“Diaspora4Innovation” project

Course Name (s): Entrepreneurship; Physics 1; Artificial Intelligence

Funding: EU4Innovation Programme in collaboration with Germin

“Diaspora4Innovation” project, powered by EU4Innovation, is implemented on behalf of the European Union, Germany, and Sweden, and is supporting Germin to facilitate the circulation of Albania’s global knowledge, locally.

Description: The overall goal of the Diaspora4Innovation project is to activate the global knowledge of diaspora for a local impact. By leveraging the expertise and experience of the academic and professional diaspora, Albania can create a more interconnected and robust innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem, further empowering scholars and students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and the wider start-up ecosystem actors to excel. Diaspora4Education aims to leverage diaspora scholars’ expertise and know-how to establish innovative courses that feature concepts of entrepreneurship and innovation in 10 Albanian HEIs, benefiting and advancing the entrepreneurial skills of over 500 university students; and Scholars’ exchange and collaboration fosters joint research, consortia building, and Horizon Europe / EUFP applications.

Objectives:

• Package 1: Course Preparation
• Package 2: Course Co-Teaching
• Package 3: Supplementary activities -Joint Research & linkages

Course Description-Entrepreneurship: This course aims to equip 30- 50 students with an in-depth understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation by integrating theoretical concepts with real-world applications. The curriculum covers entrepreneurial mindset development, opportunity recognition, business model design, and innovation management. Special emphasis will be placed on lean startup methodologies, business incubation, and the role of digital transformation in entrepreneurship. The course will involve interactive workshops, case studies, and practical projects where students will develop and pitch their business ideas. For students who follow study Programs in: Bachelor in Business Administration, Bachelor in Finance and Accounting, Bachelor in Business Administration & IT.

Academic Term: Second semester of the third year of studies

Diaspora Scholar: Assoc. Prof. Endrit Kromidha, University of Birmingham, England

Resident Scholar: Dr. Eugen Musta, Dr. Blendi Shima, Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT), Albania

Course Description-Physics 1: A Combination of theoretical concepts with hands-on coding, allowing students to visualize physical phenomena through dynamic plots and simulations, simulate experiments to deepen conceptual understanding, and analyze data using computational techniques to reinforce analytical skills. Integrations of Jupyter Notebooks with essential Python packages such as NumPy, Matplotlib, and SciPy, offering interactive and visual computational physics exercises. For students of the Faculty of Engineering who follow Bachelor’s Programs.

Academic Term: Spring term

Diaspora Scholar: Dr. Lisana Berberi, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany

Resident Scholar: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Entelë Gavoçi, Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT), Albania

Course Description-Artificial Intelligence: Machine/Deep Learning will leverage industry-standard frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch to implement ML/DL models. GitHub will serve as the version control and repository platform, promoting collaboration, version tracking, and project management. Google Colab will be used for interactive Jupyter Notebook sessions, enabling cloud-based coding without local setup. Students will develop and train models using real-world datasets, experiment with model architectures and fine-tuning performance, and engage in collaborative coding practices by contributing to shared GitHub repositories. For students who follow Master’s Study Programs.

Academic Term: Fall term

Diaspora Scholar: Dr. Lisana Berberi, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany

Resident Scholar: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nihat Adar, Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT), Albania

COST Action 23152 – Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making (RegulatoryToolBox)

Funding: European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) – Action CA23152, funded by the EU Framework Programme Horizon Europe (support for networking and collaborative activities)

COST funds interdisciplinary research networks called COST Actions. These Actions bring together researchers, innovators and other professionals including industry specialists, who are based in Europe and beyond, to collaborate on research topics for a period of 4 years.

Duration:26/09/2024- 25/09/2028

Description: Regulatory science is the development of research equipment, in vitro and in vivo models, and methods that enable informed decision making. While every country has its own defined pathway for regulatory approval, all regulators rely on regulatory science tools to make decisions as to whether or not a product may enter the commercial market and what label claim the company who sells the product may make. As part of their decision making, regulators must consider how the product improves public health and its impact on the environment. Our challenge is that regulatory science has not stayed current, or even maintained, with what is now considered “standard practice” in research laboratories, creating a large gap between fundamental science and current regulatory guidelines. This COST action will establish a network of individuals from across the European Union from diverse academic biofilm research fields who can develop guidance on what is needed in terms of agreement on the scope and ontology for academic, industrial, and regulatory decision makers to close the gap between academic research and regulatory science.

