TIRANA, June 19 /ATA/ The Director of the National Agency for Information Society, Linda Karçanaj, held a meeting with Chris Fabian, one of the most renowned figures in the field of technology and innovation, and co-founder of Giga — a global joint initiative by UNICEF and ITU aimed at connecting every school and health center in the world to the internet.
Also attending the meeting were Murat Sahin, UNICEF representative in Albania, and Mirlinda Bushati, education specialist at UNICEF Albania.
According to Karçanaj, Fabian shared impressive statistics on Giga’s impact, which has mapped over 2.2 million schools in nearly 140 countries, leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, cryptography, and innovative financial tools to help governments build digital education infrastructure.
The head of AKSHI stated that she shared with international partners several concrete projects currently being implemented in Albania, such as the installation of 316 SmartLabs in 300 schools across the country, with 654 new laboratories in progress, aiming to reach a total of around 1,000 schools; the SMIP platform, with over 1.3 million users including teachers, students, and parents, which has transformed the management of the education system by providing immediate access to grades, absences, and progress; as well as the completion of the feasibility study for expanding the GovNet network, initially focusing on connecting schools and health centers throughout the territory.
“This meeting reinforced the conviction that cooperation with global initiatives like Giga is a strategic step to accelerate the digitalization process in Albania. With our experience and the support of international organizations such as UNICEF and ITU, we can build new bridges for sustainable development, where every child and every school has equal access to technology and quality education,” Karçanaj stated in a social media post.
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