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////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //////////////November 2015The “Research by Design” International Competition that proposes the Landscape Development design for Osum Island in Berat - “Tempus”, the European Union’s programme - New Labo-ratories at U_POLIS - Productive partnerships among Universities - “Metropolis”-Recent Publishings - High Tech Show (Tirana Expo Centre) - M.A.D Center - Tirana Design Week TDW 2015

POLIS UNIVERSITY, EARNED THE “UNIVERSITY” STATUS ACCORDING TO THE DECISION NO. 746 ON OCTOBER 24th 2012. U_POLIS, IS ACCREDITED BY APAAL AND THE DECISION OF MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE, NR. 227, DATE 22.07.2009. POLIS IS A LICENCED INSTITUTION BY THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. NR 698, DATED 11.10.2006, PUBLISHED ON THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL NR. 114, PAGE 4475, YEAR 2006. TO LEARN MORE CLICK: WWW.QPZ.GOV.AL OR WWW.MASH.GOV.AL POLIS UNIVERSITY - International School of Architecture and Urban Development Policies Rr. Bylis 12, Highway Tirana-Durrës, Km 5th, Kashar, Postal Code 1051, Postal Box 2995; Tiana, Albania Pho. +355.(0)4.2407420, +355.(0)4.2407421. Fax. +355. (0)4.2407422. Mob. +355 (0) 694088111.www.universitetipolis.edu.al

The “Research by Design” International Competition that proposes the Landscape Development design for Osum Island in Berat, was announced in February the 10th, 2014, from Atelier Albania, asked by the Municipality of Berat and mandated by the Office of the Prime Minister, in order to explore ways of resilience towards any natural phenomena, using the island as a test site. POLIS University was among the selected competitors to come up with one of the best design solutions through research exercises that explore the urban coexistence close to nature. The winners of this competition have been evaluated based on creativity, the high implementation factor, the links and impact of the proposal to the context and on the cost-impact ratio (low cost, high impact). The competition lasted until April the 11th, 2014, the same day when the competition awarded three win-ners. POLIS University was awarded with the second prize and this is one more prize among others added to POLIS and its architects. We congratulate POLIS and wish good luck in all future competitions it will take part, by giving its contribution and by adding more value to itself.

“Tempus”, the European Union’s programme, supports the modernization of higher education in the Partner Countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean region, mainly through university cooperation projects. POLIS University has already become a part of this programme, which has financed POLIS in different projects. The project “Connecting Science-Society for Sustainability Innovations” (ConSus) led by Graz University, Austria, aims to strengthen the relationship and cooperation between scientific research and practice, as well as promote common achievements and innovatory methods through running workshops and trainings that enhance the sustainable development. POLIS also continues its engagement in the EU financed projects in Horizon 2020. Through the “H2020-MSCA-RISE: Traffic Safety Culture” (TraSaCu) project, it aims at develop-ing a cultural approach in road traffic safety research and accident prevention. POLIS researchers are engaged in developing an action framework for implementing traffic safety cultures in road safety programmes and guidelines according to the proceeding of the Montana University and ensure expertise as well as knowledge transfer for the USA.

No.24

Environmental Science LabThe Environmental Science Lab is already complete thanks to the collaboration and support from EU Tempus/Erasmus+, which offers the possibility for a wide range of analysis and expertise. This laboratory is complete with 12 profiles of different types of land, several maps showing risks of nature and land, a considerable number of samples of different types of wood, as well as different shapes and types of rocks. In addition to this, simple equipment have been added such as: vials, beakers, pipettes with which students of environment studies become familiar with matters related to the analytical methods for the evaluation of the polluting and toxic substances in the environment. The laboratory disposes of a certain number of specialized equipment for such analysis. Its establishment can be considered as one of the major achievements of this academic year in POLIS.

HVAC LabSupported by Tempus programme and in accordance with the articulated attention of the Albanian Government towards the professional education in the coun-try, it’s been 2 years since POLIS has activated the professional study programme of energy efficiency. Even in this case, POLIS has made its best efforts in matching its academic offer with the labor market needs in the country and in the region, by providing a missing alternative in the academic market, but highly demanded among young people. Thanks to this programme, POLIS enabled the establishment of a modern practice laboratory for Heating- Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), which is totally functional and provides training to young people in this field.