CIT Staff Involved: Prof. Dr. Sokol Abazi as a Management Committee member

LINK: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23152/

CA21133 – Globalization, Illicit Trade, Sustainability and Security (GLITSS)

Funding: European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) – Action CA21133, funded by the EU Framework Programme Horizon Europe (support for networking and collaborative activities)

COST funds interdisciplinary research networks called COST Actions. These Actions bring together researchers, innovators and other professionals including industry specialists, who are based in Europe and beyond, to collaborate on research topics for a period of 4 years.

Duration: 14/10/2022 -13/10/2026

Description: Illicit trade affects all aspects of contemporary societies. By definition, the term “illicit” signals practices that are not permitted by law or disapproved of by society. It enables security threats to materialize, such as natural-resource-fueled conflicts and terrorism. It presents safety hazards, such as those created by counterfeit medicines and drugs. It threatens the sustainability of our societies by consuming excessive planetary resources and undermining the regulated functioning of international markets. Yet, despite this obvious objective relevance, the discussion on illicit trade remains compartmentalized within disciplinary boundaries. It requires an interdisciplinary approach instead. The Globalization, Illicit Trade, Sustainability, and Security (GLITSS) COST Action contributes to filling a research gap. Three working groups are established, focusing on the phenomena of illicit trade (the smuggling and trafficking of goods and money), the platforms behind it (norms, actors, and regulations), and the responses to it (enforcement, alternative measures, and legalization). GLITSS creates an interdisciplinary research network characterized by the inclusiveness and epistemological diversity that define the research field today. The objectives of the Action are to create a holistic research agenda on illicit trade practices, to increase public awareness with a view to enhancing societal resilience, and to explore how technological innovation facilitates illicit trade, but can also be used to fight it. Governmental agencies, civil organizations, and academics will benefit from a Europe-wide discussion on illicit trade. Ultimately, GLITSS will advise stakeholders on how to create a more resilient and sustainable society by identifying, understanding, and countering illicit trade.

CIT Staff Involved: Dr Fabian Zhilla, as a Management Committee member

LINK: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA21133/#tabs+Name:Management%20Committee

Ecosystem Connectors: Berlin, Sarajevo, Tirana

Funding: EU4Innovation, Enpact, GIZ, SEDEP

Duration: October 2024 – end of December 2025

Description: The Ecosystem Connectors project builds bridges across European entrepreneurship ecosystems with the aim of encouraging a stronger economic integration through facilitating partnerships, knowledge sharing and resource exchange between entrepreneurs and stakeholders. Through regular networking events, dedicated training and workshops, and exchange trips, the project will provide entrepreneurs across the Western Balkans and Ukraine with market access and business development support, and access to opportunities for international growth.  The project’s first edition focuses on connecting the ecosystems of Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina with that of Berlin, while the second edition focuses on Ukraine and Berlin. Berlin Sarajevo Tirana kicked off first in October 2024, but as of 2025, the two projects are running in parallel. The project primarily targets innovative startups from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Berlin that have a proven track record (pre-seed/seed funding, traction through revenue/nr of customers) and are seeking to expand to Berlin and the West Balkans vice versa specifically. It also targets startup support organizations and ecosystem enablers like incubators/accelerators, startup hubs, associations, and clusters that support startups with internationalization. Indirectly, the project also engages policy actors and political partners. Ecosystem Connectors: Berlin, Sarajevo, Tirana takes a holistic approach that incorporates facilitated partnerships through networking activities, knowledge sharing, and resource exchange between entrepreneurs and stakeholders.

Eugen Musta, Head of CIT Hub at the Canadian Institute of Technology, was part of the Ecosystem Connectors delegation that traveled to Berlin as the lead of the CIT Hub. The mission of CIT Hub is to drive innovation and entrepreneurship through structured incubation programs, expert mentorship, and skills development. His efforts reflect CIT’s commitment to fostering sustainable and inclusive growth, with a particular emphasis on green economy initiatives and smart city solutions.

