With the support of the Embassy of Italy in Kosovo, a memorandum of understanding was signed today between SmartCity Corporation and the University of Prishtina, marking an important step in strengthening cooperation in education, innovation, and the development of professional capacities for Kosovar youth.

The Italian Ambassador to Kosovo, Maurizio Antonini, emphasized the importance of this signing.

Antonini stated that Italy will invest around 10 million euros over the next three years in the education sector, supporting an integrated pathway that spans from early education to professional and university-level training.

“This signing strengthens the connection between our institutions and reaffirms our joint commitment to investing in education, innovation, and the future of Kosovo’s youth. Italy strongly believes that education is the engine of progress. In a young country like Kosovo, where more than half the population is under thirty, investing in education means building the foundations for a stronger, fairer, and more sustainable society. Through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Italy will invest around 10 million euros over the next three years in the education sector, supporting an integrated pathway from early education to professional and university training. The PEDAKOS II project, starting soon, will improve access to and quality of preschool education. With the already active WEMPOWER project, we promote women’s entrepreneurship in childcare services and support the creation of new women-led educational enterprises,” Antonini said.

The Rector of the University of Prishtina, Arben Hajrullahu, spoke about the university’s role and the importance of cooperation.

“For us at the University of Prishtina, it is always easier—and we are on the right path—when we see that all our friends, like our Italian colleagues now, from the Embassy of Italy and various Italian institutions, support us in our mission. As a university, we must do everything possible to prepare new generations to meet market needs, and to train people to think critically about how we can improve as a university and as public institutions. We face common challenges, but also common opportunities. We know that in universities across Kosovo, as well as with our partners in Italy in this case, there are people capable and willing to help us, collaborate with us, and assist us in making further progress in the field of true digital innovation,” Hajrullahu said.

Meanwhile, the CEO of SmartCity Corporation, Giulia Agrosi, stated that this partnership is important as it represents a new approach to learning in Kosovo.

“Our international master’s program is linked and integrated with infrastructural and managerial planning for smart cities, which is also the symbolism of our Be Smart City program. This important partnership, which represents a new approach to learning in Kosovo, is coordinated with the symbol of this project through the first innovative startup with two branches in Europe, called Be Smart City Corporation, which I have developed over the past five years,” she said.

The General Director of CELIM, Davide Raffa, stated that students from the University of Prishtina, Ferizaj, and Gjakova will enhance laboratories, capacity-building seminars, professional internships, and IT certifications.

“Graduating students from the University of Prishtina, as well as those from Ferizaj and Gjakova, and from four vocational schools in these three cities, will improve laboratories, seminars, soft skills, capacity-building workshops, professional internships, and IT certifications,” he said.

This memorandum provides for the development of personnel, professional skills, and youth and women entrepreneurship (OPIK PROJECT), which will be implemented in Kosovo in the regions of Ferizaj, Gjakova, and Prishtina, co-financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).