POLIS University
International
Schools of Architecture & Urban Development Policies
At a Glance
Fact & Figures:
Mission /
Studies / Research / Innovation
Organization
/ Alumni / Art & Culture/ Services
Employees /
Finances / Cooperation / International / Location
(Draft)
MISSION
U_POLIS is
a “space for thinking” of spatial development
policies, applied design and technology, as well as leadership and
entrepreneurship!
POLIS mission
is to provide “knowledge, technology and
leadership for people”.
Through
applied and scientific research POLIS develops and promotes “scientific excellence and innovation”.
Through academic teaching it enhances “creative
and comprehensive competence”.
STUDIES
POLIS is a “regional educational platform” in
Western Balkans and East Mediterranean basins, aiming the creation of a new
generation of professionals and scientists with “strong social responsibility”.
U_POLIS
places great attention to the inclusion of students in “research-based teaching”, via practical community projects,
concrete services for local governments, as well as research, development and
innovation programs for society, business and authorities.
POLIS
offers “a focused range of studies”
in Art-design, Architecture, Urban planning, and Environmental studies. It also
provides solid “post-graduate
specializations” in Structural engineering and Energy efficiency, IT and
Parametric applications, Urban design and Landscaping, Restoration and Conservation
heritage; Housing and Social issues, Urban management and Good governance, as
well as Business administration and Entrepreneurship.
Bachelor
Studies; Professional, Executive and Scientific Masters, as well as “Doctoral Programs” are also offered.
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
U-POLIS
promotes “development work” by
investing the inclusion of “research and
technology” in all studies. In addition we encourage interaction between
POLIS research and the framework of cooperative projects with other
international universities, research institutes, and business partners.
POLIS has
established its research and innovation policy by developing “6 research units”, starting with ita mother
organization: Co-PLAN Institute for
habitat development; followed by Metro_POLIS
architecture & engineering studio; Sustainability_LAB;
Multimedia-art-design center &
gallery; Polis_PRESS Information
resource center; and PhD &
Innovation Center.
Sharpening “research focus” and promoting “interdisciplinary collaboration” among
research and academic units, stimulates further “innovation synergy” via international exchange and cooperation like:
Sicily_LAB an experiment in junction
with NITRO_Saggio - New information technology research office,
a non-conventional research team in Roma
Italy; not mentioning joint-degree studies and research with Erasmus University
/IHS Institute Rotterdam Holland, TU Vienna Austria, and Ferrara University
Italy.
ORGANIZATION
POLIS
University is a “privately funded
institution” with strong social responsibility. Founders are a group of
prominent Albanian professionals, civil society activists and academics aiming the
“creation of critical mass” of
expertise and civic-entrepreneurial leadership able to push Albania and Region towards
EU and global trends. Legally, POLIS is a higher education institution with “University” status, registered and
institutionally/program accredited by Albanian Authorities (KM/MASH/APAAL)
according EU standards.
The “Founding Board” acts as supervisor and strategic
apex, and includes: S.Dhamo
(Administrator), G.Haxhia, D.Shutina,
B.Aliaj. Board consults the advisory round-table “Friends of POLIS”: P.Nientied
(Holland), D.Philippides (Greece), A.Saggio (Italy), A.Fuga, Dh.Bozo and A.Luarasi
(Albania).
University
is led by the Rector B.Aliaj, Chancellor A.Sulstarova, Deans & Director: A.Di Raimo,
L.Rossi and D.Shutina. The “Senate”
has 19 members. The “Council of
Professors” has 7 members. The “Rectorate”,
compounded by the Rector, Administrator, Chancellor, Deans and Directors, acts
as a daily management team. Supervision at Faculty/Institute level is
undertaken by the respective “Councils”.
POLIS has
three main units: “2 Faculties” (FAD Faculty
of Architecture, Art, Design; and FPMU Faculty of Urban Planning, Environment, Management)
and “1 Institute” (R&DI Research
& Development Institute). Each Faculty has 3 sub-units: 2 “Departments” and 1 “Research Center”. The Institute has also 3 research centers itself.
The lowest organizational structures are departmental “Sections” integrating
all internal and invited staff. In total there are 2 faculties, 4 department, 5
centers, and 8 sections.
ALUMNI & STUDENTS
U_POLIS has
quite an active community of “Students
and Alumnae”. Respective associations are established to represent them and
bridge relations with university, society and market, during and after studies.
They organize free elections, participate Senate meetings, share employment
info, monitor career development, initiate social and sport events, and provide
feedback to the Rectorate and Senate.
Students/Alumni
communities of POLIS already established “Walking
& Biking the City” initiatives; “Football
League”, informal “Fit & Fun”
teams of volley/basket-ball; social clubs like “Arch_House”, “El Peor”
and “GooGoats”, etc. They are active
in the POLIS social media. They open periodically exhibitions, and they
design/promote university publications and the alternative brand “I LOVE POLIS”.
