Higher education sector is an area with high potential and relevance for the overall development of Albanian society and economy. For a pro-European development of the country, young academics, researchers, project managers, innovators and students are of crucial importance. Thus, it is a 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 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 institutionalised and sustainable way university to business, government, civil society and media. The capacity building programme, models, guidelines, best practices, strategies and pilot programmes of cooperation (Second a Researcher, Policy Lab, Policy Challenge Fund) contribute to modernisation of HEIs governance and their integration in European Higher Education area. USIA will set up partnerships and launch collaborative projects between 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, competences development, support and valorisation for academic and non-academic actors. The project widens participation in Erasmus+ CBHE by bringing together different typology of HEIs in Albania and actors from civil society, public and private sector. The project prioritises women in academia, research and innovation.
SO1 – to enhance the capacities of universities in Albania to co-produce knowledge and research with impact through establishment of 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 establishment of network of partners in Quadruple Helix model (QH).
Higher education sector is an area with high potential and relevance for the overall development of Albanian society and economy. For a pro-European development of the country, young academics, researchers, project managers, innovators and students are of crucial importance. Thus, it is a 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 impact.
<< Background >> Higher education sector is an area with high potential and relevance for the overall development of Albanian society and economy. For a pro-European development of the country, young academics, researchers, project managers, innovators and students are of crucial importance. Thus, it is a 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 impact. << Objectives >> SO1 – to enhance the capacities of universities in Albania to co-produce knowledge and research with impact through establishment of 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 establishment of network of partners in Quadruple Helix model (QH). << Implementation >> During the 24-month period of the project all the planned project activities were implemented as per the main Project Document. The practice used to achieve the project’s objectives and the planned activities adopt an integral approach and aim at achieving sustainability of outcomes even beyond end of the project. All activities are budgeted with careful consideration and all consortium members are fully committed to sound financial management. << Results >> Established of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Brokerage unit (USIA; Enhanced partnerships and collaborative projects between researchers, academics, students on one side and business sector, SMEs, start-ups, NGOs, CSOs, think tanks, public bodies and media to co-produce knowledge that is applicable to local context. interaction for stakeholders in the Quadruple Helix:Enhanced environment of networking, matchmaking, brokerage-Transferable and Replicable models of collaboration between actors