Encouraging science research in Albania
Albania is an aspiring nation that wants to join the EU and has benefited from European initiatives in many areas, including education and employment. One of these is the EU-funded project 'Training programme on international research project development and management for young scientists from the Academy of Sciences of Albania (ASA)' (Trainasa). The project encouraged enterprising young scientists from the ASA to take part in global research projects related to all branches of natural sciences. To achieve this it investigated the needs of researchers in the region to identify barriers to participating in EU research projects. This was achieved through online surveys and personal interviews that outlined researchers' expectations and experiences in applying for EU programmes. Subsequently, the project trained candidates to help increase participation and provided networking opportunities through two dedicated brokerage events. These were coupled with three one-week training programmes and networking opportunities that altogether provided participants with important tools to embark on national research projects. Participants also had the chance to evaluate the training they received in order to improve other courses in the future. The project's brokerage events and training sessions were disseminated through brochures, posters, newsletters, leaflets and the project website. The different media featured information on training sessions and opportunities, as well as conferences, workshops and brokerage events. The project website featured a research forum that encouraged discussions among researchers. In conclusion, this project represents an excellent example of a successful initiative to bring Albania closer to the European Research Area (ERA).