POLIS
students and alumni act as driving force of “AUA Albanian union of architects & urban planners”. They are either innovative private entrepreneurs,
or qualified hard-workers requested by the market, and most of them (70%) are usually
hired already during the last year of studies or immediately just after
graduation.
HISTORY
Higher
education tradition in Albania is product of 20-th century. Private sector
alternative is also new - result of last 2 decades reforms of post-communist transition.
What U_POLIS is unique for in this context is an almost “secessionist” approach towards past syndromes of authoritarism, exaggerated
technicism, extreme ideologyzation, and blocking of research and career path
for young generations.
POLIS makes
clear break from such tradition, meantime appreciating the real values of
creative Albanian and regional educational heritage. In addition POLIS enriches
it with some of the most updated international experiences. It is not by
coincidence that founders and academic leadership of POLIS are combined-product
of local and top international universities of EU and Northern America.
Therefore, POLIS
is result of the change spirit since early 90-s. Its origin is the
establishment of Co_PLAN Institute for
habitat development (1995) as a professional institute and civic movement of
participatory planning and good governance. By early 2000 Co-PLAN established a
“Training and exchange center”. In
2006 it spin off as “POLIS, International
school architecture & urban development policies”. Studies of
Architecture started 2006, and City Planning 2007. The school is
institutionally and program accredited in 2009. New programs of Applied
Art-Design started in 2010, and Environmental Studies in 2011. Since 2010 it
also opened an “International Life Learning Program” of 6-specializations
(joint-degree master cosigned with IHS / Erasmus University Rotterdam). In 2012
Albanian Government issued a decree increasing POLIS status from “IAL - Higher
Education College” to “Research University”. Same year MASH Ministry of
Education and Science of Albania granted the right to organize PhD Programs (a joint-degree
program cosigned by Ferrara University in cooperation also with TU-Vienna
Erasmus Rotterdam)
KEY MOMENTS:
1990 – Wind
of Change
1995 –
Co-PLAN established, Pilot projects
1997/9 –
International recognition by UN Habitat and World Bank Awards
2000/3 –
Exchange & Training Center established, International ENHR Conference:
Making Cities Work!
2004/5 –
The Platform for Reforms submitted to Albanian Parliament
2006 –
POLIS established as Higher Education College, Architecture studies start
2007 – City
Planning and Urban Management studies started, Studio Metro_POLIS established
2009 –
Institutional and program accreditation, Establishment of 2 Faculties + 1
Research Institute
2010 – Studies
of Applied Art-Design, and International Master Program started, Move to new
location
2011 –
Studies of Environmental Studies started
2002 –
POLIS gets full status as UNIVERSITY, PhD Program starts
ARTS & CULTURE
POLIS
University is a strategic partner to the Municipality
of Tirana for the cultural-intellectual life of capital city. It organizes serious
international events like “TAW Tirana
Architecture Weeks” or supports “TICAB
Tirana International Contemporary Art Biennale”, “48-Hours Film Project”, “International Animated Film Festival of Shkodra”, etc. www.tiranaarchitectureweek.com
POLIS hosts
the headquarters of “AUA Albanian Union
of Architects & Urban Planners”. University has the most specialized contemporary
Library for Art-Architecture-City Sciences in Albania. Students and staff often
make public performances, civic actions or ‘urban
provocation’ within the city.
U_POLIS
plans periodically its own calendar of architecture-art-design exhibitions of students,
young professionals as well as reputable local artist and international guests,
thanks to the “MAD Center & Gallery”
or “Arch-House”. Despite many interesting
publications that could be found at “Bookstore/TEG”
and “Adrion/Intl.Library”, POLIS
issues the only “FA+P Journal of
Architecture and Planning” in the Albanian speaking territories. It also organizes
throughout the year, weekly professional and intellectual reflection/debates,
namely “Open Forums”, or projects
movie series “Cine_POLIS”, and
supports summer schools, international workshops and conferences. “Walking the city” initiative, “Book+Tea” and “GooGoats” social clubs are special attractions not only for locals
but also to foreigners and visitors.
SERVICE PROVISION
Despite
university dimensions, POLIS support administration functions also with the
mentality of a “service center”. The
main task of service units is to efficiently support research and teaching and
provide services to the exterior. Apart from “Information Resource Center” focused on IT and Library services,
POLIS has also a “Conference Center”
that includes parking, security service, copy-printing-stationeries support, as
well as the “MoTown Canteen/Bar”.
POLIS, Co_PLAN
and Metro_POLIS provide respectively (on individual- or combined-basis) applied research and consultancy services
of good governance, urban planning, environmental management; and of architectural,
design, engineering aspects.
The academic
process is backed by units of “Academic
Secretary” and “Teaching Support”.
In addition 3 laboratories help research activities via: “Computer-Modeling Lab”, “Multimedia
Lab”, “Sustainability Lab”. Office
of “Communication & Public Relations”
is mainly focused on the exterior. Services are also offered to “International Relation” and “Students/Alumni Associations”.
Publishing is taken care by “POLIS_Press
Center”.
