During the ceremony held for the occasion, Minister of Defense Ermal Nufi described the new campus as a testament to the vision of a modern, professional Armed Forces capable of meeting future challenges. The minister emphasized that modernizing military education remains a top priority, underscoring the need for a high-quality, competitive educational system that aligns with Euro-Atlantic standards.

“Our responsibility is clear: to build a military education system that serves today’s Armed Forces while preparing our personnel for tomorrow’s challenges. We are driving toward a high-quality, competitive system that aligns seamlessly with Euro-Atlantic standards. Albania is a committed NATO ally—no longer merely a consumer of security, but an active provider of it. We don’t just want to be part of the Alliance; we want to be an ally capable of contributing more to it every day,” stated Minister Nufi.

The 2026–2027 academic year saw the Armed Forces Academy move to a new campus built to international standards. According to Minister Nufi, investing in education is a direct investment in national security, particularly at a time when artificial intelligence, cyber threats and new technologies are transforming the nature of conflicts and military operations.

“The military personnel of the future must not only know how to use technology, but also understand how it shapes thinking, planning and decision-making,” Minister Nufi added. In his remarks, the minister of defence also commended the work of the Academy’s faculty, instructors and staff, as well as the support provided by the students’ families throughout their journey.

The ceremony was attended by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji; the Commander of the Armed Forces Academy, Major General Ferdinand Dimo; as well as academics, commanders, officials, military personnel and students.

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As part of the project ‘Determining Tourism Carrying Capacities in Natural, Cultural, and Social Landscapes,’ the Temporary Geographic Research Unit at the Academy of Sciences convened an introductory meeting to detail the project’s core objectives, methodology, and implementation phases.

Project leader Prof. Dr. Perikli Qirjazi stressed the need for sustainable tourism land-use limits, ensuring that tourist growth doesn’t threaten environmental stability, cultural heritage, or community welfare.

To provide a scientific basis for land management, the study will analyze tourism’s impact on ecosystems, water resources, air quality, and natural habitats.

A significant component of the project involves the use of new technologies. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Edmond Hoxha presented the research methodology and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), drones and digital instruments for data collection and processing.

During the meeting, there was also highlighted the importance of inter-institutional cooperation. Prof. Dr. Enika Abazi, Director of the Center for Scientific Research and Project Coordination and Danjel Pirushi, Director of the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation, emphasized the importance of a structured scientific study for areas facing high tourist volumes.

The project entails fieldwork, data collection and processing, report drafting and the use of findings to support policy-making and decision-making in the fields of tourism and territorial management.

The interdisciplinary Ksamil-Butrint model aims to provide new data and methods for assessing tourist load and maintaining a balance between tourism development and the preservation of the area’s natural and cultural assets. /p.s./

In her opening remarks, the event coordinator, Prof. Dr. Valbona Sota, highlighted the significance of this final conference for the COST CopyTree Action, describing it as a pinnacle of European scientific collaboration in the field of tree biotechnology.

More than 160 international collaborators from various European countries—representing universities, research institutes and international scientific networks engaged in COST Action 21157—are participating in the event.

The event will continue until September 16, 2026, featuring the exchange of scientific knowledge, presentations of the latest achievements and discussions on current challenges in the field of *in vitro* biotechnology for woody plants, with a focus on the propagation, conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources. One of the conference’s key objectives is to strengthen international cooperation between research institutions and European networks, foster new scientific partnerships and facilitate the transfer of contemporary knowledge and technologies into practice. /p.s./

After completing his studies in Vienna, Hasan Ceka returned to Albania in 1930 and began working at the National Library, where he formed an initial archaeological collection still preserved today by the Institute of Archaeology Library. During this period, he also represented Albania in international archaeological missions at Apollonia and Butrint.

In 1947, Ceka led the first indigenous archaeological expedition to Apollonia and helped establish the Archaeological-Ethnographic Museum in Tirana. Returning permanently to Apollonia in 1956, he dedicated the rest of his career to researching the ancient city. Prof. Ceka is widely credited with discovering vital monuments there, including an architectural complex near the Agonothetae building and the city’s nymphaeum.

Alongside his excavations at Apollonia, Prof. Ceka dedicated himself to collecting and preserving ancient and medieval coins. As an expert in ancient numismatics, he highlighted his research with the 1965 publication Illyrian Numismatics and prepared the important work Dyrrah and Apollonia coins.”

Professor Hasan Ceka was an expert in ancient Greek and Latin. His skills helped him co-author the Albanian translation and preparation of Illyrians and Illyricum in the Ancient Authors. He wrote many scientific articles and studies that were published both in Albania and abroad. Many of these works appear in his collected volume, In Search of Illyrian History. The distinguished archaeologist and researcher passed away on November 2, 1998.

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The initiative creates sports classes at the Armed Forces Academy to improve cadet fitness and performance, build team sports, and bring elite athletes in as mentors and trainers.

The program includes many sports like judo, wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, karate, and kickboxing, biathlon, military pentathlon, shooting, athletics and weightlifting, gymnastics and team sports.

It uses the training facilities at the Armed Forces Academy. /gj.m/j.p/r.e/p.s./

Qafoku, a Laboratory Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), was one of five PNNL researchers elected to the academy this year in recognition of his work in environmental science, soil and groundwater protection, contaminated-site remediation, sustainable agriculture and decarbonisation.

