Meet Our Dedicated Teams

Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM)

Prof. Dr Radmil Polenakovikj

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Prof. Dr. Radmil Polenakovikj, professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, teaching Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Innovation Management, etc. Author of over 350 publications, actively contributing to the development of the Macedonian entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. He supported the development of the National Development Strategy 2024-2044, SME Strategy 2025-2030, National Strategy for Entrepreneurial Learning, National Cluster Strategy, Regional Innovation Strategies, etc. Participated in 160+ projects (50+ as leader) supported by EU, OECD, World Bank, USAID, GIZ, UNDP, and others. Experienced evaluator of projects on SME development and innovation.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Trajce Velkovski

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Trajce Velkovski is an Associate professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, at the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje, North Macedonia from the field of Industrial Management and Innovation. He is lecturing group of subjects such as: Ergonomics, Safety Engineering, Human resource management, Motivation and Creative Teams, Safety in Technology Systems, Development of Human Resources, Occupational Safety and Risks. He has been involved in more than 50 research projects, funded by European Union and other donors, and has published more than 90 publications in the field of Industrial Engineering and management. He has experience as a lecturer at the Universities in Burkina Faso-Africa, Novi Sad – Serbia, FH Joanneum, Graz – Austria and many more international experiences as a Teacher, Trainer, or Researcher. He is the Manager of the Centre of Excellence in Green Innovation (CoVE).

Prof. Dr Valentina Gecevska

Vice-Rector for Science, Research, Innovation

Prof. Dr Valentina Gecevska, vice-rector for Science, Research, Innovation at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje and professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, with research fields in New Product Development, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Engineering Economics, Smart Manufacturing, Circular Economy. Founder and head of the PLM & Innovation Centre, WEBLAB e-Learning Training Centre, CIM Laboratory. Author of 250 publications with over 90 in WoS / Scopus, and active member of scientific associations and six editorial boards. Participated with strong record of leading and participating in over 70 international projects funded by EU, UNDP, GTZ, WB, NATO, OECD etc. Visiting professor at three international universities with significant contribution to technology and knowledge transfer, national innovation and industrial policy development.

Mila Velkovska, MSc

Project Assistant & Researcher

Mila Velkovska, MSc, project assistant, researcher and PhD student in Industrial Engineering and Management focusing on green skills, innovation, and sustainable development. Actively engaged in national and international projects supporting innovation and entrepreneurial learning, with a strong emphasis on sustainable and green innovation. Experienced in project management, stakeholder engagement, and international collaboration, including mobility programmes, aimed at strengthening education and innovation ecosystems.

Jelena Kostikj, MSc student

Project Assistant & Researcher

Jelena Kostikj is a project assistant, researcher and master’s student in Industrial Engineering and Management, with a strong interest in innovation, entrepreneurship and project management. She is actively involved in national and international projects, supporting research, capacity building, communication and dissemination. Her experience includes project implementation, stakeholder engagement, building innovation ecosystems, international collaboration and the coordination of project activities and mobilities.

University of Nicosia (UNIC)

Eleni Neocleous

Director, Distance Learning Unit

More than 20 years of experience in management, development, education, and e-learning. Responsible for operational excellence and quality assurance of the Distance Learning Unit, aligning the university's online education strategy with international standards. Involved in multiple European-funded projects in lifelong learning and online education. Holds a BA in Psychology, a BSc in Physical Education Sports Administration, a PGD in Performance Psychology, and an MA in Human Rights and Democratization.

Eleni Trichina

Quality Assurance & Innovation Coordinator

PhD candidate in Business Administration with research in educational innovative technologies, innovation, and service research. Published in international conferences and refereed journals. Ensures the excellence and continuous improvement of all online programmes and manages European-funded research projects across scientific and administrative implementation.

University of Mostar (SUM)

Krešimir Rakić, PhD

Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Computing and Electrical Engineering, with experience in programming, artificial intelligence, and educational technologies. Head of the Master's Programme in Application of Artificial Intelligence and coordinator of numerous Erasmus+, UNESCO, and EU-funded initiatives. Research interests include AI, intelligent agents, IoT, and digital technologies in education.

