"""University to Society Innomediaries in Albania: Co-Production of knowledge and research that matters"""

Higher education sector is an area with high potential and relevance for the overall development of Albanian society and economy. For a pro-European development of the country, young academics, researchers, project managers, innovators and students are of crucial importance. Thus, it is a main motivation for this consortium to enhance an enabling higher education environment that supports university to society collaborations in order to co-produce knowledge and research with impact that is not only academically insightful, but also applicable to the development of Albania in light of European integration. The project strengthens institutional and human resources capacities in HEIs in Albania through the establishment of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Brokerage unit (USIA) that link in an institutionalised and sustainable way university to business, government, civil society and media. The capacity building programme, models, guidelines, best practices, strategies and pilot programmes of cooperation (Second a Researcher, Policy Lab, Policy Challenge Fund) contribute to modernisation of HEIs governance and their integration in European Higher Education area. USIA will set up partnerships and launch collaborative projects between university and business sector, SMEs, start-ups, NGOs, CSOs, think tanks, public bodies and media with the aim to co-produce knowledge and research that are applicable to local priorities. The project will establish and expand a Quadruple Helix network and online platform which will offer networking, matchmaking, brokerage, dissemination, competences development, support and valorisation for academic and non-academic actors. The project widens participation in Erasmus+ CBHE by bringing together different typology of HEIs in Albania and actors from civil society, public and private sector. The project prioritises women in academia, research and innovation.