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The call for 2025 projects opens/ Manastirliu: 1.5 billion lek for scientific research and innovation

2024-12-18 11:25:00, Politikë CNA

The call for 2025 projects opens/ Manastirliu: 1.5 billion lek for scientific

The Ministry of Education and Sports, through the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation (AKKSHI), has announced the call for applications for new projects for 2025 in three main programs: Scientific Research Infrastructure Projects in Higher Education Institutions, National Projects of Research and Development (PKKZH) and Technology and Innovation Projects (PTI). These projects will support priority areas such as Biodiversity and Environment, Agriculture, Food and Biotechnology, Health and Medical Sciences, Information Systems and Technologies, Social and Albanological Sciences as well as Water and Energy.

In the activity organized for the announcement of the call, representatives of academic and research institutions shared the challenges and opportunities for the development of scientific research and innovation in the country. Discussions focused on the importance of international partnerships, support for PhDs and the development of new programs for researchers.

The Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manstirliu said that this year the announcement was made earlier than all other years and there is a reason for this.

"In this activity of announcing new projects for the year 2025 of scientific research and innovation, this call for new projects, which comes earlier than every other year, in the month of December, also precedes the 2025 budget to be gave the opportunity to all universities, researchers and researchers of scientific research not only to take stock of the works they have carried out in the function of scientific research during these years, but also to be able to set milestones for new projects in three the programs that you are announcing today. The National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation, supported by the Ministry of Education and the Albanian government, through already increased annual budgets, creates the possibility of not only partnership connections through universities in Albania, but also through business and foreign universities, those international. It multiplies our programs, either the internationalization programs, or the programs related to the labor market, to sectoral development, and I believe we are in a good moment," said Minister Manastirliu.

The minister emphasized that these projects promote cooperation not only between universities in Albania, but also with business and international institutions. She pointed out the importance of new programs such as READ Albania, which aim to co-finance projects and engage capacities inside and outside the country. Also, programs for supporting and financing doctorates through inter-university partnerships will start at the beginning of 2025.

"Scientific research is the heart of the university, but if it remains within the walls of the university, it will not be able to offer what is actually achieved through scientific research: to serve society. We have been avant-garde in terms of new projects and programs the new ones we have built, but also the ones we will launch soon. Here I am talking about a program which was actually finalized in the last call, through a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation, as well as the READ Albania program, for the joint contribution to the co-financing of projects , to unite not only funds, but also capacities, human resources inside and outside the borders, of Albanians who are in the diaspora to contribute to scientific research. Another program of READ, which we will launch at the beginning of 2025 for the support and funding of doctorates, as well as for the partnerships that can be created through different universities and different researchers of different doctoral schools, to reach another dimension in terms of cooperation between researchers and researchers for the third study cycles", said the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu.

Minister Manastirliu finally emphasized the increased budgets for scientific research and innovation as an important step for the development of knowledge and the creation of new opportunities for Albanian researchers at the national and international level.

"Funds for scientific research have increased. The budget for scientific research and innovation amounts to 1.5 billion lek per year and only for these projects that we are opening today for 2025, for the project cycle of 18-24 months, we will have a financial support of 6 million euros, a budget increased compared to last year.”/ CNA