resident researchers across 12 faculties, involving over 500 students, with topics such as renewable energy, IoT, and entrepreneurship. Plans include joint research, study visits, and a concluding event.

On behalf of the European Union, Germany, and Sweden, EU4Innovation supports GERMIN in facilitating the circulation of global Albanian knowledge at the local level.

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Në fjalën e tij të mirëseardhjes, Z. Avni Mustafaj, Bashkëkryetar i Bordit të GERMIN, theksoi se këto ngjarje festojnë angazhimin e palëkundur të të gjithë atyre që janë përfshirë në lidhjen e diasporës shqiptare dhe në promovimin e mentorimit dhe angazhimit profesional për fuqizimin e forcës punëtore dhe komunitetit të Kosovës.

Moderatorja jonë e dedikuar, Znj. Fatlume Halili, Menaxhere e Lidhjeve me Ekosistemin në Aktivitetin e Zhvillimit të Forcës Punëtore të Udhehqur nga Privatët i USAID, udhëhoqi me mjeshtri diskutimin, duke siguruar që të ndaheshin perspektiva të ndryshme.

Z. Xhelal Derguti, Koordinator i Projektit të Migracionit dhe Diasporës në GIZ, theksoi rëndësinë e përfshirjes në shkëmbimin e njohurive dhe aftësive nga diaspora. Ai theksoi se përshtatja e programeve për të adresuar sfidat specifike të grupeve të grave dhe atyre jo-majoritare, duke krijuar mundësi të barabarta, e rrit dukshëm ndikimin shoqëror dhe ekonomik të këtyre iniciativave.

Mentorët e diasporës ndanë histori tërheqëse mbi përvojat e tyre të mentorimit:

Agnesa Belegu, Dizajnerja e Lojërave e Nivelit të Lartë dhe Darsej Rizaj, Bashkëthemelues dhe CEO i Digital School, folën për punën e tyre në përmirësimin e sistemit të mësimit të gamifikuar, Houses 2.0. Fokusi në zhvillimin e narrativës dhe angazhimin e lojtarëve ka ndihmuar shkollën të krijojë një mjedis dinamik mësimor që balancojnë përmbajtjen edukative me elementët e gamifikimit si qëllimet, ndërveprimin dhe feedback-un. Kërkimi dhe zhvillimi (R&D) është një hap i rëndësishëm drejt këtij drejtimi.

Shkelqim Sina, Zhvillues i Softuerëve i Nivelit të Lartë, diskutoi udhëheqjen e tij për mësuesit në Shkollën e Mesme Lutfi Musiqi për krijimin e një aplikacioni për gjurmimin e mungesave të nxënësve. Aplikacioni jo vetëm që përmirësoi efikasitetin administrativ, por rriti edhe besimin e mësuesve në integrimin e teknologjisë në rutinën e përditshme, raporton Adil Jusufi, mësues në shkollë.

Erblin Gashi, Drejtor Ekzekutiv i Kompanisë Eurofruti, ndau informacione mbi se si mentorimi në lidhje me certifikimin organik, paketimin dhe markimin ka mundësuar kompaninë e tij të konkurrojë më efektivisht në tregjet lokale dhe evropiane. Edhe pse nuk mundi të merrte pjesë, Ilda Bruzja ndau refleksionet e saj, duke theksuar: “Mentorët e diasporës janë thellësisht të motivuar nga mundësia për të dhënë pas, dhe ndikimi i tyre forcohet kur homologët lokalë janë të hapur për të zbatuar ide dhe strategji inovative.”

Panelistët përfunduan duke theksuar vlerën e mentorimit në lidhjen e ekspertizës globale me nevojat lokale dhe rëndësinë e përshtatjes së qasjeve në kontekstin unik të Kosovës. Mundësitë për t’u bashkuar, për të angazhuar në diskutime dhe për të bashkëpunuar u theksuan si të rëndësishme për zhvillimin e aftësisë për të reaguar dhe për t’u përshtatur me sfidat e forcës punëtore dhe për të sjellë zgjidhje me ndikim.

Ky diskutim dhe Programi i Mentorimit Peer-to-Peer të Diasporës mbështeten nga Aktiviteti i të USAID-it për Zhvillimin e Fuqisë Punëtore në Kosovë përmes Sektorit Privat, i zbatuar nga IREX, në partneritet me GERMIN.

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