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READ Program

Research Expertise from the Academic Diaspora (READ) Program

 

Albanian-American Development Foundation, in coordination with the Institute of International Education, has established the Research Expertise from the Academic Diaspora Fellowship Program (READ). READ Fellowship Program is a 7-year project that will connect Higher Education Institutions in Albania with the Albanian scientific diaspora and their respective academic institutions.

The READ Fellowship Program is part of AADF’s investment in the education sector, a portfolio which now includes over 30 different projects, and has allocated a budget of $2.75 million to develop a stronger bond between local researchers and the Albanian diaspora.

Albania is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of international migration, with more than 1.4 million Albanians living abroad and more than 2,500 Ph.D. holders of Albanian origin. This program offers a unique opportunity to address the untapped potential of the Albanian intellectual diasporas in ways that would enhance capacities and bring about structural changes in the Albanian higher education system. The Diaspora Fellowship Program will set up a catalytic model for Fellows and Albanian HEI alike to benefit from creative collaborations. On the one hand, READ will allow diaspora scholars to make a meaningful contribution to Albania. On the other hand, the program will strengthen the capacities of Albanian HEIs by making full use of the valuable skills and experiences of the diaspora.

 

READ Fellowship Program has three key objectives:

sustainability, institutional capacity building and community engagement.

READ Program will award up to 100 fellowship grants to members of the Albanian academic diaspora and up to 100 research grants to Albanian resident scholars in these four focus areas:

1. Co-authored research papers published in peer-reviewed journals;
2. Joint supervisions of PhDs;
3. New curricula developed and updated;
4. Co-teaching hours

 

Latest Updates View All Project News

  • 05.20.2022

    READ Project signs new collaborative agreements with the universities in Albania

    READ Project signs new collaborative agreements with the universities in Albania

    AADF in collaboration with IIE, organized the READ Expansion Fellowship Program with the distinguished presence of the Chairman of BoT AADF, Mr. Michael D. Granoff, AADF Co-CEOs, Mr. Martin Mata and Mr. Aleksandër Sarapuli, Minister of Education and Sports, Ms. Evis Kushi, members from Advisory Councils of READ Program, and representatives from Higher Education Institutions all over the country.

    During the expansion event, it was presented the first call data from the applications from all Academic Researchers in Albania and Academic Researchers living in Diaspora.

    During the ceremony, the AADF Co-CEOs signed a collaborative agreement with 7 Universities in Albania:

    Agricultural University of Tirana

    Sports’ University of Tirana

    “Aleksandër Xhuvani’ University, Elbasan

    “Fan S. Noli” University, Korça

    “Aleksander Moisiu” University, Durrës

    “Luigj Gurakuqi” University, Shkodër

    “Eqrem Çabej” University, Gjirokastër

    We aim to bring up to 100 researchers of Albanian Diaspora Scholars to work with higher education institutions in Albania on collaborative research projects, Ph.D. supervision, curriculum development, and co-teaching.

    Detailed Description

  • 03.24.2022

    READ Project was introduced in Albanian Diaspora Business Chamber roundtable

    READ Project was introduced in Albanian Diaspora Business Chamber roundtable

    Under the motto of “New investment perspectives in the homeland”, the Albanian Diaspora Business Chamber organized a roundtable of partners with representatives of the Albanian Government, the Municipality of Tirana, international and local organizations, and institutions operating in Albania. “Fly with Albania” and “Financial Instrument of the Diaspora”, are two project ideas designed by the Diaspora Chamber of Commerce, which have as main focus the economic development of the country through the promotion of investments of Albanians from our Diaspora.

    Beyond the entrepreneurial Diaspora, special attention received the importance of the Scientific Diaspora which focuses on the capacity building of human capital, as one of the most important factors in the development of Albanian society. The Albanian American Development Foundation introduced the Research Expertise from the Academic Diaspora (READ), which aims to establish a sustainable collaboration between the Scientific Diaspora and Higher Education Institutions in Albania with the aim of strengthening institutional capacity and the quality of scientific research.

    The high interest of academics from the Diaspora to contribute to their country of origin was noticed also in the first call of the READ Program, with about 300 applications focused mainly on: collaborative research, joint supervision of PhDs, curricula, course development, and co-teaching. AADF will support through the READ Program about 100 Academics from the Diaspora for the next 7 years with a budget of 2.7 M USD.

    Detailed Description