Mapping 3M activities and needs at UPT

1. Mapping 3M activities and needs at UPT Developing Third Mission Activities in Albanian UniversitiesMapping 3M activities in partner universitiesKick-off seminar on 3M activities Polytechnic University of Tirana Prof.Assoc. Mimoza DhramiTirana, 13th February 2013 E3M-AL PROJECT - DEVELOPING THIRD MISSION ACTIVITIES IN ALBANIAN UNIVERSITIESProject No: 530243-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-ES-TEMPUS-SMHESThis project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This publication reflects only the views of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein.

2. Short profile of UPT • Institutional Organizing • Stage I: Established on 1951 as Higher Polytechnic Institution with study programs mainly in engineering areas. • Stage II: Merged into State Tirana University as Engineering Faculty and Faculty of Geology and Mining, on 1957. • Stage III: Divided all Engineering Faculties from Tirana University on 1991 and established Polytechnic University of Tirana. • Now in UPT there are : • Six Faculties • One Research Institute • 78 study programs at three levels: • Bachelor: 20 study programs • Master: 33 study programs in Msc and 18 study programs in PM • Doctoral degree: 7 study programs • About 12950 students enrolled at all study programs

3. Organogram of UPT

4. Regional context • UPT is unique in its own kind. It cover all the branches of industrial development: • Extraction and processing industries, • Energy, • Transport, • Telecommunication, • Information technology, • Building and civil construction industries, • Hydro power industry, • Material and mechanical industries , • Textile • Environment, etc. • Study Program Development • Each stage is characterized by developing of study programs in two directions: • Growth in numbers related to new developing directions of economy: • Improving the existing curricula’s in order to response better new development of science and technology

5. Regional context • New study programs developed during last 10-15 years are: • Engineering of mechatronics • Economic engineering, • Geo-informatics, • Geo-environment, • Telecommunication, • Computer science, • Mathematic engineering, • Physics engineering, • Contribution of UPT is very important in: • regional studies and designing, • professional consulting, • training and continual education, • technology and knowledge transfer, etc.

6. Changes in the role of universities • Restructuring of study programs in frame of Bologna Process: • Bachelor • Master • Doctoral • Reforming process is extending to: • Scientific research, • Institutional restructuring • Infrastructure renewal • Growth of economy has enhanced the needs of collaboration of UPT with: • central and local governments, • business, • non-profit organization

7. Changes in the role of universities • Our staff is involved in carrying out some activities as: • National and regional studies • Engineering designing, • Technical consultancies, • Professional training, • Developing new techniques and technologies at small and medium enterprises, • Transferring new knowledge, • Testing at accreditation laboratory,

8. INSTITUTIONALPERSPECTIVETO U3M • Main types of U3M activities developed at UPT are: • Short courses in frame of Continuing education. • Involvement in research project and consultancy activities: • On basis of individual initiative • On basis of institutional representatives • Involvement in technical boards of independent organizations (as accreditation, standardization and metrology) carrying out activities in the national quality infrastructures. • Institute of GEWE is performing studies and monitoring activities in the fields of seismic and geology engineering, meteorological data, water impact at land erosion, etc. All this are supported activities of different branches of economy. • Performing different testing at accreditation laboratory • Participating as main speakers or lectors in seminars, trainings, workshops in order to raise awareness and knowledge of society in different fields

9. INSTITUTIONALPERSPECTIVETO U3M • The most important U3M activities for UPT are: • studies and researches related to needs of industrial sectors, • consulting and designing activities mainly in the construction sector, • continuing education, • consultancies and training at small enterprises in technical and managing issues • Activities of accreditation laboratory. • Activities related to social engagement of our academic staff and students are at the beginning

10. Policy and strategy towards U3M activities • In UPT strategy, for the first time, there are documented policies about U3M activities: • Better recognition of needs and requirements of third interested parties related to U3M activities and better orientation of researches in order to meet these requirements. • Better and more complete updating of potential opportunities of Institution related U3M activities and improving publicity for these activities. • Improving of material and technical base and extending of accreditation and licensing for U3M activities. • Main types of U3M activities most encouraged are those related to: • technology transfer and innovation (mainly transferring skills and knowledge) • activities related to continuing education.

