Joined For Sustainability

The 1FUTURE project aims to to improve regional capacities in implementing Green Deal goals within higher education system. The 1Future project builds up on the needs and the ambition to lead climate action in HEIs in the WB Region. Within the project, HEIs of the region will serve as the gear that connects different stakeholders for building climate resilient communities.

Erasmus + Program

The Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) action supports international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations active in the field of higher education. It will support a successful green and sustainable global economic recovery in the third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ programme, linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.

Leading Partner

The University of Tirana is the largest university in the country. It consists of six faculties and two institutes and offers 174 programs in all three cycles of study, with 779 full-time academic staff and approximately 28,550 students. Thanks to its tradition, high level of qualification, training and certification, the University of Tirana remains the most sought after university in Albania.

Prof. Dr. Ognen Marina Introduces SymbioCity Approach in Lecture on Sustainable Urban Planning.

Posted on April 10, 2025

Tirana, April 8, 2025 — The Faculty of Economics at the University of Tirana welcomed Prof. Dr. Ognen Marina from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM) for an insightful open lecture titled “Sustainable Planning of Cities.” The session brought together students of bachelor’s degree in economics, academics, and researchers for a two-hour interactive discussion on future-oriented urban development.

Prof. Marina introduced participants to the SymbioCity approach, a holistic and participatory model for sustainable urban planning developed in Sweden. This methodology emphasizes the interconnectedness of urban systems—such as transport, energy, waste, water, and governance—and promotes collaboration between citizens, institutions, and the environment to create more livable, inclusive, and resilient cities.

Illustrating the practical application of this model, Prof. Marina shared the example of Bitola, a city in North Macedonia undergoing transformation through sustainable planning strategies. 

“The SymbioCity approach reminds us that a city is not a collection of isolated systems. It is a living organism. Bitola is demonstrating how even smaller cities can lead the way when sustainability is placed at the heart of urban transformation,” said Prof. Marina.

The lecture is part of a two-day academic exchange within 1Future project, supported by the European Union, and designed to promote knowledge-sharing on pressing development challenges across the region.

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