PERFORM (Performing and Responsive Social Sciences) and RRPP (Regional Research Promotion Programme) are organizing a workshop on “Building capacities of Social Science Research Science in Albania for Policy Impact Assessment and Evidence-Informed Policy Making”.

The workshop will take place on 10-11 March 2016 in Tirana, Albania. It aims to present the latest methodologies, tools and approaches for Policy Impact Analysis (PIA) and Evidence Informed Policy Making (EIPM).

The workshop will be moderated by two professors from University of Zurich and will be attended by public officials from the Strategic Planning Unit of the Albanian Prime Minister’s Office, the Albanian Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth and selected social science researchers.
The call is now open to (only) Albanian social science researchers. The deadline for applications is 29 February 2016.
For more, please find attached the Call for Participation.

On 29-30 March, 2016, Cooperation and Development Institute, National Coordination Unit of PERFORM Programme in Albania, supported the Ministry of Education and Sports in organizing a workshop for drafting of the by-law acts of the Law on Higher Education. The workshop was held in Vlora and was organized in three working groups in accordance with the by-law acts thematic and included discussion topics such as financing of high education and scientific research, definition of quality standards and organization of subordinate agencies and institutions.

In the framework of the support to the Ministry of Education and Sport in drafting the by-laws of the Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions, PERFORM supported an experts retreat in Pogradec. The retreat was held on 29-31 May and the participants were gathered in three working groups: Organization of Subordinate Agencies and Institutions, Financial Issues, and Academic Standards.

The working groups were composed by civil servants from relevant departments of the Ministry of Education and Sport, heads of state agencies concerning higher education, and high-ranking officials of public and non-public universities.
The new Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions in the Republic of Albania was passed by the Parliament in November 2015. The Law needs to be accompanied by 53 by-laws, the drafting of which is managed by the Ministry of Education and Sport.

To facilitate the work of the Ministry, PEFORM NCU Albania supported the organization of two retreats for the working groups tasked to draft the said bylaws. The first workshop was held in March this year. PERFORM is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The overall goal of the programme is to focus on strengthening the relevance of social sciences for social and political reforms.

PERFORM NCU Albania hosted a workshop focused on “Facilitating Connectivity between the Science Diaspora and the Albanian National Science System – Main Factors for an Enabling Environment”. Two renown researchers from Switzerland, Dr. Gabriela Tejada from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and Dr. Bashkim Iseni, Executive Director of Albinfo.ch, the main speakers of the workshop, were joined by PERFORM NCU Albania staff, staff of SDC-funded and Helvetas-implemented, RISI Albania, representatives of Albanian institutions, and researchers engaged in projects focusing on the scientific diaspora.

Dr. Tejada focused her presentation on the key factors that contribute to an attractive and enabling environment for the collaborations between science diaspora and home community: results from research and experience in different countries. While, Dr. Iseni introduced the participants to the experience with operating albinfo.ch. What are the factors that facilitate collaboration between diaspora and home community, and how can both benefit mutually?

During the workshop was emphasized that countries of origin should use their diaspora’s competences and promote connectivity as a main tool to use such competences. Mapping of the diaspora is an important first step in designing approaches that successfully engage such communities.

Swiss Ambassador Christoph Graf and Minister of Education Lindita Nikolla signed yesterday, 20 July 2016, the agreement on implementing PERFORM programme aiming to promote social sciences in Albania.

The Ambassador Graf stated that there cannot be progress in our societies if scientists and researchers do not contribute and social scientists in Albania need to become more credible and more known to the public, media, and government. “I am glad to state that PERFORM will be contributing towards this” concluded the Swiss Ambassador. While the Minister of Education and Sports Lindita Nikolla said that “this agreement places us before the obligation to listen to and to cooperate with researchers and academics to develop ideas, analysis and to orient our interventions.
PERFORM will be implemented in Albania and Serbia and will fund research and studies that can add value to decisions made on public issues. Links between policies and social sciences are weak whereas evidence and recommendations by social science experts would be beneficial for decisions made by authorities and public institutions.

National Coordination Unit of Perform Programme in Albania is hosted by Cooperation and Development Institute.