A new space for innovation has been opened at the National Agency for Innovation Society, which will become available to information and digital technology students as part of the recently launched Pact for the University. Prime Minister Edi Rama, along with Minister of State for Enterprise Protection Eduard Shalsi, visited the TECHSPACE facilities that will provide new opportunities to vocational education and information technology students under the new partnership with universities.

AKSHI signed long-term cooperation agreements with the Polytechnic University of Tirana and the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

“The TECHSPACE’s slogan is ‘Learn, dare and create’, because TECHSPACE will provide an innovation and technological education space and promote entrepreneurial spirit,” AKSHI Director Linda Karcanaj said.

“We are seeking to create an environment like this lab as we need to bring new blood, ideas and opinions into this field. The agreements are designed to offer students the opportunity to make use of their creativity,” Minister of State for Enterprise Protection Eduard Shalsi said in his remarks.

To Prime Minister Edi Rama, the launch of TECHSPACE marks a new bridge of cooperation between the government and the universities to allow young people to train and practice with the expertise of true professionals.

“It is an important moment of synergy that we are seeking to create between government and universities and education system as a whole. In this area here we want students of technology-related vocational schools to have their home and create a space for confronting ideas, new challenges, and competition between each other. Those who want to achieve success start with what they want to do in order to accomplish what they need to have. Countries and organizations are not distinguished on the basis of how much they own, but on their know-how,” Prime Minister Rama said, announcing that 10 young people coming up with best projects will visit Silicon Valley.

In his remarks at the TECHSPACE opening ceremony, Achilleas K. Kanaris, the General Manager of Vodafone Albania, said that Vodafone will support innovation projects from Albanian young people, inviting them to participate in global contest where Vodafone provides funding for five innovation projects globally. “I will do every effort to promote your ideas so that we can provide direct funding and help them materialize here in Albania,” he said.