E3M-AL PROJECT - DEVELOPING THIRD MISSION ACTIVITIES IN ALBANIAN UNIVERSITIES

1. E3M-AL PROJECT - DEVELOPING THIRD MISSION ACTIVITIES IN ALBANIAN UNIVERSITIES Project No: 530243-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-ES-TEMPUS-SMHES Mapping 3M activities and needs in Albanian Universities 1st draft University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali”

2. Short profile of University • The University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali” opened on 10 October 1994. Faculty of Commerce Faculty of Naval Engineering Faculty of Nursing • Today there are four faculties, nearly 10 600 students, 30 bachelor programs, 26 master programs and 1 Ph.D program.

3. Regional context • Vlora is a large industrial, commercial and communication center that lies on the country’s southwestern part. • The city port is the larges in the southern Albania and serves for the transport of goods and people toward other cities and countries. • The economy sector is presented by several activities that need new skills in the field of administration, management and finance

4. Regional context (continuing) • The Faculty of Economy covers a part of these needs and nowadays its staff is involved in such processes, bringing and implementing new study and research programs. • The several institutions from public and private sector have hired thousands of people graduated in the University of Vlora but we do not have yet the competence for the validation of their lifelong skills.

5. Regional context (continuing) • Education sector is also a very important priority for the region community. Many teachers are graduated in these years and now, they are working in public or private schools, kindergartens, public administration, etc. • The Faculty of Education plays an important role on developing and integrating the newest didactic methods on teaching according the latest UNESCO directives for Teachers.

6. Changes in the role of university in the context of regional economy and change of the U3M role (continuing ) • Based on the needs recognition of the region, especially in human sources, University of Vlora has added other new programs of study, as well as has update existing programs in accordance with these requirements. • For the technology transfer and innovation, the university has set up e research centre with a rich scientific research activity. • To support continuing education, was created LLL office.

7. Changes in the role of university in the context of regional economy and change of the U3M role (continuing ) • University of Vlora have participated as partner in different project like : INTERREG/CARDS –PHARE IPA Cross-border Programme TEMPUS programe

8. Institutional perspective to U3M • Main type of U3M activities development in University of Vlora are : - technology transfer & innovation - continuing education - social engagement

9. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • Technology transfer & innovation The academic staff of the university is engaged in several U3M activities like : Participating directly as research partners in projects with considerable impact in the region environment, economy, society, etc. (Interreg III, IPA programme, national Projects, etc.)

10. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • Continuing education -LLL center - Offering consultancy services attached to national projects of training. (teacher training on ICT usage,) - Participating as contracted facilitators in workshops organized by local NGO-s to train employees that work in the public administration.

11. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • Social engagement - Periodically engagement of professors and students of Public Health Faculty in the provision of free health services for the community. - Periodically engagement of professors and student of University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali” in campaigns organises from Red Cross (Vlora branch) for fund raising, for blood donation. - Fundraising campaign organizes by the SIFE (Students in enterprise) staff to help Shkodra’ s residents during the flooding. - Fundraising campaign for the city orphanage through sports activities organized in the framework of hundred anniversary of independence of Albania (November 2012).

12. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • Continuing education -LLL center - Offering consultancy services attached to national projects of training. (teacher training on ICT usage,) - Participating as contracted facilitators in workshops organized by local NGO-s to train employees that work in the public administration.

13. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • The number and intensity of the different types of U3M activities evolved at the institutional level - LLL office - continuously participating in activities - cooperation in the project for the establishment of regional development centers

14. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • University policy and strategy towards U3M activities - there are some efforts showing the presence of institutional policies to support the third mission of universities ( the main task is to organize the new mission of UV according the directives of EUCEN conferences where we have participated since 2010)

15. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • University policy and strategy towards U3M activities -Create links with European and international institutions' that bring standards in Albania. They offer short training programmes at European level like (certification of English language, Computer certification standards of Microsoft, ECDL, EIPASS, EPICT, ect). - Identify and analyse the problems, the needs, conditions, possibilities to launch the first training courses for specific skills requested by the community.

16. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • University policy and strategy towards U3M activities - Organize and promote the third mission of the UV and its benefits in Academics and Institutional environments. - Organize and lead to students classrooms the latest news about new skills learning.

