The University “Haxhi Zeka” (UHZ) in Peja is charting a bold new course for higher education in Kosovo by establishing the University Innovation and Technology Center—an unprecedented initiative within the country’s public higher education sector. This strategic endeavor not only modernizes UHZ’s educational paradigm but also forges a robust and enduring bridge between academia and the labor market, ensuring that graduates emerge with tangible competencies, industry-recognized certifications, and direct pathways to meaningful employment.
Designed as a multi-functional hub, the Center will offer an integrated portfolio of opportunities, including complementary professional certifications, structured and supervised internships, advanced technological training, and targeted career mentoring. Through these interventions, UHZ students will benefit from experiential learning models that transcend conventional curricula, preparing them not only for the dynamics of the domestic job market but also for the increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving global economy.
A pivotal driver of this transformation is UHZ’s strategic partnership with Terra Marketing Albania, a technology firm specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. Under the visionary leadership of Mr. Blerim Gjeladini, Terra Marketing Albania is contributing entirely on a voluntary, pro bono basis to the digitalization of UHZ’s core academic and administrative processes—ranging from ideation labs and innovation platforms to real-time labor market barometers. This collaboration positions UHZ as a contemporary entrepreneurial university, where cutting-edge technology, applied innovation, and practical skill development advance in unison with academic scholarship.
Global best practices illustrate that universities integrating dedicated innovation and technology centers within their institutional frameworks achieve significantly higher graduate employability rates, foster vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems, and exert measurable influence on regional and national economic development. By contextualizing these models to the socio-economic realities of Kosovo, UHZ is creating a fertile environment for student-led innovation, business incubation, and startup acceleration, while fostering partnerships with both domestic enterprises and international industry leaders.
Situated strategically in the heart of the Dukagjin region, the Center is projected to serve as a transformative engine not only for the academic advancement of UHZ students but also for the sustainable economic revitalization of surrounding municipalities and the broader national economy. With this initiative, UHZ is affirming its role as a catalyst for innovation-driven change in the Western Balkans, setting a new benchmark where university graduation embodies not merely academic credentialing, but a verifiable guarantee of employability, professional growth, and long-term socio-economic impact.