Polis University

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In POLIS University, we firmly believe that success is a result of the way education precedes the future. Inspiration, exploration, positive thinking, and the challenges of reality are some of the main principles that U_POLIS includes in its education process.

U_POLIS aims to provide the new generation with the right tools, techniques, and strategies to create capable professional leadership, "livable spaces," more equal cities, more sustainable, and related to the environment. In U_POLIS, we believe that education is a joint continuous effort.

U_POLIS tries to stay at the front row of contemporary thought and practice. We believe that the new manners of thinking about architecture, as well as the definition of a new profession, the profession of Urban Planner, so necessary for the Albanian reality, are part of the projection of this country into the future.

U_POLIS has shown a strong commitment to the quality, in line with the institution's mission and values that seek to promote excellence in teaching, research, and innovation. U_POLIS has consistently received positive feedback from the quality evaluation processes nationally and internationally and continuously invests in its quality assurance system and mechanisms.

U_POLIS has carefully designed its curricula and offers study programs introduced in the Albanian education system. These include the planning or design programs as well as landscape, housing specializations, or professional post-secondary school in energy efficiency. The complementarity and yet individuality of its programs in all cycles have provided U_POLIS with a distinctive and specialized profile in the country and factorized it in its core fields of interest.

U_POLIS has a unique profile among Albanian HEI –s deriving mainly from the specific business model adopted by the Board of Founders. U_POLIS considers its legal status as a "private" HEI, not as a mere profit-making instrument, but rather a status that ensures institutional independence while being fully aware of the corporate social responsibility. Therefore in practice, U_POLIS acts as a non for profit institution, reinvesting everything in the future growth of the institution, not only in quantitative but also qualitative terms. This is not typical for the management of an HEI in Albania. However, in this case, the fact that the founders are also professionals and civic activists with long-standing experience in the disciplines delivered at U_POLIS makes them very committed to the quality of these programs.

Research is an integral part of U_POLIS's activity and retained instrumental in achieving its overall objective. Research is part of the DNA of the school because of the institution's history and background, which is reflected in the extensive research activities and projects where it takes place. Not surprisingly, U_POLIS is the first Albanian HEI to lead a TEMPUS project, the first to participate in a HORIZON 2020 project. At U_POLIS, both fundamental and applied research are very much present in the institution's life, and a strong commitment is also made to innovation.

U_POLIS has developed a well-articulated internationalization strategy, which is shown in the high share of international staff and students, but more importantly, in the number of study programs delivered in cooperation with foreign HEI-s.

U_POLIS pays specific attention to continuously improve its institutional capacities, in all terms: human, infrastructural, managerial, financial, and so on. It provides an optimal academic staff/student ratio, an excellent space/student ratio, and several services and support structures, which contribute to a high-quality teaching and learning environment.

Students are the primary focus of the institution, and therefore they are encouraged to play a very active role. They are represented in the highest decision making organ, the Academic Senate, and several other bodies. The intensive work done with the students and their inclusion in most projects is an essential aspect that enables their equipment with theoretical and research and practical skills. This has helped U_POLIS achieve remarkable success in the employability of its graduates, which currently accounts for 84% of the total.

The close contact with its graduates (through the ALUMNI structure), as well as its extensive network of partners, provide U_POLIS with optimal access to the needs and requirements of the labor market. This extensive network does also plays a vital role in extending further the social impact that U_POLIS intends to achieve. U_POLIS is a "space for thinking" about spatial development policies, applied design, and technology, as well as leadership and entrepreneurship!

Our aim is :

• Keep working to increase the share of international staff and students in our partner universities, as well as the share of joint programs or double degrees with international partners.
• Educate professionals able to address the needs of the domestic but also the regional market
• Increase the mobility of staff and students
• Actively participate in international projects under the framework of programs such as H2020, Erasmus+, IPA projects, etc

We find that internationalization also plays an essential role in the continuous improvement of the quality, through the share of expertise and practices with international partners and well as facing quality evaluation by international standards.

Finally, the internationalization is a crucial objective, embedded in the university's vision and mission. The latter counts in the POLIS mission's fundamental objectives: "To contribute for the internationalization of higher education and science in the country through regional, European and international cooperation."

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