The cooperation among civil society organizations and universities represents a partnership that offers countless opportunities for capacity building with regard to research as well as professional advancement of students, paving their way towards better employment opportunities. This is especially witnessed in the case of well-established organizations and universities with a long teaching tradition which have shaped professionally countless cohorts of professionals and researchers.
Our cooperation with the University of Korça has started since 2016, during the first summer schools organized by PrespaNet at the transboundary region of Prespa. Dedicated students from this university joined a series of lectures as well as practical field sessions, carried out in the framework of the summer school “Management of Forest Ecosystems and Alpine Pastures in the Transboundary Region of Prespa”, as well as the celebration of important environmental days such was “Drin Day”.
During these initiatives we were joined by young vibrant professionals, with a great interest for nature conservation and our work in the region. One of these students is Sabina Çano, who now works as a project coordinator at PPNEA, recruited for her determination and commitment showed during the transboundary summer school organized by the Society for the Protection of Prespa, our PrespaNet partner organisation.
Our cooperation with the University of Korça is not recent, however the official signing of an agreement among the parties was carried out on the 21
st of May 2021, at the closing of the conference, “Embrace Nature”, organized by the Department of Biology-Chemistry. At this conference our team was represented by Sabina Çano, who talked about the ongoing projects of PPNEA, with a special focus on the research and monitoring work we are implementing in the framework of the transboundary “Prespa Project – Biodiversity Conservation in the Prespa Basin”. Sabina shared with the participants her evolving and growing experience with PPNEA, encouraging the students to pursue their passions same as her.
© PPNEA
© PPNEA
After the conference, the Executive Director of PPNEA Dr. Aleksandër Trajçe together with the Dean of the Faculty of Nature and Human Sciences Prof. As. Dr. Sonila Stillo, signed the cooperation agreement, paving the way towards a long partnership for advancing scientific research and nature activism. This agreement aims to engage the two parties for co-organizing field expeditions, summer schools and practical sessions at the National Park of Prespa for bachelor and master degree students from the Biology-Chemistry subject. Furthermore, the agreement foresees the mobilization of assets for the mission of scientific research for nature conservation, including our local office in Dolna Gorica / Goricë e Vogël, located in Prespa National Park. PPNEA’s local office serves as a hub for meetings, exchange of knowledge and experiences, of students as well as transboundary activities with young people and partners from the three sides of Prespa and not only. Moreover, the local office staff will continue to support the students to get involved with our work in Prespa.
Such agreements of cooperation are very important, because they provide capacity building opportunities for students and young researchers, as well as initiating bilateral international projects focusing on research, promotion, nature conservation, etc. Our team aims to sign similar agreements with other universities in Albania, which envisaging the creation of a national cooperation network bringing closer nature, local communities, as well as young professionals in search for opportunities.
© PPNEA
© PPNEA