17. Institutional perspective to U3M (continuing) • Policies to encourage U3M activities via human resources management incentives? - participated in some international Conferences for the continuous professional development organized by EUCEN - no concrete steps to implement this experience - no policies to encourage U3M activities via human resources management incentives - voluntary job

18. U3M activities consequence of institutional policies?Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Technology transfer & innovation The main problem is no practical experience - week infrastructure (laboratories) - week study programs (model of teaching) - week knowledge of needs and a deep gap between university, public and private institutions - lack of practical skills of academic staff

19. U3M activities consequence of institutional policies?Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Technology transfer & innovation University needs to : - to have continuous and good relationship with public and private institutions to have a better understand of needs - to have more founds to improve infrastructure, literature, technological equipments - self manage its budget taking in consideration its innovator role - experience from other universities that have good results concerning U3M issues -

20. U3M activities consequence of institutional policies?Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Continuing education Main problems - legal gap (centralization of the founds make the implementation of continuous education difficult) - no study of the feasibility for the needs of the community (a proposal with some continuous program training that are not tested) - lack of infrastructure for implementing continuous education ( new technological equipment) - lack of administrative staff - no government encourage for employers that have these skills in the label market through strong policies

21. U3M activities consequence of institutional policies?Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Continuing education Needs - Need for a high perception by students and academic staff of the role of university as a promoter for U3M activities - Need for more policies and staff to support the development of cultural and sports activities

22. U3M activities consequence of institutional policies?Main problems and needs at institutional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Social engagement Main problem - lack of investment in infrastructure for cultural and sport activities Needs - possibility for the staff to attend qualification training to help them draw project in accordance to the latest European standards and forms. - founds rising

23. U3M activities a consequence of local or regional policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Technology transfer Main problem - no institutional links between UV and local government to support the process of understanding the role of TTI in the regional development - no institutional infrastructure to support a good application of technology transfer and innovation - long and complex institutional procedures and no confidence in achieving the goal successfully

24. U3M activities a consequence of local or regional policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Technology transfer Legal limitation - no legal limitation to promote U3M Needs - a stronger collaboration between university and local government - a strong marketing to promote university as the main institution that can support innovation through research and other activities of the staff

25. U3M activities a consequence of local or regional policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Continuing education Main problems - There are not supporting policies by local government for this activity. There are thousands of people that work in several institution of the region. The local government does not apply criteria of continuous certification skills on employment process.

26. U3M activities a consequence of local or regional policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Continuing education Legal limitations - There are no legal limitation on this issue Needs - need for support of the central government in the development of policies that encourage and promote continuing education. - need to recognize the real requirements of the administrative staff in the main occupational categories in order to construct strong bridges with institutions that contain employed people

27. U3M activities a consequence of local or regional policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Social engagement Main problems - no collaboration of the university with local government (political diversity of relationships on leader level) - leaders that reflect their political orientation in cooperative relations in social plan Legal limitation - there are no legal limitation on this issue

28. U3M activities a consequence of local or regional policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Social engagement Needs -The university needs to become a partner of governing institutions that implement social policy. - The university should create and maintain their cultural, sportive and educational instruments in order to become a powerful factor in the social development of the region

29. U3M activities a consequence of national policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Technology transfer & inovation Main problems - lack of a network to support the national institutional communication and coordination. Legal limitation - there are no legal limitation on this issue

30. U3M activities a consequence of national policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Technology transfer & innovation Needs - Need for Government support on involving the academic staff to technological and scientific solutions. The government has all the power to become a coordinator and to ensure success of investments in this way - Need for a a transparent process to select the best of the solution proposals and the financing of innovative ideas

31. U3M activities a consequence of national policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Continuing education Main problems - lack of a specified strategy from central government for the promotion of continuing education at the university. Although efforts have been made to promote this activity, it is not estimated the university as the first institution that can carry out this process. Legal limitation - no legal limitation

32. U3M activities a consequence of national policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Continuing education Needs - Ministry of education should prepare a draft law for to be approved for organization of these activity - the central government should provide funds in its budget to invest on developing the necessary infrastructure. - third, MoES should decentralize the distribution of revenue from this activity without losing the right of control over the finances of the institution

33. U3M activities a consequence of national policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Social engagement Main problem - The role of the university on social engagement is weak. The university does not have the power of government instruments to organize national events in order to promote its own role in this issue. Legal limitation - no legal limitation

34. U3M activities a consequence of national policies ?Main problems, legal limitations and needs at local or regional level to promote U3M considering the three types of activities at University of Vlora • Social engagement Needs - There is a need of governance support in financing universities for infrastructure for cultural and sport activities. This will help universities become important centers of social engagement

35. Thank you !