Productive partnerships among UniversitiesCollaborations among different local and foreign Faculties are a major focus in teacher education. Universities always understand that in order to be as innovative as possible, they cannot rely exclusively only on their internal experience and work. Partnerships allow to dispose of different instruments of knowledge and exchange different experiences, talents and skills. POLIS University has always been open to such partnerships and met with satisfac-tory results. Among the early partnerships of POLIS, which are many, POLIS has had several meetings with different Universities from abroad this year. One of these meetings was the one with a delegation from Riga Building College (Riga, Latvia) held in October the 6th, 2015. So, in the framework of Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 1-Mobility for learners’ staff – Higher Education Student and Staff Mobility, Riga Building College and POLIS Univer-sity signed an interinstitutional agreement that permits both universities to exchange staff among them. The exchange started in October the 6th, 2015, through the meeting held in POLIS premises.

Architectural Studio “Metropolis” has worked on a range of important projects during the period of the last year, such as The Recon-struction of the Ministry of Education; Riviera Competition, seen as a way to raise awareness about environmental values and to finance the protection of natural areas; Revitalization of Tamara River Waterfront Promenade, a project that affects three aspects. The façades, the space between the settlement and the river, the extension of the square or “itinerary of Cem” and in the north of the settlement, “The Post Office Park” and “Church Square”. The project details the first two aspects, and makes a general projection of the third aspect, considered important also by the authori-ties; “Martyrs of the Nation” Park, Berat where the proposed intervention aims to highlight the proportion between the park and the two parts of the town after finding a way to change the spatial structure of the park; “Square Pustec” Korça; Revitalization of the alley in the Historic Centre of Shkodra; Retraining of the Lane in Front of John Paul Square, Shkodra.

High Tech Show (Tirana Expo Centre)“IF Innovation Factory” was part of High Tech Show, Tirana Expo Centre in May 11-13, 2015. The pavilion presented some of the thesis works of POLIS students as well as two products created from the students of Master of Science in Applied Design; the go-Kart car and the electric bicycle prototype. MS-07 go-Kart car was a product of master thesis, realized from Student Rezart Struga, as a product created manually from the beginning till the end, whereas the electric bicycle was created from students of Applied Design, led by lecturers Arjol Ndreka, Renis Batalli and Rezart Struga, who undertook an initiative that was as ecological, as awareness raising: the transformation of a used bicycle in an electric bicycle prototype, in a process of combining engineering knowledge with an innovative design. This project came true in collaboration with Eco Bicycle.

Recent PublicationsScience Environment and Urban Planning by prof. Nacip Meçaj; FORUM A + P 14 Visions for the New Tirana, a volume dedicated to the visions and competitions organized for the City of Tirana; FORUM A + P 15 TIRANA DESIGN WEEK, an issue dedicated entirely to the first edition of the Biennal Tirana Design Week 2013, outlining the events and the best works of the students; MAD MAGAZINE # 4: Balkan- Building Structures by Ardit Lila and Erdi Myftaraga. The book gives a brief description of the most famous buildings from six Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia; HABITAT MAGAZINE # 3: Quality of life changes the quality of the space by E.Dobjani (POLIS), I.Barandovski (Serbia) and O.Nelkovska (Macedo-nia). The book summarizes the findings of a research conducted by three architects in relation to housing in three Balkan countries: Albania, Macedonia and Ser-bia during the communist regime and after its collapse; Albania 2030 study innovative conducted within the research units “IF, Innovation Factory” and “R&DI, the Institute for Research and Development”, where are summarized some theoretical basis, practical and concrete ideas on issues of visioning, planning and territorial-spatial development at the national level; Durana, Albania’s New Sustainable Image, innovative study conducted within the research units of our University: “IF, Innovation Factory” in cooperation with the Research unit of the University of Ferrara. The material shows the applied study of the strategic corridor of the metropolitan area Durres-Tirana in Albania and the need to create a new image and to develop a new economic pole in the introduction to this metropolis.

