"Bridge" Program for Scientific Research/Manastirliu: Development model within our universities in cooperation with the academic diaspora

2025-05-20 15:32:00, Politikë CNA

"Bridge" Program for Scientific Research/Manastirliu: Development

Today, the "Bridge" program was presented, a new initiative that aims to strengthen scientific research and strengthen institutional ties between Albanian universities and the academic diaspora.

“Bridge” is a cycle of the READ program, a co-financing between the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF), which consolidates a lasting relationship with Albanian academics contributing to the most prestigious international institutions.

"Today we have a new opportunity to support our universities, which is Bridge from READ. The cooperation of the academic diaspora and our scholars, of scientific researchers, of the involvement of students in scientific research, of the growth of scientific research groups within universities, but always having support from the academic diaspora, brings us a new development model within our universities and moreover, this development model is also sustainable, as it comes from a partner, who not only offers sustainability, but also offers us guarantees for transparency, for effectiveness, for good management of our financial resources, but above all for the strengthening of human resources", said the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu.

The first call for cooperation reflected the high interest and strong potential of this cooperation network.

"I am truly pleased that there are 477 projects that have applied and 55 of them have been selected as winning projects, projects that are in different fields, starting from medical science, environmental science or computer science as well as human sciences, technology and innovation, artificial intelligence, are scientific projects that have been approved, but I want to give special importance to this cooperation model. The Albanian government, through AKKSHI, sets a budget for co-financing this project, increasing efficiency, increasing profitability and above all, increasing the quality of scientific research projects", said Minister Manastirliu.

The “Bridge” Program is a bridge of cooperation between the academic diaspora and Albanian universities, to increase the quality of scientific research and academic excellence in our universities. The cooperation of the academic diaspora and scholars and researchers in Albania, with the co-financing of scientific research projects with the joint funding of the Ministry of Education and Sports, through AKKSHI and the READ Program of the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF), is creating a new model of sustainable development within our universities. The program is initially piloted at the University of Tirana and “Fan Noli” University in Korça.

Through "Bridge", a new opportunity arises to support the advancement of academic excellence in the country, to take scientific research in Albanian universities to a new level and to serve, with these projects, the third mission of universities, which is impact on society.

The goal is to strengthen academic diplomacy, to raise the quality of Albanian universities and to offer real development opportunities for the country's youth. /CNA