EMPLOYEES
Employees
are the crucial “capital” for a
modern and qualitative organization. Therefore, personnel recruitment and
development have been always highly significant for POLIS success.
U_POLIS
academic and research staff totals an annual average of 100 professionals: 70%
of them are full-time staff (40% with PhD/Doctoral scientific grade, or/and
Academic Professorship/Docenture). The rest are local external staff or
international guests mostly of the highest academic-research records. POLIS has
for several years one of the highest standards in Albania and Region:
staff-students ratio 1:5. Here are not included 30 other associated research
staff of Co-PLAN Institute and Metro_POLIS studio.
POLIS has a
capacity building strategy with 4 components: i) ISO-standard training to administrative-support staff; ii) Postgraduate master program for young academic-assistant
staff; ii) Assistance towards mid-career
staff doing international PhD “Sandwich” Program while working at POLIS;
iii) Establishing its own “PhD &
Innovation” Program to guarantee internal research, and identification of
outside talents.
In addition
POLIS has signed agreements and partnerships with several other universities of
EU and near region, therefore exchanging regular qualitative academic and research
staff.
FINANCES
The sources
of finances for POLIS University came from Founders own contribution, Students
fee, Incomes from research projects and consultancies, Third parties in-kind
contributions, Donations, Continuing education incomes, and VAT exemption or occasional
public funding.
POLIS has a
highly professional financial department and healthy financial system. Founding
Board promotes creative and stable finances and advanced managerial
instruments, including private-private partnerships like in the case of university
infrastructure/campus development.
Most of
outgoings go for personnel, infrastructure, operational and R&D payments.
COOPERATION
POLIS
University, “R&DI, Research &
Development Institute”, and/or its own strategic partners Co-PLAN and
Metro_POLIS are often successful when applying for competitive public or donor
funding, as well as in the implementation of applied or research projects at
local and international scale.
The legacy
of Co-PLAN in participatory city planning and good governance consultancies has
been a highly valuable starting CV. Such portfolio grew and diversified from
grassroots pilot projects to national policymaking platforms, boasted also by the
assistance of World Bank, UN network, International civic cooperation, as well
as Dutch, Austrian, Swiss, EU, USA, Albanian (non-) governmental partnerships,
etc. The cooperation skills have been extended by the reorganization of
Metro_POLIS architectural and engineering partner studio in 3 specialized
units: Metro-Arch, Metro-Ing, and Metro-Plan.
Numerous local
and international collaborations have also been institutionalized in various
forms. In this way U_POLIS is involved in many projects and networks, including
programs financed by Albanian (AKTI, Brain Gain, Excellence Fund), Dutch
(Matra/NUFFIC), German (DAAD), Austrian (ADA); Swiss (SCP), Swedish
(SIDA/CHwB), Italian (MFA), United States (USAID), EU (IPA/CEEPU) authorities,
etc.
INTERNATIONAL
International
cooperation is essential part of university activities in a global knowledge
society. POLIS University is a signatory of “Magna Charta Universitatum” Bologna Italy, and is an active member
of the Associations of: AEEA European
Schools of Architecture; AESOP
European School of Planning; and CEEMAN
Central East European Schools of Management.
Successful
participation in international programs, networking in transnational
communities, and strategic emphasis of university partnerships, further supports
the career of researchers and alumni. POLIS has “strategic partnerships” and “joint-programs”
with IHS / Erasmus University Rotterdam, TU-Vienna, and Ferrara University.
Other agreements and exchanges works out with Bauhaus/Anhalt University, LorencTech
Detroit, Darmstadt TU, Karlsruhe TU, Trieste University, La Sapienza, ISF / Bari
Polytechnic, NTU Athens, Belgrade University, AUK and Prishtina Universities,
Skopje University, etc.
U_POLIS is
also member of “Albanian Conference of
Rectors”. It exchanges also thoughts with “Albanian Universities Consortium” a group of privately funded
higher education institutions lobbying for quality of education and consolidation
of fair competition (Marubi, Luarasi, UET).
LOCATION
Initially
located at the very central urban core of Tirana, at a second stage POLIS decided
to move into its own new modern premises just in the middle of the most
rapidly-growing metropolitan corridor connecting Tirana with its International
Airport and the main Albanian port city of Durres. A participatory team of
staff-students designed and supervised implementation of main building, as well
as a second reserve one. The campus represents an excellent example of
contemporary architecture with public spaces and green, sport, parking
facilities. It applied adaptation of existing industrial structures, as well as
adding new innovative structural, environmental and energy efficiency logic.
The unique interiors are well designed full of light and transparency.
University
campus locates 5 km from city center main square, and has its own “shuttle buss services” 08.00 mornings
and 18.00 evenings, not mentioning several very economic public-transport means
during the day. University promotes walking, biking and “car-pooling / car-sharing” strategies. The campus is open 24 hours
/ 7 days / all over the year, for its own member students and staff.
POLIS is a wireless
and smoking free area. Cultural, social and sport facilities make it also accessible
for outsiders, families, friends and guests. The ratio m2-students is the
highest one in Albania at 1:12.
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