His research on the transport and long-term behaviour of radioactive elements and metals in soils and groundwater has contributed to environmental remediation strategies, risk assessment and the protection of water resources, the academy said.

In addition to his role at PNNL, Qafoku serves as an associate professor at the University of Washington, an adjunct faculty member at Washington State University and a professor at the Agricultural University of Tirana.

The Albanian Academy of Sciences highlighted Qafoku’s longstanding collaboration with the institution, saying he has played an active role in its efforts to strengthen international scientific cooperation through conferences, research forums and initiatives organised with the Alb-Shkenca academic network.

Qafoku also serves on the editorial board of the Albanian Journal of Natural and Technical Sciences and is editor-in-chief of its environmental sciences section.

The academy said its Section of Natural and Technical Sciences has approved a proposal to elect Qafoku as a foreign member of the Albanian Academy of Sciences, with the appointment expected to be finalised in accordance with the institution’s statutes.

In its statement, the academy wished Qafoku continued success in his scientific career and expressed confidence that his collaboration with the institution would continue to strengthen Albanian science and its links with the international research community.

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Jonid Jorgji’s membership in the European Film Academy takes place at a dynamic moment for the reform of Albanian film and the ongoing efforts to transform our country into a key cinematographic destination. This institutional link with the EFA will establish a stronger presence for Albanian cinema on the European stage.

Founded in 1989, the European Film Academy (EFA) unites over 5,700 industry professionals to champion European cinema. Best known for the annual European Film Awards, EFA works year-round to promote film heritage, cultivate new talent, and engage audiences. /a.f/p.s./

During the meeting, the interlocutors highlighted policies aimed at the gradual depopulation of Albanians in the Presheva Valley through systematic discrimination. They pointed at “passivating” the addresses of legally residing citizens, stripping them of fundamental rights, the refusal to recognize Kosovo university diplomas alongside ethnically biased hiring in the public sector, intentional underdevelopment and discrimination in education, regional funding and cultural heritage preservation. The participants emphasized that despite past efforts to internationalize these concerns, no sustainable solutions have been achieved. To combat this ongoing crisis, they urged closer cooperation among academic, educational and executive institutions to amplify global awareness and protect the Albanian population.

The Academy of Sciences of Albania expressed its full support for recent efforts to guarantee the fundamental rights and freedoms of Albanians in the Presheva Valley. Aligning with European standards, the Academy advocates for Presheva Valley Albanians to enjoy the same individual, institutional and self-governance rights as minority groups elsewhere in Europe. To achieve this, the Academy is mobilizing its structures to address historical, cultural, and educational challenges with scientific backing and to present actionable solutions to national and international institutions. Furthermore, the Academy proposed creating a dedicated liaison structure to streamline coordination with municipal leaders and the Albanian community in Presheva Valley.

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Co-organized by the Academy of Sciences of Albania, the University of Tirana, and the National Institute of Physics, this event celebrated four new publications by Acad. Meidani. As moderator, Acad. Mimoza Hafizi highlighted that these works reflect the author’s lifelong intellectual and academic legacy. She praised Meidani’s deep connection to the discipline and his dedication to mentoring generations of students. Ultimately, the conference aimed to pair this promotion with a broader discussion on the current developments and challenges in physics research.

On his part, President of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, acad. Skënder Gjinushi, highlighted that celebrating the legacy of academic Rexhep Meidani is a core institutional mission. He emphasized that honoring the careers of distinguished scientists is not just a way to recognize their contributions, but an essential institutional and moral obligation.

Following this, Academic Rexhep Meidani shared insights from his series of books on the universe, matter, space-time, and physical motion. He took the audience on a tour of modern theoretical physics, framing the universe as a self-organizing, interconnected network of phenomena. In doing so, Meidani connected Albanian research with global scientific trends, highlighting the deeper philosophical concepts of physics far beyond technical applications.

The second session continued with expert talks from Prof. Claude Charlot (École Polytechnique), Prof. Kimet Jusufi (University of Tetova), Prof. Dr. Margarita Ifti (University of Tirana), and Acad. Mimoza Hafizi. Together, they tackled key topics in modern physics, such as Higgs boson developments, dark energy, singularities, and the dynamics of complex systems. The session wrapped up with a broad look at the state of scientific research in Albania, bridging the gap from vast cosmic scales to elementary particles. /p.s./

Chairman of the Academy of Sciences Skënder Gjinushi and Rector of the University of Elbasan Elvira Fetahu signed the agreement which marks an important step towards the creation of a sustainable cooperation platform between the two institutions, with the aim of advancing knowledge and increasing quality in higher education.

The agreement carries in focus development of scientific studies and research in all fields of knowledge, as well as the active involvement of students and young researchers in research projects.

The initiative is in line with the strategy of the Academy of Sciences for openness and cooperation with the academic community, as well as with the policies of the University of Elbasan “Aleksandër Xhuvani” for expanding partnerships and increasing institutional interaction.

This agreement aims to create a clear framework for cooperation, which defines the forms and mechanisms of interaction between the relevant structures of both institutions.

The cooperation will include the organization of joint activities, research projects, scientific conferences and academic exchanges. /p.s./