POLIS UNIVERSITY, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING POLICIES, EARNED THE “UNIVERSITY” STATUS ACCORDING TO THE DECISION NO. 746 ON OCTOBER 24th 2012. U_POLIS, IS ACCREDITED BY APAAL AND THE DECISION OF MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE, NR. 227, DATE 22.07.2009. POLIS IS A LICENCED INSTITUTION BY THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. NR 698, DATED 11.10.2006, PUBLISHED ON THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL NR. 114, PAGE 4475, YEAR 2006. TO LEARN MORE CLICK: WWW.QPZ.GOV.AL OR WWW.MASH.GOV.AL POLIS UNIVERSITY - International School of Architecture and Urban Development Policies Rr. Bylis 12, Highway -Durrës, Km 5th, Kashar, Postal Code 1051, Postal Box 2995; Tiana, Pho. +355.(0)4.2407420, +355.(0)4.2407421. Fax. +355. (0)4.2407422. Mob. +355 (0) 694088111.www.universitetipolis.edu.al

UNIVERSITY U POLIS NEWSLETTER NO.22 POLIS Ferrara Joint Ph.D. Program - Tempus Project - POLIS Programs Accredited including joint master’s programs - TDW Tirana Design Week - NUFFIC Certificates - Regulatory Plans of the municipality of Has, , etc. - National Workshop “Improving Energy Efficiency in Housing Sector in Albania” - POLIS Community - New publications: Knowledge for CityMaking //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// February 2014 ///////// U_POLIS Tirana Albania and FERRARA University Italy jointly organize a Double Degree “Doctoral” Program in Archi- tecture and Urban Planning. The initiative is approved by the Italian and Albanian authorities of education and science. U_Polis and UNIFE have a three years collaboration between them, started in the framework of a joint project supported previously by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Albanian Ministry of Education and Science on the exchange of the academic staff and research students. This positive experience was followed by the opening of the third-level program of study in doctoral research at POLIS University, supported by UNIFE. The positive experience of these first two years, convinced parties to upgrade the level of standards in an International Doctoral Joint Program (“Double Degree” concept), where in a later stage other European university partners may also join. After a detailed process of verification of the quality and capacity, the initiative is approved and accredited by the Italian authorities, and lately also by the Albanian Ministry of Education and Sports. Students and researchers of this doctoral pro- gram will have the assistance of both institutions. They will have common Boards, a common structure, common staff and a unified face to face and online procedures. This is a step ahead in terms of quality and standards for POLIS University and also for the internationalization of the institution with students and qualified staff. Ferrara University is one of the oldest universities of Europe and a leading school of architecture and planning as well. U_POLIS wins two EU Tempus funded higher-education programs, and leads one of them on issues of energy effi- ciency in buildings and construction. POLIS opens its own professional school in this field; materializing also cooperation with four EU based universities and 3 ones in the region. IKZH_POLIS, Institute for Research and Development, reconfirmed successfully its own capacities by winning two EU funded research projects within the framework of TEMPUS Program. It is for the first time the an Albanian univer- sity becomes a “Lead Partner “ in the context of such European projects, and it can be considered not only an achievement but also a responsibility for POLIS, MAS and other stakeholders engaged. The total of 11 participating universities and other institutions come from Germany, the Netherlands, Por- tugal, Slovakia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania. Main goal is the creation of schools, programs and/or improvement of curricula for the preparation of post-secondary technicians (2 years post secondary part-time studies); as well as impact programs at Bachelor and Masters levels in the field of energy efficiency. The second Tempus project has as “Lead Partner” an Austrian university and a number of other schools from the EU region, and focuses on issues of scientific research and networking. Projects have become effective from January 1st, 2014 and they will last three years.

All operational programs of POLIS, including Joint Master’s Programs with IHS/Erasmus University, Rotterdam the Nether- lands, were accredited during the 2012/13 academic year. New programs: Professional School, Bachelor in Construction Engi- neering, MBA in Marketing, Innovation and entrepreneurship, are also started this year. Thanks to periodic monitoring by Albanian Accreditation Public Agency APAAL and the Ministry of Education and Sports MES, during the last academic year U_POLIS went through an institutional and program filtering on quality assurance issues and standards of higher education and research. At the end of the internal self-assessment and external evaluation processes, 12 aca- demic programs were successfully accredited at 3 levels: 2 Bachelor programs (art-design and environmental studies); 2 Scientific Master programs (applied design and environmental management); 2 Postgraduate Master’s programs or second level masters (landscaping and housing); and 6 Professional Master’s programs in cooperation with the Dutch partners (including civil engineering, architecture, urban design, housing, social issues and planning). All programs were scanned in a critical but constructive way by APAAL/MAS and at the end they were evaluated as successful programs and were accredited unconditionally. U_POLIS will continue to work to further consider several qualitative suggestions made by external experts in respect to a serious long-term commitment to high standards education/ research. Furthermore, the present academic year of POLIS started by implementing three new programs, two of which are supported by the EU TEMPUS program (Professional School of Energy Efficiency, and Bachelor Studies in Civil Engineering), as well as an MBA program with a focus on the development of “real estate” assets and creativity in entrepreneurship, in a collaboration with IPAG Paris/Nice, France, a specialized university with global impact. For the first time “Design Biennale” is organized in Albania by U_POLIS & AUA, Albanian Union of Architects and Planners. TDW Tirana Design Weeks are 4 intensive weeks devoted to applied art and design, after the successful Biennale of Architecture (TAW) organized by POLIS & Tirana Municipality. It is the second year in a row that U_POLIS becomes protagonist of a successful organization of the specialized Biennales of Architecture and Design in Albania. This was made possible thanks to the cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana, the Albanian Union of Architects and Planners (AUA). The event was sponsored by POLIS’s own financial support and its own research arm Co-PLAN. Support was also provided by other domestic and foreign partners, which enabled the inspiration of several professional the public events in Albania, such as workshops, seminars, lectures, forums, exhibitions, film projection, etc. The Biennale was also coordinated with Marubi Academy and their Film Festival for Human Rights (HRFF). This time, the theme of Design Bien- nale was on: Design Made In - being concentrated in the relationship of the creative industry with public and private entrepreneurship in Albania and the Balkans in the framework of integration processes in the region towards the EU, and the increase of competitiveness of the local economies in this major market.

Ceremony of the Dutch Government financed Program NUFFIC is organized again this year at POLIS, with focus a certificate of 6 trainings on public urban issues: This program supports capacity buildings for public administration in Albania and Western Balkans re- gion, and 6 Professional Master Programs organized by POLIS and IHS/Erasmus University Rotterdam The Netherlands. On January 2014 POLIS organized the ceremony of handling the third round of MATRA/NUFFIC trainings – a six training certificate on public urban environmental issues, finalizing successfully a several week training package. The trainings are part of a capacity building program implemented in cooperation with IHS/Erasmus University, Rotterdam Holland, financed by the Dutch Government through the NUFFIC Program, following previous MATRA program. Courses built over a postgraduate training cy- cle, open for all professionals in the fields of architecture, design, environment, urban issues, social, and public administration, etc, and are focused on themes like: Urban Theory, Local Environmental Practice, Theory of Urban Land; Theory of Urban Infrastructure, GIS Applications and Local Finance, and Sustainable Design. Participants can also transfer the earned a total of 18 ECTS credits to further master level studies at Polis University. In this way POLIS, Co-PLAN and IHS/Erasmus University contribute systematically to awareness raising and professionalism in Albania and region. Only in this training cycle about 111 participants have received services. The ceremony was greeted by Mr. Efstathios Andreo, representative of the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in Tirana. POLIS consolidates its own professional contribution and social responsibility supporting local communities and authorities: Urban Regulatory Plans for Municipalities of Has (Kukes), Bajram Curri (Tropoja), Burrel () and Xhafzotaj (Durresi) are presented to the com- munity and local/central governments. In the framework of an active culture of organizational social responsibility, POLIS University is contributing via its own con- sulting services in the areas such as: Good Governance, Urban Planning, Environmental Management as well as disciplines of Construction, Architecture and Design. By November 2013 - January 2014 POLIS University and Metro_POLIS architecture studio presented to the community and to the local/central governments’ administrations, several urban regulatory plans for the communes/municipalities of Zagori, Vora, Has, Bajram Curri, Burrel and Xhafzotaj. The local development vision in these areas were presented to the local entrepreneurs and community, by respective working-groups composed of mixed teams of students and staff who were able to create best practices of territorial, landscaping, and environmental planning, at the regional and level levels. Public presentations were open to debates and discussions based on local inspirations and enthusiasm. Most of such plans are submitted for approval by the central government. There are already a total of 6 local plans drafted for free as a social contribution of the University within the last 2 years. Two of them have already been approved for implementation by Governments. Others are in final process.

National Workshop “Improving Energy Efficiency in Housing Sector in Albania”. Co-PLAN Institute and IKZH_POLIS jointly organized the scientific event. On December 2013 Co-Plan, Institute for Habitat Development, and the Research and Development Institute IKZH_ POLIS organized the National Workshop on “Improving Energy Efficiency in Housing Sector in Albania”. This workshop was organized in the framework of the regional project “Development Platform (ENV.net) in the Western Balkans and Turkey: Give citizens a voice to influence the environmental reform process of EU integration” where Co-Plan is an active partner. The workshop had a broad participation from public institutions, academic circles, NGOs and consultancy teams. The event was supported by the representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Energy and the EU Delegation in Albania. POLIS community donates “emergence blood” for Albanian Red Cross. Charity contributions are mobilized for “Zyber Hallulli” Orphanage of Tirana. Students and staff of POLIS community continued to donate emergency blood for the needs of public hospitals dur- ing the spirit Christmas season aiming to assist people in need. Donating emergence blood to help people in need is one of the ways that POLIS community decided to express their empathy, kindness, solidarity and humanity for the Albanian society. Following such an annual initiative, the students’ associations mobilized again this year a charity fund for “Zyber Hallulli” orphanage in Tirana. Beyond being committed to qualitative professionalism, this culture increases the community civic engagement and social responsibility, and promotes ownership of our joint social mission.

New publications: Knowledge for CityMaking! Polis_Press cooperates with Co - PLAN and U.S. Embassy / USAID Tirana. In November 2014 Polis_Press and Co-PLAN held a promotional activity, launching new publications of the University. This activity was supported by the US Embassy in Tirana and the US Agency for International Development USAID. At this event POLIS and Co-PLAN brought to light for researchers, experts and students a significant number of books and manuals in the field of urban planning, public finance and environmental management. Adding these es- sential books in the collection of professional references in Albanian language publications, it surely improves the academic and research quality. It also aims to facilitate professional and scientific understanding on the issues that are part of the Albanian political agenda, as territorial development, environmental and landscape management, regionalization, decentralization and public finance management, etc. The published titles are: ‘Designing with Nature’ by Ian L. McHarg, ‘Public Finance in Developing Countries and Transition. Essays in honor of Richard Bird’ by Wallace E. Oates, ‘Strategic Environmental Assess-

ment in Transportation Planning and Land Use’ by Thomas B. Fischer, ‘Comprehensive Planning’ A handbook for citizens and authorities’ of the coauthors R. Toto, B. Dyca, S. Jano ,etc.”, ‘Urban Comics’- Qyteti Troç” by K. Dinellari , K. Dhrami, S. Brahollari etc, ‘Know-how at your hand’ an online platform for sharing knowledge on urban daily practice by Co-PLAN, ‘Forum A + P’ Issue 12, Scientific periodical focused on Architecture and Planning Weeks in Tirana in 2012