Some aspects of National STI system in Albania & The Research at Polytechnic University of Tirana

1. Some aspects of National STI system in Albania & The Research at Polytechnic University of Tirana Tbilisi, 11 April 2012 T.Korini, UPT, Tirana

2. Science system and its component institutions in Albania • The higher schools • The national research centers • Public Centers/Agencies of development and technology transfer - six centers/agencies in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Customer Protection - one agency in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Administration - one center in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports - two centers/agencies in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy - two centers in the Ministry of Public Works, Transports and Telecommunication. d) Centers/Agencies/institutes and other private entrepreneurships dealing with research, development, technology and knowledge transfer fields

3. National STI system capacities and performance • The capacities and competence to manage both fundamental and applied research in Albania are: • limited; • in general, far from the standards enabling co-operation and integration into European or international programs; • the scientific infrastructure is, by all accounts, outdated and inadequate to support quality research. • There is a need for a sustained program of investment: • to bring scientific equipment and facilities to a minimal level of quality for teaching purposes, across all scientific fields; • to develop new and strengthen existing research specializations with a view to national and international co-operation.

4. In terms of investment, the annual Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) is close to 15 million Euros , i.e. below 0.2 per cent of GDP (0.18 %). This expenditure is almost exclusively funded by the public sector and by foreign sources. In the 5 last years the budget for education and science has doubled but at the same time the number of students increased 2.5 times. The higher education budget is low and needs increase in order to have results in research and technology transfer. Limited data on scientific publications and patent indicators confirm the low level of output of the research system. Until the university sector develops the required capacities and infrastructure to carry out more advanced research,there will be few opportunities to develop high-tech spin-off/start-ups and investment in high-tech incubators, etc.

5. Goals and milestones 1. Increase public spending on research to 0.6% of GDP by 2015. This target would represent a significant increase compared to the current situation. 2. Increase the share of gross expenditure on R&D from foreign sources notably from the EU (FP, etc.) and international donors to cover 40 per cent of all research spending in the years 2010–2015. 3. Create four or five Albanian Centers of Excellence in Science (ACES) including dedicated laboratory equipment or workspaces that could be used

6. 4.Double the number of researchers, through ‘brain gain’ incentives and training of new researchers. This will involve the creation, in synergy with the Higher Education Strategy action plan, of up to three new ‘graduate schools’ (or doctoral programs) in Albanian universities. These graduate schools should be in the priority areas selected by government in consultation with the national STI council or be linked to the selected centers of excellence, or both. 5. Increase innovation activity in about 100 companies through investment in R&D through own laboratories, or via consortia with the academic RIs or in partnership with foreign partners.

7. Needs and expectations • Improvement of research infrastructure (laboratories etc.) • Better cooperation with the industry (including foreign companies operating in Albania) • International and especially regional cooperation (creation of research networks) • Participations to the European projects (FP7 etc). • Increase of financial autonomy for the Departments and Research centers. Under way: • Reform for financing the higher education

8. POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF TIRANA • New university: 60 years old • 6 faculties and 1 institute: • Faculty of Civil Engineering • Faculty of Geology and Mining • Faculty of Mechanical Engineering • Faculty of Electrical Engineering • Faculty of Information Technology • Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Engineering • Institute of Water, Energy and Geosciences

9. Number of researchers Full time: 374 (teaching & research) Part time: 367 (teaching and partially research) Number of students Undergraduate: 8003 Graduate: 2761

10. The research: 30 projects (TEMPUS + CEPUS), in the area of curriculum development and reform programs, supported studies and teaching in the area of process engineering. 46 projects have been supported by the World Bank and the Albanian Government, which are mainly used for infrastructure improvement and scientific development. 30 projects research and development. 49 projects from Excellence Fund. 16 other projects are supported by FP6, FP7, IPA, ECOPORT 80 references to scientific activities abroad 140 references to scientific activities within the country

11. Number of congress / scientific conferences, national and international, organized by the Polytechnic University since its creation, over 200. 7 Doctorate Schools (approximately 200 PhD students) 2006- 2011 Publication of over 100 books and textbooks and over 250 scientific articles in Albania and abroad. Since 1970 the University brought its scientific edition "Bulletin of Technical Sciences", which were published over 1600 scientific articles.

12. Challenges and obstacles for commercialization of research results • Lack of research funds • Lack of research facilities • Restrictions in using the proper funds (created from services to the industry) • Lack of IP protection funds • Lack of IP and technology management infrastructure and human resources • Lack of incentives for researchers/inventors A financial reform is underway in order to improve the management, to give the necessary funds for research and to improve the incentives for researchers

13. Thank You !