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The ceremony of the first day of school for the academic year 2016-2017- Meetings and conferences-The graduation ceremony-The project competition for the reorganization of the spaces of “Zyber Hallulli” Orphanage-The mobility projects in the University of Minho, Portugal-Visits on Site-Workshops-Plays and other activities-Red Cross at U_POLIS

UNIVERSITETI POLIS ESHTE AKREDITUAR ME URDHER TE MINISTRIT TE ARSIMIT DHE SHKENCES NR.227, DATE 22.07.2009. I LICENSUAR ME VENDIM TE KESHILLIT TE MINISTRAVE, NR. 698, DATE 11.10.2006 BOTUAR NE FLETOREN ZYRTARE NR 114, FAQE 4475, VITI 2006. PER ME SHUME MUND TE KLIKONI NE : WWW.QPZ.GOV.AL OSE WWW.MASH.GOV.AL. U_POLIS është anëtar i shoqatës së shkollave evropiane te arkitektures (AEEA). Anëtar i shoqatës së shkollave evropiane të planifikimit (AESOP) dhe nënshkrues i “Magna Charta” te Bolonjës. Universiteti Polis – Shkolla ndërkombëtare e Arkitekturës dhe Politikave të Zhvillimit Urban, Rr. Bylis 12, Autostrada Tiranë-Durrës, Km 5, Kashar Kodi Postar 1051, Kutia Postare 2995, Tirana, Albania. Tel:+ 355.(0) 4 240 74 20 / 240 74 21; Fax:+ 355.(0)4 240 74 22. Mob. +355 (0) 69 40 88 111. www.universitetipolis.edu.al

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The ceremony of the first day of school for the academic year 2016-2017October 24th 2016 marked the official start of the academic year 2016-2017 at POLIS Unviersity, but as it usually happens on the first day of school, not all the students were present. This is why its ceremony was held a day after, in October 21st, opened by the school’s administrator, Prof. Sotir Dhamo. The ceremony followed with a greeting speech from the rector, Prof. Dr. Besnik Aliaj and the deans of the three faculties of POLIS University. Since every student needs an orientation guide at the beginning of the school, especially the first year students, the ceremony also served to explain many things about issues of the Aca-demic Secretariat, rules and procedures at POLIS, financial matters, services, law and legal regulations as well as IT matters. At the end of the ceremony, the students made a tour at the school under the guide of POLIS staff in order to see its premises, where they would pass most of their time and a period which will be inculcated for a long time in their memories, as an investment that was worth it for their future. As in every year, POLIS wished them success and hoped for a year with “Space and New and Innovative Thinking”.

Meetings and conferences16 November 2016 - representatives of the Alliance Against Waste Imports had a very interesting informal meeting in order to give an information on their activity, with participants from the student association and staff and environmental activists from POLIS University and Co-PLAN Institute. They talked about the activity of this movement and the importance of the environment in the country. Speakers and participants had a very constructive, civil and professional debate by emphasizing the importance of the civil and intellectual involvement towards challenges of sustainable development in the country. At the end, they agreed to

coordinate and collaborate more in issues of environmental and civil involvement, as well as in valuable initiatives for practical and scientific research. 9 December 2016 – Art Contact Center and POLIS University held the conference on “The Identification and Development of the Historical and Cultural Routes, based on the Heritage of Ali Pashë Tepelena”,, where the results of this study will be presented. The conference

was open for the public and the students. This is why there were many participants in the conference. 16-18 February 2017 - As part of the “Future Architecture Platform” through Tirana Architecture Week and Tirana Design Week, on February 16 to 18, POLIS participated at the Annual Conference (Matchmaking Conference) held in Ljubljana in the framework of the abovementioned platform, and it presented the work and mission in Albania in RTV3 Slovenia and in the largest newspaper in the country named DELO. Future Architecture Platform, supported by Creative Europe project, brings together the most important institutions in the field of architecture in Europe, enabling young architects to present their ideas for the Future of Architecture.

The project competition for the reorganization of the spaces of “Zyber Hallulli” OrphanageIn January 27th 2017, at 11:30 hrs at POLIS premises, the presentation and competition of the projects for the reorganization of the spaces of “Zyber Hallulli” orphanage was held. This project was held in the framework of the pilot project on the Dein-stitutionalization in which POLIS University together with “Zyber Hallulli” Orphanage and authors the fourth year students of Architecture and the first year students of Applied Design, guided by the staff and lecturers of “Studio and Interior Architecture Theory” course, tried to give a voluntary help for the reorganization of the internal spaces of the orphanage, and transform them into comfortable premises of European standards. All this work was done with pleasure and devotion from the students and academic staff of POLIS University.During the activity, 10 projects were presented and after being reviewed, the jury headed by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, Mr. Blendi Klosi, announced the best three projects which were “Light cavity”, “Space for drawing” and “Explosions X. Y, Z”.

