The higher education sector is an area with high potential and relevance for the overall development of Albanian society and economy. For the pro-European development of the country, young academics, researchers, project managers, innovators, and students are of crucial importance. Thus, it is the main motivation for this consortium to enhance an enabling higher education environment that supports university to society collaborations in order to co-produce knowledge and research with an impact that is not only academically insightful but also applicable to the development of Albania in light of European integration. The project strengthens institutional and human resources capacities in HEIs in Albania through the establishment of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Brokerage unit (USIA) that link in an institutionalized and sustainable way university to business, government, civil society, and media. The capacity-building program, models, guidelines, best practices, strategies, and pilot programs of cooperation (Second a Researcher, Policy Lab, Policy Challenge Fund) contribute to the modernization of HEIs governance and their integration in the European Higher Education Area. USIA will set up partnerships and launch collaborative projects between the university and business sector, SMEs, start-ups, NGOs, CSOs, think tanks, public bodies, and media with the aim to co-produce knowledge and research that are applicable to local priorities. The project will establish and expand a Quadruple Helix network and online platform which will offer networking, matchmaking, brokerage, dissemination, competencies development, support, and valorization for academic and non-academic actors. The project widens participation in Erasmus+ CBHE by bringing together different typologies of HEIs in Albania and actors from civil society, public and private sectors. The project prioritizes women in academia, research, and innovation.
The overall objective is to foster effective and sustainable university to society collaboration in Albania with an impact on the development and European integration process of the country.
Specifically, the project intends to:
SO1 – to enhance the capacities of universities in Albania to co-produce knowledge and research with impact through the establishment of a knowledge transfer and innovation brokerage unit (USIA).
SO2 – to introduce and expand co-production of knowledge that is academically insightful and practically actionable in Albanian context through the establishment of a network of partners in Quadruple Helix model (QH).
The project is funded by the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education Program of the European Union, led by the Mediterranean University of Tirana with11 partners from Albania, Italy, Serbia, and Germany.
CCIS is in charge of WP7 -Quality Assurance
Project card
| Project Title | University to Society Innomediaries in Albania: Co-Production of knowledge and research that matters |
| Projects acronym | U-SIA |
| Projects budget | EUR 861,570.00 |
| Funded by | Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union |
| Agreement number | 618997-EPP-1-2020-1-AL-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP |
| Project timeline | 15/01/2021- 14/01/2023 |
| Project Coordinator | Qendra Mesdheu – Mediterranean University of Albania |
| Countries involved | Albania; Serbia; Italy; Germany |
| Project partners | 1. Mediterranean University of Albania – leader
2. Chamber of Commerce Tirana – partner business 3. Professional College of Tirana – HEI partner 4. University of Shkodra – HEI partner 5. European University of Tirana – HEI partner 6. University of Durres – HEI partner 7. Science and Innovation Center for Development – NGO partner 8. Center for Comparative and International Studies – NGO partner 9. National Agency for Scientific Research, Innovation and Technology – public body 10. Belgrade University – Programme countries 11. Universita Degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi – Programme countries 12. ACEEU- Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial & Engaged Universities – Programme countries |
| Working packages | 1. WP1 – Preparation
2. WP2 – Design & Development of knowledge transfer and innovation brokerage unit in Albanian HEIs (USIA) 3. WP3 – Design and Development of Models for co-production of knowledge & research with impact through exchange of experience 4. WP4 – Online collaborative platform for Quadruple Helix 5. WP5 – Piloted University to Business Cooperation through “Second a Researcher” Programme 6. WP6– Piloting University to Policy Cooperation through Policy Labs & Policy Challenge Fund 7. WP7 – Quality Assurance 8. WP8 – Dissemination 9. WP9 – Management |
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