Link: https://enpact.org/ecosystem-connectors-berlin-sarajevo-tirana/

Smart and Sustainable AI Content Creation for Audio-Visual –(SS-AICC-A)

Funding: European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Culture & Creativity – Funded by the European Union

Duration: 07/07/2025 -07/11/2025

Description: This project aims to design and implement an innovative online training course titled “Smart and Sustainable AI Content Creation for Audio-Visual Media,” addressing skill gaps in the Creative and Cultural Sectors (CCSI) with a focus on digital transformation and entrepreneurship. The course empowers participants to create and manage audio-visual content using AI tools in smart, ethical, and sustainable ways. Organized around four core pillars—AI-driven content creation, media data analytics, intellectual property protection, and content monetization—the course ensures participants acquire practical and future-oriented skills. The program takes advantage of cross-disciplinary approaches, case study examples from industry practice, and innovative AI uses to provide learners with hands-on and interactive learning. Gamification, working with peers and collaborative evaluation strategies provide enhanced engagement and relevance to a real-world context. Learners also consider sustainability and responsible innovation to work collectively to reduce environmental impact, while also increasing efficiency in content, innovation, and compliance with intellectual property.

The project is designed across a period of four months, with three main phases: pre-course, including market analysis, stakeholder engagement, and course development; course delivery, including active learning strategies, monitoring, and feedback; post-course, including vouchers, evaluations, and sustainability actions. The course is fully online, allowing flexibility and accessibility for participants, and is designed to prepare participants for employment related to content creation, industry strategy, and freelancing in the CCSI. Aligned with EIT Culture & Creativity priorities, the project promotes inclusivity, diversity, and long-term impact, aiming to build a resilient, innovation-driven talent pool for the evolving creative industries.

Project Lead: Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT)

Initiative for Cooperation, Research, and Innovation in the Western Balkans Universities (ICRI-WB)

Funding: National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation (NASRI)

Duration: 01/07/2025-30/06/2027

Project summary: The goal of the project “Initiative for Cooperation, Research, and Innovation in the Western Balkans Universities ” (ICRI-WB) is to strengthen regional cooperation among the universities of the Western Balkans to advance their scientific research capacities and the third mission of universities. The project aims to create a sustainable and innovative system for scientific research by integrating modern technologies, internationalization, and inter-institutional and industry collaboration to meet the needs of scientific research and economic development. Through the development and establishment of a regional collaboration platform, the goal is to ensure a harmonized research ecosystem, providing full support for producing high-quality, applicable research that positively impacts policy-making, industry, and sustainable development. This project focuses on empowering research in strategic priority areas such as economics, technology, sustainability, and society, to improve the quality of life and stimulate innovation in the region and beyond.

Objectives:

• Assessment of the needs for collaboration in scientific research and the third mission of universities in the Western Balkans.
• Establishment of the collaboration structure for scientific research in universities of the Western Balkans and creation of a digital platform for scientific research.
• Dissemination of the project: ensuring the effective dissemination of results, experiences, and best practices achieved during the project to maximize its impact at the local, regional, and international levels.

Project Lead: Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT)

Partner: “Aleksandër Moisiu” University, Durrës (UAMD)

Data Protection in EU-Raising Awareness

Project id number: 101 127 342(DP-EU)

Funding: Erasmus -JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH

Duration: 01/10/2023 – 30/09/2026

Project summary: The background of this project is highly related to the data protection issues in Albania. In the actual context of the Albanian society, there is an important lack of information regarding the right of personal data protection among citizens, including young people. Even though data protection is regulated by the Personal Data Protection Authority, which was established in 2018, there is still a need for increased awareness about the importance of data protection. Considering also the fact that Albania is negotiating the membership in the EU, being in line with European Union laws, is one of the priorities in the near future. Albania is also part of the idea of Open Balkans which includes free data flow amongst the countries and this increases the necessity of normalizing and respecting personal data and privacy of all citizens. Especially in public and private schools and higher education institutions, data protection is not considered at all.

The approach and methodology behind the project are designed to achieve the project’s objectives in the most effective and efficient manner. The following are the key components of the project’s approach and methodology: Needs Analysis, Awareness raising, Training and guidance, Dissemination and Communication.

Objectives:

• To increase understanding of the GDPR among students, individuals, and organizations.
• To promote EU best practices in data protection and privacy.
• To promote excellence in education and research in the field of Data Protection
• To prepare the future software engineers have a special focus on personal data;
• To help prevent financial and reputational damage that may result from non-compliance with the GDPR.

Link: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/101127342

Project Lead: Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT)