In the academic year 2018-2019, the following activities were carried out:

• Workshop: "Improving teaching in some subjects in master's level programs with new teaching elements based on communication and information technology methods (November 4, 2018);
• Open day: "Promotion of the IT-MIA laboratory for improving the teaching of instrumental methods of analysis using elements of communication and information technology." (November 20, 2018, 9.00:14.00 a.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.).

4 round tables were held:

• Accreditation of teaching programs in University of Tirana very important process in Europeanization of higher education in Albania (March 25, 2019);
• Moodle Platform at University of Tirana (April 1, 2019)
• Improving interactive communication between teachers and master thesis students during research work (April 8, 2019)
• Analytical methods in "Water treatment" (April 26, 2019)

Project promotional materials have been prepared for use during NETCHEM project activities.

The project staff has participated in two international conferences referencing the activities and results of the project:

1. NUTRICON 2019Food Quality and Safety, Health and Nutrition, Ohrid, North Macedonia, July 12-14, 2019;

 "3^rd International Conference on Applied Biotechnology" (3^rd ICAB), November 23-24, 2018 Tirana.

Regarding the results of the project and the benefits from the project in improving the level of scientific cooperation, two articles have been published:

 

2. Troja, Vasjari, Kika, "The implementation of "NETCHEM platform and open educational resources (OER) in food sciences" Journal of Hygienic Engineering and Design, 2019 UDC 378.018.43:004]:663/664(4)(083.94), pages 113-117;
3. Broli, Vallja Shehu, Vasjari, "Determination of Catechol in Extract of Tea using Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with Banana tissue", "Journal of Food Processing and Preservation (JFPP), October 2018 DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.13838 

Towards increased Awareness Responsibility and shared quality in Social Work – T@SK

 

Some of the main activities in the framework of the project during the academic year 2018-2019 are as follows:

• Curriculum review for the 2019-2020 academic year

This activity was based on the reflections of the Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, about the necessary curriculum changes in social work programs. These changes were based on the lessons learned during the first 18 months of the T@SK project, and in particular during the three training experiences in Albania:

• "Definition, epistemology and theories of social work" (Tirana, May 21 - 25, 2018);
• "ICT in the teaching and learning process and online research tools for Social Work" (Shkoder, October 15 - 19, 2018);
• "Concepts and techniques on the assessment process and supervision in social work" (Elbasan, January 28 - February 02, 2019)
• Definition, epistemology and theories of social work

In relation to this field, it was decided, in general, that the curricula of the University of Tirana satisfactorily reflect relevant and current discussions on social work theories, therefore it was decided to update the curriculum of two important subjects, for next academic year, 2019-2020:

• Social work with individuals – subject taught in the third year of the Bachelor program. The course program was previously oriented towards psychotherapy, while the proposed new one is more oriented towards social work approaches when working with individuals, with added emphasis on anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practices in direct social work. . These changes are reflected in new lectures/topics and supported by relevant literature;
• Social work with groups - subject taught in the second year of the Master of Science Program in Social Work. In this course, the required literature was updated to reflect important discussions in social group work and more hours within the topic were devoted to experimental work (conducting group sessions within the topic).
• Concepts and techniques on the assessment process and supervision in social work

The University of Tirana presented in the training conducted in Elbasan for assessment and supervision, the practice model, which has already been applied in social work curricula. Students perform field practice in public and non-profit Social Service organizations through Agreements with the Department of Social Work and also receive supervision from university professors in Practicum classes with hands-on supervision at the university. The University of Tirana already has Guidelines for Field Practice, which address the roles and responsibilities of students, supervisors in organizations and academic supervisors.

Practicum: – Based on the exchange of experiences in the training in Elbasan, it was decided that the Practical Program could reflect more on the theoretical model of social services and also include deeper discussions of the specific challenges of field practice for each student.

 

• Communication and information technologies in the teaching and learning process and online research tools for Social Work

 

Research Methods 1 & Research Methods 2 – two subjects taught throughout the second year of the Bachelor programme. Regarding ICT, the Department of Social Work and Social Policy is planning for the academic year 2019-2020 to include ICT components as part of these courses, through the application of online questionnaires / surveys as a very useful way for students to ensure collecting information in short periods and in large samples.

• Planning future modifications to the syllabus

This activity reports the reflections of the Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, on the future modifications of the curriculum plan until the end of the T@SK project. The changes are related to:

• Further course revisions required;
• Use of the Book for Social Services as recommended supporting literature for relevant courses;
• Review and completion of supporting literature
• Online courses / communication courses.

Training in Florence, Italy

The training was held in the last week of June 2019 in Florence, Italy and 7 professors participated in this activity. It was based on a combination of the introduction of the social services model and field visits. The aim was to identify best practices and find strategies to use and share them with students, professionals and policy-makers, if possible, in central and local government. After that the description of the best practices identified were reinforced during the training through visits to:

• Casa della solidarieta di San Paolino/Caritas;
• Casa Famiglia "IO SONO MIO", Monte Morello-Sesto;
• Centro Sociale Via Bini, Florence;
• Multicultural Association Nosotras Onlus, Florence

Meeting with professionals - July 18, 2019

This meeting was organized in the premises of the Faculty of Social Sciences with social workers working in the field of social services, especially working in child protection and alternative care. 17 participants attended the meeting.

The meeting was held at the same time as the Alternative Care Training Course (April 2019-July 2019) organized by Save the Children-Tirana and the Department of Social Work and Social Policy / UT.

The agenda of the meeting included presentations of the T@SK project and its goal for a better curriculum of social work and social services in Albania, the presentation of visits related to the best practices for children and women in Florence during June 2019, reflections and discussions about possible replications taking into account the tradition and context of each country.

Meeting with policy makers at national and local level

This meeting was held in the premises of the Faculty of Social Sciences with local and national policy makers, service providers in the field of social services for women and children, professionals (social workers, psychologists), university teachers. 40 participants attended the meeting. The meeting was held on July 19, 2019, simultaneously with the Consultative Meeting on the need for an integrated law on gender-based violence organized by UNDP-Albania and the Department of Social Work and Social Policy / UT.

The agenda of the meeting included presentations of the Ta@SK project and its goal for a better curriculum of social work and social services in Albania, the presentation of visits related to the best practices for children and women in Florence during June 2019 as well as reflections and discussions about possible replications taking into account the tradition and context of each country.

The T@SK project was presented with its main activities as an attempt to improve the curricula in Social Work with an indirect impact on the improvement of social services.

 

The visit to the Via Bini Social Center received more attention from the participants, as it was noted that it was possible to repeat it in the Albanian context.

 

The online system of the Municipality of Florence to coordinate social service needs was evaluated by professors, policy-makers and service providers as a very good model to guarantee a quick response to people in need, individualized meetings with a worker social, tracking system, management system to assist policy or funding decisions etc.

 

Meeting with Social Work students / University of Tirana

 

The meeting with Social Work students was organized by the Department of Social Work and Social Policy on July 16, 2019. 47 students and professors participated in this activity.

 

The agenda of the meeting included presentations of the Ta@SK project and its goal for a better curriculum of social work and social services in Albania, the presentation of visits related to the best practices for children and women in Florence during June 2019 as well as reflections and discussions about possible replications taking into account the tradition and context of each country.

 

The students discussed the changes of social services systems in Italy and Albania, history and tradition, but they mentioned that the legislation on social services in Albania is still new and needs to be better known and implemented.