IEP Programmes

Scientific Research areas

For more than a decade now, a European tradition is set for researchers at the European University of Tirana and IEP to align the academic research with national and international research priorities. Moreover, a qualitative and interdisciplinary research is conducted as part of the Doctoral Programme that has been developing for almost 5 years now. Also, several international programmes and projects implemented by UET during these years have brought the European perspective even closer by setting ambitious goals for the future research agenda. Capacity building projects are conducted to improve and modernize the research infrastructure, and establish a wide network of partners in national and international level.  

In line with its scientific research strategy for the next ten years the research work of the Institute will be organized according to these major research areas:

• Politics, communication and society, specifically in democratization of the society, institutions and communities as well as diplomacy, geopolitics and the impact of security on governance and policymaking;
• Law between Efficiency and Justice, including harmonization of business legislation with EU Acquis Communautaire and international legislation, public sector policy analysis regarding integration processes as well as local government and public administration reforms;
• Education aims at providing recommendation for policy makers on education policies by analysing best practices in the field of education, inclusion of innovative teaching methods and professional training of students and staff to link education with business requirements.
• A New Growth Agenda aims at analysing structural transformations of the economy, identifying links where the need for more active public policies can further the country’s economic developments, identifying new sources of growth and more specifically policies that promote innovation and innovative technologies transfer to local businesses.
• Risk – the analysis of stakeholders and their actions in the context of financial crises, markets and financial instruments in the regulatory field of market functioning.
• From Big Data to Big Business aims at providing innovative business ideas and solutions to achieve better policies and higher economic efficiency.

UET Centre – R&D Unit

UET Centre intends to contribute towards the progress and democratization of the Albanian society through policy-oriented research projects, capacity building and joint programmes. Through its activities UET Centre plays a crucial role in the Albanian polity by enhancing the link between research and development. UET Centre develops and sustains policy-oriented research and other related activities that can provide policy analysis. Its role is to act as a facilitator in the communication processes between the government, policy-makers and other public stakeholders on the one hand and the citizens, interested groups, private stakeholders and communities at large on the other hand, in order to promote pro-active dialogue and contribute to national capacity-building. UET Centre tries to inform and assist community groups and empower citizens and marginalized groups to take an active role in policy development.
UET Centre has an extensive experience in project development, networking and stakeholders’ engagement. For more than 8 years now UET Centre has proven to be a committed a reliable partner in project management in various national and international programmes of research, capacity-building and development such as:
– International institutions as donors and partners: European Commission; British Council/British Embassy; USA Embassy; NUFFIC/Netherlands Embassy; Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; German Society for International Development GIZ; Open Society Foundation; World Vision; UNICEF; GFK; Konrad Adenauer Stiftung; IPA/Balkan Med/Interreg Med, Leviz Albania, CODE Albania, etc.
– Local (non)governmental organizations: Agency for the Support of Civil Society; Ministry of Education and Science; Albanian Investment Development Agency; Business Albania; Chamber of Commerce; Agency for Research, Technology and Innovation; Albanian School of Public Administration; Municipality of Tirana; Regional Government; ABC Foundation;
– Local and international higher education institutions: LSE Research on South East Europe, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, CERI Sciences Po, European University Institute, Central European University, University of Graz, University of Salzburg, University of Sapienza, University of Limerick, University of Luneburg, etc.

Academic Publishing in UET Press

UET Press is the publishing house established at the European University of Tirana and part of IEP. Its mission is the transfer of knowledge and research to the wide public though academic books. UET press publications include textbooks which enrich the quality of teaching process, books from academics and journalists, doctoral thesis, etc.

UET Press publications are divided in various collections as follows:

1. Collection: Scripta manent
2. Collection: Thesis
3. Collection: Curriculum
4. Collection: Monographs, essays, studies
5. Collection: Scientific journals
6. Collection: Albums

Cultural Heritage

A strong pillar of IEP is the Cultural Heritage programme, which tries to promote values of culture and democracy by supporting activities such as publishing of books, cultural plays, exhibitions, movies, and different projects with national and international donors in the field of culture. In doing this, IEP collaborates with well-known artists in Albania and most prestigious organizations operating in the field of culture and art. More than fifty projects have been implemented in this regard.

Budget and perspective

The annual budgets for scientific research and various public debate activities now reach the amount of 750.000 euro, while thanks to a number of international projects, the overall budget of IEP is around 1 million euro. The European Institute Pashko in the next ten years aims to strengthen its profile as an influential institution in the public discourse in Albania and the region, by actively promoting and supporting reforms and policy initiatives that broaden the scope of economic freedom and entrepreneurship and that contribute to building a free, fair and prosperous society.