POLIS University and the Co-PLAN Institute mark this year 20 and 30 years of activity respectively, representing one of the most distinctive models of academic, research, and urban development in Albania and the region. Emerging in the early years of Albania’s transition, these institutions were built on the idea that sustainable development requires knowledge, civic engagement, and long-term cooperation. Initially through Co-PLAN’s work in Albanian communities and cities, and later through the establishment of POLIS University as an academic and research platform, this vision evolved into a model that naturally connects higher education with applied research, innovation, and social transformation.

Today, POLIS is part of some of Europe’s most important academic networks, as a member of the European University Association and the Bauhaus4EU alliance, contributing to a new European approach that brings together resilience, sustainability, innovation, and the human dimension of development. This international positioning reflects its ongoing commitment to remaining at the forefront of contemporary knowledge and to bringing the highest standards of scientific research into the Albanian context.

At the 20th anniversary ceremony, representatives of international partners praised POLIS as an institution that has achieved real impact through education, architecture, urban planning, and scientific research. Meanwhile, the institution itself continues to promote internationalization, “brain gain,” and the development of academic capacities in Albania, demonstrating that qualitative growth comes through investment in people.

Beyond figures and anniversaries, the journey of Co-PLAN and POLIS today represents a success story built on vision, cooperation, and the unwavering belief that universities can be active actors in the transformation of society and cities. This anniversary marks not only a moment of reflection on the achievements to date, but also a commitment to continuing the mission toward a more sustainable and innovative future.