The mobility projects in the University of Minho, PortugalSome students of POLIS University in Master of Sciences for “Architecture” and “Urban Design”, Bachelor and Master of Sci-ences for Civil Engineering and Professional Master have become part of the mobility project between POLIS University and University of Minho in Portugal. They will be attending the second semester in Guimarães, Portugal.Apart from the students, a team of staff and researchers of POLIS University are settled for a 3 months period Erasmus ex-change program with Minho University Portugal. Among others they are also developing new joint research and exchange programs.

The graduation ceremonyIn December 21st 2016, at 17:00 hrs,in the main hall of its premises POLIS University held the ceremony of the degree conferral. This was a special moment for the graduates, who finally crowned their long work, but made with passion and commitment.The ceremony was moderated by Arch. Ledian Bregasi, followed by a greeting from the Rector of POLIS University, Prof. Dr. Besnik Aliaj. Apart from mentioning some of the achievements and challenges that the university has faced over the years, we cite the closing of his speech: “... there is still much work to be done, there are still many new challenges pending, and the staff and the students should contribute in the following years ... “. The special guest of the ceremony was Dr. Alberto Cutillo, the Italian Ambassador in Tirana, in respect of some of the main Italian partners of POLIS University over the years.On behalf of the students, one of the graduates, Shega Erebara, held a speech by thanking POLIS University and expressing appreciation for the culture and knowledge they have acquired during the academic years. She also thanked the families of the students for their support in this journey of learning. The POLIS administrator, Prof. Sotir Dhamo, tried to take the students back in time recalling their early days at the university and how they have grown professionally over the years, by reading extracts from letters written by the students years ago.Undoubtedly the most exciting and awaited moment of the ceremony was the degree conferral, where students were anxiously waiting to hear their name and take the degree certificate in their hand, which many of them will put it on a picture frame and hang it on the wall, to feel proud of themselves and make it an encouragement to go ahead with safer steps to become someone in the future. But their family members were also touched, who witnessed a moment so joyful and memorable for them by donating flowers and freezing that moment through some family pictures that later will become a nice memory for them.In respect of this tradition already established, the ceremony ended with a photo of all the graduates together. We wish them good luck!

Workshops16 December 2016 – “On-site-Research on Energy Balance”, Prof. Stephan Pinkau (Anhalt University, Dessau, Germany) conducted an On- Job- Training regarding transmission losses and ventilation losses. After an introductory lecture, the students analysed the POLIS-University building using thermocameras. This equipment was bought within the EU TEMPUS project DAPEEWB. The images of the camera showed the heat distribution on the outer facade: ´hot´ parts of the surface with large energy losses were indicated yellow, orange and red; cool parts with bluish colours. The students learned, that the areas of doors and windows are regularly those, which transfer a lot of energy from inside to outside- as long as they are not exposed to the sun! In the areas exposed to the sun, the intranspar-ent areas of the facade were absorbing solar energy - and showed on the Thermocamera as hot- whereas the windows showed here to be relatively cold: as the solar energy was mainly absorbed by the

surfaces hit by sun inside the building: passive use of solar radiation! The On- Job- Training took place as integral part of the TEMPUS project DAPEEWB. 16-20 January 2017- The workshop of “Advanced Technology in Architecture” with Prof. Sandra Silva dhe Prof. Ricardo Mateus from Universitety of Minho in Portugal and Dr. Ark. Etleva Dobjani, from Polis University, where students of the third year of architecture and the students of the first year of Master of Sciences in Civile Engineering participated. The aim of this workshop was to develop skills in the context of environmental life-cycle impact assessment of building materials, products, building elements and buildings. Additionally, it is aimed to develop skills in the domain of the use of multi-criteria decision-making supporting methods in the

process of choosing more sustainable building elements in the design of more sustainable buildings. 20-27 January 2017 - The “Environmental Impact Assessment / Strategic Environmental Assessment” workshop by Prof. Ass. Elizabeth Susaj and Lucia Lourenço from the University of Minho, Portugal. The workshop was attended by students of the fifth year of “Planning and Urban Management” program

of study the and second year students of the “Urban Environmental Management” program of study. 16-26 February 2017 - The international PhD POLIS/Ferrara in Architecture and Urban Planning, organ-ized for the 32nd cycle a new Workshop, which tried to explore more in depth some of the recent research fields already active in the previous years within the Department of Applied Research (OMB) Observatory of Mediterranean Basin FKHZ Faculty at POLIS University. The base of the discussion for this year was the idea to develop the critical and analytical capacity of each PhD student to find, within a given planning project, tools able to generate new architecture and design processes for the future development of Shkoder city in Albania.

