Project Interreg - UNIVERSITY OF TIRANA

INTERREG Programe is one of the main EU instrument that support collaboration beyond borders through project financing, which aims to address joint challenges and find joint solutions for fields such as healthcare, the environment, research, education, transport, sustainable energy and more.

Title: “BALKAN MED Interregional Innovation Ecosystem for maturing and mainstreaming innovative entrepreneurial in agrofood sector” –

Reference: CCI 2014 TC16M4TN003

Duration: 01.09.2017 – 31.12.2019

Program: The transnational Cooperation Programme, Interreg V-B “Balkan-Mediterranean 2014-2020”

The aim of the project is to enable entrepreneurs to reach their ICT potential and gain the required tools to increase their competitiveness; grow towards new markets and introduce innovation in all stages of their business cycle. The motive is preparing the field for educational and training initiatives for enhancing human resources and developing a sustainable regional, social and economic development. 7 partners willing to enhance territorial competitiveness by promoting and supporting the appearance of SMEs.

The project foresees the creation of a three-fold spiral approach (policies – research – entrepreneurship), complete with the support of business which will facilitate the identification, maturation and promotion of new entrepreneurship ideas in the sector of agriculture. The project addresses pre-incubation issues in the Agrofood Sector as a crucial step in filling the existing gap between higher education institution and developmental structures to facilitate the transfer of innovation.

Pre-incubators can enable a reduced risk environment where new ides with commercialization potential created by new innovators and existing entrepreneurs, can be developed further on the stability of the market before founding a company. Pre-incubators can be a crucial mechanism in providing the required knowledge and skills for new innovators and new and existing entrepreneurs, aiming to launch their own entrepreneurship.

Main partner: Regional Development Fund of the Region of Western Greece

Partners:

Website of the project: http://www.interreg-balkanmed.eu

Title: Regional cooperation for the transnational ecosystem sustainable development – RECONNECT

Reference: 5017160

Duration: 15.09.2017 – 14.06.2020 (delayed)

Program: Transnational Cooperation Programme Interreg Balkan – Mediterranean 2014 -2020

Regional cooperation for the transnational ecosystem sustainable development (RECONNECT) aims at developing strategies for sustainable management of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and Nature 2000 sites. The study campaigns are characterized by similar habitats in various countries, which are threatened by similar pression. Creating an international collaborative network to have the same approach when faced with the environmental threat of high-interest natural and cultural ecosystems, which is the main aim of this project.

Founding common regional practices and strategies are the main challenges of RECONNECT.

The overall objective of the project is to promote the effective management of natural researches, which will increase the competencies of local management authorities through the development of a Multidisciplinary Decision Support System (DSS). The new global approach which will be developed will change the current protection strategies in the Balkans and Mediterranean area by promoting more efficient and accurate management practices.

The main results of the RECONNECT project will provide information related to the habitats attributes, as well as essential biodiversity variables, which will be available as tools through a web-based platform.

These results be will useful to:

local, regional and national authorities by promoting the sustainability of marine ecosystems;
management agencies by increasing their management capabilities;
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by improving their activities through suggested activities; and
citizens after their inclusion in the project will improve their environmental awareness.

The international approach which will be used during the project will combine ecological and genetic methodologies for biodiversity evaluation, as well social and economic aspects under the umbrella of a common DDS, which promotes joint policies and practices. The protection and perseverance of highly valuable ecological and economic areas aims to adapt the social, economic and legal frameworks of the participating countries, which cannot be achieved individually at the national level.

Main partner: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture

Partners:

Website of the project: https://reconnect.hcmr.gr/

Title: SEctor Adaptive Virtual Early Warning System for marine pollution- SEAVIEWS

Reference: 951

Duration: 2020-2022

Program: ADRION-INTERREG

SEAVIEWS works to develop a new virtual early warning system to prevent and manage marine pollution from various sources (e.g. oil spills, marine litter, etc).

The project will develop an international network which aims to obtain, preserve and analyze data related to sea water quality from intelligent sensors in critical, stationary and mobile points. Individuals will also post observations in real time related to marine pollution by using and app developed from the project.

Centers committed to marine pollution will be set up in order to raise awareness of marine pollution issues and engage civil society in preventing marine pollution.

Main partner:

National Technical University of Athens

Partners:

National Interuniversity Consortium for Marine Sciences (IT)
University of Zagreb, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture
The Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs (ME)
E-instituti (SI)
University of Tirana (UT)
Chambers Group for the Development of the Greek Isles (EL)
Chambers Group for the Development of the Greek Isles (EL)

Title: Optimization of decentralized domestic wastewater treatment and sanitation via Constructed Wetlands, – DOMUS_CW

Reference: CCI 2014 TC16M4TN003

Duration: 21/06/2019- 31/05/2020

Program: The transnational Cooperation Programme, Interreg V-B “Balkan-Mediterranean 2014-2020”

The overall objective of the project is to build on common territorial assets and to encourage integrated territorial development and collaboration for a more competitive and sustainable Balkan and Mediterranean area. The DOMUS_CW project proposes the approval of a simple, effective and cost-efficient costs for treating domestic wastewater.

Project objectives:

Improving local capacity building in countries of the Balkans towards sustainable creation of the infrastructure and inclusion of local communities in the project.
Introducing solutions for treating wastewater and reusing water/nutrients based on promoting local technical abilities.
Strengthening of policy-making capacities to promote policies for developing plans and improving wastewater and reusing resources.
Publishing and using results of the project to deal with institutional challenges towards developing more progressive regulatory measures and polices for using water/effectiveness.

Expected outcomes: The main outcome of the project is the creation of a general evaluation instrument, a platform of models through which the opportunity of application of CW technology in different countries can be evaluated based on minimal initial data. This optimized model will be distributed easily as to every final receiver, such as local authorities and private initiatives in Balkan countries or in any other country where the proposed technology is applicable at the community level to benefit from.

Main partner: Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences

Partners:

University of Tirana, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Cyprus University of Technology
Development Agency Paphos Aphrodite Ltd
WMunicipality of Andrichaina-Krestena

Website of the project: http://domuscw-project.eu