11. Policy and strategy towards U3M activities • Activities about social engagement are relatively limited, mainly in directions: • Contribution in strengthening of engineers associations in Albania and collaborating in different events, • Encouraging and supporting sports and cultural activities of students associations; • Financial supporting of the low-income students and excellent students, • Collaborating with organizations engaged in life, health and environment protection • There are no written policies to encourage U3M activities via human resources management incentives, • Polytechnic University has supported its staff to perform such activities by recognising their role and not impeding in realizing this kind of activities.

12. Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M • Technology transfer & innovation • Main problems: • Lack of R&D infrastructure (laboratories and related infrastructure) • The part of budget for R&D is too low. • Financial scheme of University and poor infrastructure don’t stir up the staff to perform this activity inside university • Needs: • investments in R&D infrastructure, scientific libraries and access to international scientific publications • Improving financial scheme, improving financial autonomy extending it to base units • Institutional relationships and sustainable collaboration with central and local government • increasing the funds for R&D • involving of UPT in major studies and developing plans as collaborator, consultant or opponent.

13. Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M • Continuing education • Main problems: • Process of designing, reviewing and approving of new program is too long, • Lack of necessary infrastructure to support this activity, • Scheme of financial management is not incentive • Needs: • Establishing the necessary institutional framework (legal and administrative) to develop and provide continuing education activities at the institutional level. • Improving the funding management scheme • Extending the necessary infrastructure

14. Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M • Social engagement • Main problems: • A very low perception about the social engagement role of university. • Lack of policies and the forms to encourage these activities, • Lack of sport fields, gymnasiums and other creative centres impede developing the cultural and sports activities • Needs: • Increasing the investments in infrastructure for cultural and sport activities. • Awareness of staff and students about the benefits of social engagement • Developing the policies and forms to encourage social activities

15. Main problems, legal limitations and needs at regional level to promote U3M • Technology transfer & innovation • Main problems: • The end users are not awareness to use the best practises and technologies at technical fields, especially at those with higher risk levels or environmental protection practices or energy saving practice, etc. • Legal limitations: • There are not local policies and mechanisms to incite business and lead them towards new technologies, standards application and best practises in technical fields. • Needs: • A complete legal framework for the technology transfer and innovation

16. Main problems, legal limitations and needs at regional level to promote U3M • Continuing education • Main problems: • Continuing education is partly related to regional policy. • There is not a strong coordination between main units of Local Government and those of University. • Local government should have policies related to training and increasing of competences of its adminisrtration in order to meet nowadays requirements • Legal limitations: • There are not legal limitations on this issue • Needs: • More collaboration between faculties/universities and local institutions

17. Main problems, legal limitations and needs at regional level to promote U3M • Social engagement • Main problems: • University should promote this activity with collaboration with local or regional institutions • Legal limitations: • There are not legal limitations on this issue • Needs: • Representative from local institution at administration council of the university and visa versa.

18. Main problems, legal limitations and needs at national level to promote U3M • Technology transfer & innovation • Main problems: • The national education policy should determine the U3M activities as part of obligation of the universities, as well indicator for university evaluation or ranking. • Universities have to ensure a real financial autonomy and financial scheme have to promote these activities. • The part of GDP allocated to Universities for applied researches have to be significantly increased. • Investments towards extending and improving the university infrastructure need to be main objectives of national policies. • Legal limitations: • There are no clear determination at national policy in the context of technology transfer and innovation. • Needs: • Investments in R&D infrastructure to make possible university to be involved in technology transfer & innovation activities. • Including the indicators of technology transfer and innovation at university evaluation.

19. Main problems, legal limitations and needs at national level to promote U3M • Continuing education • Main problems • National policy should encourage more the continuing education • Continuing education should be part of performance evaluation of the workers at all public and private institutions. • Legal limitations: • Weak legal recognition of such activities for career development • Needs: • Increasing the financial support, especially public one for continuing education activities. • Increasing the building capacity and supporting facilities to carry out this activity

20. Main problems, legal limitations and needs at national level to promote U3M • Social engagement • Main problems: • Low awareness of the government about social engagement role of the universities. • Legal limitations: • This kind of activities is not evaluating as bonus for career developing • Needs: • Raise the awareness of the public (government included) on the role of the universities as social engagement centre. • Increase the investments in University infrastructure for culture and sport activities. • Evaluate the social engagement as a bonus for career developing.

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