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Visits on Site2 November, 2016 – Academic staff and students of POLIS Unviersity visited the city of Vlora in the framework of “Planning and Urban Design” course, where the Bay of Vlora –Radhime/Orikum was treated, as part of the new Municipality of Vlora. The first visit was in the archeological site of Old Orikum in the base of Pashaliman. In this way the school connects practice with theory and serves to local communities.

23 November 2016 – Art & Design students visited the premises of “Pegi” Publishing House in order to get to know with the printing techniques in the framework of the “Graphic Design” course, under the guide

of Sonia Jojic. 3 December 2016 – In the framework of the urban integrated laboratory, the master programs students of POLIS University travelled by train in the line Durres-Tirane and had a meeting with the heads of the Albanian Railway. It’s been two years that POLIS University is working on academic and research projects regarding the reactivation of the railway as an alternative and environmental means of

public transport, as well as for the reactivation of the local stations as focal points of economic development and community services. 6 December 2016 – Students of “Environmental Studies” program of studies

(Bachelor and Master of Sciences) held some visits on site and in specialized partner laboratories (Altea Gjeoshkence) with Prof. Asoc. Dr. Elizabeta Susaj and Prof. Dr. Luljeta Bozo. 24 January 2017 - The third year students of Civil Engineering in POLIS University held a practical discussion on site for: the specification of calculations in holding skills and seismic activity in the ability of the TIP existing buildings with masonry, the verification of structural interventions in these buildings, the degradation of materials and structures as a whole. Evidence on site is one of the best ways of learning different concepts, this is why

students see closely structures in certain subjects and themes. 25 January 2017 - The second year students of Architecture and Civil Engineering were in the concrete company “Vega” ltd. The visit aimed at: the practical understanding with the main materials of the concrete: cement, sand, granulated stone, additive; the practical understanding of the concrete production technology of classes C 20/25, C25 / 30, C30 / 37; and the uses of concrete in different structural elements. During the visit discussions were held and questions were asked to the company engineers about the various technical problems.8-9 February 2017- In the framework of drafting the General Local Plan of Dropull Municipality, a group of staff and students of POLIS University have already conducted their first expedition on site for the draft-ing of questionnaires with the residents of the area in 8-9 February 2017. The visit in the 41 villages of Dropull municipality was held within 2 days and the working groups had the opportunity not only to visit the wonderful territory of this municipality, but also talk and meet with the residents, who were quite hospitable. The data collected during this first visit will be used as a very important input during the drafting phase of the Development Strategy for Dropull Municipality. In the meantime, other visits will take place soon. POLIS University is working in Dropull Municipality by giving a social contribution through the technical and professional consulting, which will be used to benefit the research work of the University.

Plays and other activities28 October 2016 - To mark the closure of the 5 weeks of Tirana Architecture Weeks 2016, where there were many guests who gave their contribution through lectures, workshops and different events, as well as to celebrate the success of TAW 2016 and the excellent work of the organizers of this event , POLIS threw a Party in “Tulla” Center.25 November 2016 – The student representation of U_POLIS organized “Bake Sale”, a charity event on the eve of the November holidays, where all proceeds would go to the Orphanage! Participants of this event were the students and staff of POLIS, bringing different dishes that were sold during the hours of the event and all proceeds went to charity.13 December 2016 – POLIS hosted in its hall the monodrama “Performance”, work written by Odisea Kote, adapted for the theatre stage by actor and producer Marsias Lila and directed from Edlira Baholli. This monodrama was staged for the first time at the Metropolitan Theatre, on 4 December 2014. Then a tour was made in the cities of Albania and it finally has returned to Tirana, to the National Experimental Theatre “Kujtim Spahivogli”.

Red Cross at U_POLIS Like all other years, in Feb. 2nd POLIS University supported the initiative of Red Cross in donating blood for the “Donate blood, save a life” campaign. The staff and students came to the aid of thalassemic children by offering their blood during the whole day.In Albania there are 600 children affected by this disease. These children take blood twice a week. The blood cannot be donated by their parents, as parents are carriers of the thalassemia. Other than thalassemia, there are people affected by tumors, leukemia, etc. so the need for blood is very urgent.