Tomislav Papac

Programmer & Assistant Teacher

Holds a Master's degree in Informatics and English Language and Literature. Works on the development and maintenance of core e-learning platforms, including the university's LMS (SUMARUM) and an educational platform used by 135 schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Teaches hybrid courses in programming, web technologies, algorithms, and computational linguistics.

Mario Ćorić

Head of Computer Networks Team

Head of the Computer Networks Team at the Center for Information Technology. Over 12 years of expertise in network design, system administration, cybersecurity, and IT leadership. Holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Computer Engineering from the University of Dubrovnik.

Hrvoje Ljubić

Senior Teaching Assistant

Full-stack developer, researcher, and Senior Teaching Assistant, completing a PhD in Computer Science specialising in AI and deep learning. Lead developer for the University Information System and contributor to over 40 projects in production. Recipient of the university's Rector's Award for Best Student Scientific Work.

European University of Tirana (UET)

Team details coming soon.

University of New York Tirana (UNYT)

PhD. Adela Danaj

Director, Office for Research, Project Development and Innovation

Lecturer in Politics with extensive experience in project design, coordination, and management of international and donor-funded projects. Held senior roles at Swisscontact Albania and the European University of Tirana. Holds a PhD in Politics and Security from Óbuda University, an MA from Central European University, and a BA in Political Science.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andromahi Kufo

Head of Department of Economics and Finance

Vice Director of the European and Balkan Studies Research Institute. Holds a PhD in Risk Management and Financial Institutions. Combines over a decade of academic experience with industry expertise, and serves as an external finance expert for the EU Delegation in Albania and ASCAL.

Erhan Gülşen, PhD Cand.

Computer Engineer & Researcher

Specialised in sensor technology, machine learning, and data analysis. Holds a BSc in Computer Engineering and an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Nottingham, where he is completing his PhD. Over seven years of academic experience as a Laboratory Demonstrator and Teaching Assistant.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ines Nurja

Statistics and Quantitative Methods

Earned her PhD in Mathematics (Statistics) from the University of Toulouse 1. Served as Director General of INSTAT (Albania) from 2007 to 2013. Research spans labour markets, poverty tracking, spatial analysis, and demographics, published in international journals.

Klejn Ngracani, MSc, MA

Project Senior Specialist

Klejn Ngracani is a project management professional at the Research, Projects and Innovation (RPI) Centre of the University of New York Tirana (UNYT). His work focuses on EU-funded projects, international cooperation, and initiatives in higher education, research, innovation, and sustainability.

Dr. Ledia Thomo

Lecturer

Over two decades of expertise in national statistical governance, public data analysis, and academia. Earned her PhD in Statistics from the University of Tirana and previously served as Vice Director General at INSTAT. Research focuses on labour markets, gender equality, inequality, and demographic shifts.

Dr. Miralda Cuka

Head of Information and Intelligent Systems

Earned her PhD in Intelligent Information System Engineering from the Fukuoka Institute of Technology, Japan. Specialises in IoT architectures, opportunistic networks, fuzzy logic simulation, and machine learning, with research grants from TAF and the NEC C&C Foundation.

Dr. Ervin Ramollari

Head of Department of Computer Science

Earned his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Sheffield, specialising in model-based testing, formal verification, and web service conformance. Research intersects software engineering, educational CASE tool development, and cloud computing.

University of Sarajevo (UNSA)

Team details coming soon.

CARDET – Centre for the Advancement of Research & Development in Educational Technology

Eleonora Chrysanthi

Senior Project Manager & Researcher

Works within the Sustainability and Entrepreneurship unit. Since 2019, actively involved in coordinating and implementing EU projects focused on education, digital learning, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. Holds a degree in Law from the University of Cyprus.

FH JOANNEUM – University of Applied Sciences

Prof. DI Dr. Bojan Jovanovski, MSc

Senior Researcher

Holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management with a focus on Innovation Management. Professor in Innovation and founder of the Startup Hub at FH JOANNEUM. Involved in more than 50 international and national projects, supporting the creation of over 50 start-ups, and author of more than 90 publications.

Magdalena Diem, MSc

Researcher

Researcher at the Department of International Management and Entrepreneurship, involved in European-funded projects in VET and higher education. Holds a Master's degree in Environmental System Sciences focusing on Sustainability and Innovation Management. Research interests include responsible management and sustainable business models.