1. HERE Seminar “Universities and social engagement”
Regional Development Centre in Agricultural University of Tirana Bizena BIJO
HERE Seminar
“Universities and social engagement”
University of Nicosia
Nicosia, Cyprus
13-14 June, 2017

2. Teaching University Obligation 1st Mission 2nd Mission 3rd Mission
Formality
1st Mission
Research
University
Technology transfer
Continues Education
Social engagement
2nd Mission
3rd Mission
Obligation

3. Social and cultural activities
Knowledge
Acquire / Create
2nd Mission
Obligation
Learn
Research
Formality
Transmit
Teaching
3rd Mission
1stMission
“Hardware”
Initial training
Business
Spin-offs
Non initial training
Know how
Social and cultural activities

4. Rationale The Third Mission (3M) of universities:
Technology transfer
Continuing education
Social engagement
The Third Mission (3M) of universities:
The relationship between higher education (HE) and society
Benefits:
Enhanced research
Generation of ideas
Jobs and companies
Broader group of students
Engagement with the community
Additional money

5. 3M needs In the era of the “knowledge society” 3M activities
Substantial policy attention
Universities as key players (Albania)
3M needs
Reinforce the role of Albanian universities for the social and economic development
National priority: the HE Strategy and the Action Plan
Stronger and deeper development in Albanian universities
Greater effort for making universities more responsive to social and economic challenges

6. Regional Development Centre(RDC) in Agricultural University of Tirana
The mission of the RDC is to create an interactive network between AUT and other stakeholders, not only facing and changing their interests but also improving mutual benefits through collaboration.
RDC promotes and maintain continuous and long-term partnership to provide exchanges between AUT, the academic community, employers, institution and organisations within and across the borders.

7. University and its business environment
The creation of RDC is preceded from a phase of current resources identification as well as the current conditions and expectations of university inside areas.
Environmental development dynamics are considered an important factor in the success of the centre.
The RDC is establishing partnership with different actors and under this point of view identification of conditions, stakeholder interests and needs as well as all problems affecting this interaction remain very important

8. The University Products and Services
AUT has constantly adapted its strategy of development based on the environment dynamics as well as using all internal capacities enhancing the quality and quantity of its services and products
Creation of the RDC was an outcome of wider efforts of all university structures and addressing stakeholders’ needs.

9. The main pillars of RDC activity are described :
Creation of a sustainable and proactive cooperation with business and institutions
Enabling the development and enhancing the quality of professional practice
Increasing employment opportunities for young professionals who graduate in university
Gathering information, recognising innovative practices of business
Offering stakeholders the latest technologies in the fields covered by AUT

10. MARKETING PLAN
We consider the marketing plan a complementary step aiming to determine actions to meet objectives.
Based on SWOT analysis, the RDC has a clear picture of its future activity.
In the table below we synthetically have described our marketing plan based on typical templates.

12. MARKETING PLAN

13. Operations and financial planning
RDC is developing its activity in two levels:
University level, RDC is a unit part of central structure of our institution (Rectorate) engaging 2 staff members.
Faculty level; each faculty (five in total) has its office ZKS with a specialist working there.
All staff members of RDC are working according the annual action plan of the center in close collaboration with all university and non university human resources involved in the process

14. Operations and financial planning
Communication between RDC, academia in one side and outside university stakeholders isa challenge for the activities
We believe that a good starting point was the assigning of responsible staff ,in an adequate office with the necessary infrastructure and equipment.

15. Schedule and monitoring
University through RDC info consistently monitors the results of work done through different indicators of measurement such as:
Number of active student profiles on database
Number of business profiles on database
Participation in annual activities (career fair, workshops, round-tables) of academic staff, students, businesses, institutions.
Number of agreements with stakeholders.
Number of young professionals employed every year.
Feedback from business representatives.
The monitoring as well as reporting is a common process allowing us to provide sustainability of RDC activity.

16. Pictures of the Regional Development Centre
Agricultural University of Tirana