About

The Institute of European and Balkan Studies was established in February 2019. It was approved with the Senate Decision No. 62, date 12.02.2020, and the Ministry of Education Decision Nr. Dt. The Institute is one of the four main academic units of the university, along with the three faculties. While the other three units (faculties) are mostly focused on teaching, the Institute's main focus and priority is research, projects, and publications. The Institute is composed of three centers in the fields of research, project development, and innovation: European Studies Center, Balkan Studies Center, and Project and Innovation Center. The Institute has under its umbrella the scientific journal of UNYT, called the “International Journal of Balkan Studies” (IJBS).

Vision

The Institute of European and Balkan Studies at the University of New York Tirana will be a leading academic institution dedicated to applying and advancing high standards of research for a wide variety of audiences within the university and across community, state, and international arenas.

Mission

• Increase UNYT’s university profile and reputation, both locally and internationally, by increasing the quality and quantity of research published by the academic staff at UNYT.
• Transform UNYT into an academic hotbed of excellence, a place where academics would join, contribute and enjoy.
• Increase the outreach of the UNYT’s academic research to the society as a whole.
• Apply for research projects and continue the successful implementation of international projects such as the Jean Monnet Network, Jean Monnet Center of Excellence, and others.
• Maintain and update a database of all research conducted by UNYT academic staff in coordination with the existing research centers.
• Seek active collaboration with other universities, academic institutions, research centers, think tanks, and NGOs.
• Organize scientific activities such as conferences, symposiums, congresses, workshops, in cooperation with Albanian and international universities or academic institutions.
• Extend the number of partnerships with regional and international universities.
• Involve UNYT students in the projects and research implemented by the Institute.

The Institute also recognizes as part of its mission the importance of combining expertise and capacities of multiple institutions, disciplines, and professions in addressing complex problems. The Institute seeks to develop perspectives and approaches that lead to effective cooperative networking with other universities, research centers, and think tanks in Albania, in the region, and in Europe. These partnerships may eventually lead to collaborative efforts of common applications and being part of regional and European projects such as Horizon 2020, Erasmus +, Mevlana etc.