Tirana Design Week 2015The second edition of the biennial TDW- Tirana Design Week was held from September the 14th to October the 3rd.TDW - Tirana Design Week is a biennial event that brings a series of events in the city in order to exchange knowledge between professionals in national and international level, to increase public interest on design, architecture and handicrafts, as disciplines that are closely related to contempo-rary development of city image image and active participation. TDW is the first event dedicated entirely to Albania design, and was created in order to attack the manifestations of creativity with a specific focus on contemporary context. During the last 5 years some very interesting phenomena have appeared along the artistic debate. The global financial crisis and the geopolitical situation have created a common area for nationalist rhetoric and totalitarian visions in Europe. The creative industry, in particular DESIGN cannot stay indifferent to the changes on the general mentality, where diversity and variety of contemporary society are being increasingly put into question.Tirana Design Week 2015 with the slogan “DESIGN NOW”, aimed at research on the latest trends of design, with the aim of exploring new conceptual and practical tools for future generations of designers in the region and provoke actively to display the active character of designing.Unlike previous editions, this year was even more challenging, because every event and activity was held outside the U_POLIS facilities, taking place in Tirana and giving full meaning of the motto of POLIS itself “space for thought”. During this edition several well-known designers were invited, such as Matteo Ragni, Neil Denari, Giuseppe Mincolelli, Atelier Crilo, Elisa Leoncini, Danica Karaicic, who led workshops on various topics of design, along with designers and architects part of the POLIS staff and organizers of TDW. As part of TDW 2015, there were held 10 workshops related to product design, visualization, food, fashion, etc, and were organized exhibitions and open lectures that took place in different areas of the city.During this year, a double space, for “thought” but also for “action” was created, where different interesting products were produced, which were ultimately created about and for the city and the people, and will remain with them for a long time.

New Laboratories at U_POLIS

Over the last year, M.A.D Center, near U_POLIS has organized a series of exhibitions and events, such as: “Multime-dia Collage Poster” (November 2014), showing the work of Art & Design students in the second year, with curator Ermal BEZHANI . “Danish Jukniu” (December 2014), under the treatment of G.Qëndro, brought in front of the public a collection of over 60 works of modern painter, Danish Jukniu, part of a collection of architect Max Mitrojorgji; mainly draughts that show his creative process. “Subject Object / Urban Art” (February 2015) with projects of third year students of Art & Design, curated by professor Agron Mesi; with a focus on treating objects in their functionality and aesthetics importance; and public space as a topological plane on which is build the work of art. “Phe-nomenology of the Object” (March 2015), with works of Art & Design students of the second year, curated by Ermal Bezhani. The problems which students faced came from an analysis of market needs and contemporary trends, where products were designed primarily as a proposal to the customer (industry) and the market. “Monuments” (April 2015), with works of Albanian artist Dritan Hyska, curated by Ermal Bezhani. “URBAN Activism / Activism Urban City-making Proactive” (June 2015). The event marked the completion of the project with the same name, enabled by the financing of the US Embassy in Tirana. “Light Design” (June 2015) with works of Art & Design 2, 3 and Architecture 4 students. “Adaptive Rituals” (July 2015) with works of American artist Brooks Harris Stevens.

POLIS University does not identify itself only with long hours of work and study, but also with a rich social life full of various entertaining and education activities, by engaging all current and graduated students, as well as the academic and administrative staff of the University, in order to give a new spirit to the cultural life in POLIS. There are many activities organized by POLIS, among which we can mention the Urban Forums, the MAD Center (Multimedia and Art Design Center), the sports events, such as football matches and volleyball games with POLIS students and staff. We believe that mind is the main key to create as many beautiful things. Therefore, “POLIS BookClub” cannot be missing, an activity dedicated to books and reading, in order to promote reading, a desire that with the development of technology has unfortunately faded away in the new generation. But very often, it is the students that undertake the initiative to organize different activities of a certain topic, such as “Regions at POLIS”, where in the framework of Albanian festivals at the end of November, they recalled traditions, culture and typical food of each Albanian region, by unfolding a great number of historical and cultural elements accompanied with typical cooking from different areas of Albania. These kinds of activities are always welcome from POLIS. This is why we invite all POLIS students to contribute with their creativity and brilliant ideas in order to organize beautiful things like this, which are always appreciated by POLIS.