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Diaspora4Innovation, from Venice to Albania: Knowledge without borders, turning into action

2025-10-01 13:29:20Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Diaspora4Innovation, from Venice to Albania: Knowledge without borders, turning
Diaspora4Innovation

In a world where knowledge and innovation know no borders, collaboration between resident academics and those of the Albanian diaspora is becoming increasingly important for the future of education, scientific research, innovation and entrepreneurship in Albania. Exchanging experiences between them and gaining new knowledge from the most innovative models in Europe and the world is one of the essential goals of the “Diaspora4Innovation” project. 

The aim of knowledge exchange was the core of the study visit to Venice, developed by a group of 12 academics, both from Albania and the diaspora, together with representatives of GERMIN, EU4Innovation and the media. The visit included an innovation hub: H-FARM , a platform and campus that essentially builds innovative ventures and innovation ecosystems, aiming for impactful change, empowering generations to lead with principled goals, all supported by AI (artificial intelligence); and Future-Farming - a technology transfer hub developed in partnership by Zero and H-FARM.

The first day of this study visit was precisely at QTT Future Farming, one of the most innovative technological infrastructures in Europe, realized in partnership and close cooperation between the public and private sectors, between businesses and scientific researchers. The company Zero - 49% shareholder of Future Farming, is a key European player in vertical farming, offering modular and artificial intelligence-driven solutions for agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and eco-rehabilitation.

The academics learned about the methods and formulas applied in Future Farming, for the use of technologies in agriculture, referring to the "Nature Co-design" paradigm, that is, by studying how life is created in nature, in order to find ways to replicate it, new methods of realizing products for business and the needs of society, through scientific research, laboratories and technology.

The next visit was to H-FARM, a space where education, entrepreneurship and technology are intertwined. The academics toured the modern campus, with its extraordinary spaces, as the perfect habitat for fostering creativity, new ideas, and with a primary focus on student well-being. They explored the startup hub and were then introduced to the startup development programs, as well as the educational approach of H-FARM College, with a special focus on its international offering.

During this visit, the academics part of the delegation appreciated the experience that will serve for implementation, in the not too distant future, also in Albanian universities, as well as the importance that these study visits have, for expanding cooperation in various projects, between academics living in Albania and academics who have already achieved great successes, in the best universities in Europe and the world, where they work.

Assoc. Prof. Valentina Ndou, who conceived this study visit and facilitated the connections, said: "Some of these initiatives that we presented in Venice are well-known to our academics. Many of them, who were part of this study visit, have even started to apply them in their courses, at the university where they work. But in Albania it is still difficult to fully apply these initiatives, because the infrastructure is lacking and greater cooperation is needed both at the university level and at the inter-ministerial and business levels as well." 

Valbona Koçi, advisor at EU4Innovation, sees this study visit as an opportunity to bring diaspora academics even closer to those living in Albania. “Our desire, our goal, is for the diaspora to return to Albania with their knowledge, not necessarily physically. Knowledge is mobile and would thus be even more valuable for our country, where the innovation entrepreneurship ecosystem seems to be flourishing significantly, ” she emphasized.

The co-director of GERMIN, the organization that is implementing, in collaboration with GIZ, the Diaspora4Innovation project, also considers the academics of the Albanian diaspora a valuable asset. Lirim Krasniqi emphasized that thanks to them, Albania is getting closer and closer to innovative developments in Europe and the world, thus helping to build capacities and achieve the necessary levels in the country. “So far, we have had the engagement of 10 academics of the diaspora in 8 Albanian universities, but 12 faculties/departments, who for more than a year have been engaged in numerous activities, including the conception of syllabi and lectures, joint research projects and study visits, such as this one in Future Farming and H-FARM, which connect the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship with the education sector. We are pleased to see that this project has produced extraordinary results”, concluded Krasniqi.

The Diaspora4Innovation project (supported by EU4Innovation, funded by the European Union, the German and Swedish governments) is showing how institutions can play a key role in connecting academia in Albania, the diaspora and policymaking, ensuring that Albanian universities are not isolated, but integrated into European innovation trends.

All the initiatives being undertaken within the framework of this project are demonstrating that learning knows no borders. Knowledge can be developed across borders, but innovation will always return to its "home", to position Albania as an important factor in the regional and European innovation ecosystem.

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