The Vice-Rector for Research, Prof. assoc. dr. Bahtir Hyseni and the Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Prof. assoc. dr. Edita Bekteshi, hosted in a friendly and fruitful meeting PhD candidate Shpresa Musa, a former UIBM student, who is currently pursuing her doctoral studies at the Technical University of Munich in Germany. During the meeting, the challenges and achievements in the academic journey towards a doctorate were discussed, as well as the opportunities for strengthening ties between the Albanian diaspora and UIBM.

One of the main points of the conversation was the idea of ​​creating a networking platform for Albanian professionals operating in various universities, institutes and industries in Europe and beyond. This platform will be built and maintained by UIBM and will be accessible through the university’s official website.

PhD candidate Shpresa Musa expressed her willingness to actively contribute to building this network and to collaborate with UIBM on academic and research projects. She emphasized the importance of creating a communication bridge between Albanian professionals abroad and higher education institutions in Kosovo.

Shpresa Musa has a distinguished academic and professional background. She completed her Master’s degree in Food Science and Technology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the USA, where she was awarded the  Best Student Paper Award  for her research on heat treatment and microbial reduction in wheat. Currently, her PhD study focuses on acrylamide reduction in heat-processed products, and her work was awarded the  ICC Best Speaker Award  at the International Congress on Bread and Cereals. She is an active member of research networks such as ACRYRED COST Action and EFFoST, and contributes to diaspora projects with the Germin organization in Kosovo and Albania.

The Vice-Rector for Research, Prof. assoc. dr. Bahtir Hyseni, highly emphasized the importance of this networking for UIBM as an institution, but also for Albanian professionals themselves who need a structured connection point with their country of origin. He praised this initiative as a concrete step towards the internationalization of research and knowledge exchange.

Meanwhile, the Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Edita Bekteshi, emphasized the importance of involving professionals from all fields, including exact and social sciences, underlining that an inclusive network will create a solid foundation for multidimensional collaborations.

This joint initiative aims to strengthen national and international collaborations in the field of scientific research, as well as to provide concrete opportunities for the inclusion of diaspora expertise in the academic and institutional developments of UIBM.

Within the framework of this platform, a list of Albanian professionals from the diaspora will be created on the official UIBM website, which will serve as a point of contact for future collaborations in various scientific and technological fields.