Meet the Team
PhD cand. Besarta Taganoviq
Mrs. Besarta Taganoviq is an expert in nursing education, holding a Master’s degree in the field and currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Maribor. She has extensive experience in research, training, and translation projects in healthcare. She is an active member of FINE, EANS, and the Florence Nightingale Network, contributing to international collaboration in nursing education and research. She currently serves as Dean of the Faculty of Health and Nursing Sciences at Heimerer College, Pristina (Kosovo), where she leads academic programs, strategic development, curriculum design, faculty recruitment, and research and innovation initiatives. Her research interests include digital innovation in healthcare, emotional and social intelligence, caesarean section decision-making, evidence-based practice, and coping skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fluent in Albanian, English, and Montenegrin, she brings strong expertise in leadership, communication, strategic planning, and conflict management. Her commitment to healthcare education is further reflected in her editorial work on International Council of Nurses (ICN) guidelines translated into Albanian.
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MSc. Albin Pllana
Is a healthcare professional with a background in nursing and extensive experience in international project coordination, particularly within Erasmus+ and higher education initiatives. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Sciences and a Master of Science’s degree in Advanced Nursing Practice, with a strong academic focus on leadership, research, health policy, and innovation in healthcare education.
Over the past years, Mr. Pllana has coordinated and supported numerous international academic, research, and capacity-building projects, working closely with higher education institutions, healthcare professionals, and external stakeholders. His work spans project design and implementation, mobility management, quality assurance, dissemination, and stakeholder engagement, with a particular interest in digital transformation and innovative learning approaches in health sciences.
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Uran Rraci
Is Vice President for Internationalization at Universum International College (UNI) and an interdisciplinary lecturer. A leader in higher-education reform in Kosovo and the Western Balkans, he advances digital transformation, phenomenon-based learning, and educator capacity building. Through UNI’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, he has trained 2,500+ professors and teachers in online pedagogy, assessment, and student-centered methods. He supports EU initiatives spanning sustainability, entrepreneurship, VET, and AI. Formerly at Sonoma State University (USA), he led UNI’s Pearson Edexcel Level 4–5 VET accreditation. He holds degrees from Vilnius University and Sonoma State, plus a University of Oklahoma certification.
Email: uran.rraci@adminuniversum-ks-org
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Ana Uka
(MSc. from Leiden University and PhD from Clemson University) is a psychologist, an assistant professor and academic leader with extensive experience at the intersection of medical education, mental health sciences, and higher education innovation. She currently serves as Head of the Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy at Western Balkans University and has held multiple leadership roles in academic governance, quality assurance, and curriculum development across medical, educational, and social science faculties. Her research profile includes digital learning in higher education, student wellbeing, mental health, and technology-mediated education, with publications and international collaborations addressing online learning during COVID-19, clinical training quality, and psychosocial outcomes in health contexts. Within the scope of this project, she contributes strong expertise in integrating immersive and virtual learning technologies into Medical Health Sciences, focusing on how Virtual Reality can enhance clinical training, empathy, decision-making, and experiential learning while supporting innovation, inclusion, and quality transformation in higher education systems
Email: ana.uka@wbu.edu.al
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Aurelija Blaževičienė
Professor, Head of Nursing Department, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Director of the WHO CC for Nursing Education and Practice.
Expert and member of various working groups on nursing issues at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania.
Member of ICN, ENNA, and Sigma Theta Tau International.
Chair of the study committee of Nursing, Leadership in Nursing and Advanced nursing practice programs at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.
Honors and awards:
Fulbright scholarship.
Fellow Ad Eundem of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery; RCSI.
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PhD Blerina Duka
Has been President of the Albanian Order of Nurses since 2019. From 2007 to
2009, she served as Director of the “Balashe” Social Center in Elbasan, focusing on the
rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and older adults. She was President of the Order of
Nurses for the Elbasan Region from 2014 to 2018. Dr. Duka holds a degree in Nursing from Our
Lady of Good Counsel University in Tirana and earned her PhD in 2023 from Tor Vergata
University in Rome, Italy. She has received leadership training, including certification from the
Global Leadership Institute (Switzerland). Dr. Duka is a lecturer at several Albanian universities.
Her main research interest is nursing competence, and she speaks Italian and English.
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Majlinda Bara
Majlinda is an accomplished project management professional with over six years of experience in project development, coordination, and financial analysis across international and national initiatives. She has worked extensively with both public and private institutions, contributing to the design, management, and successful delivery of donor-funded projects.
In her role as Project Manager, she regularly liaises with international and local stakeholders, demonstrating strong capacity in managing multi-partner consortia, coordinating cross-sector collaboration, and navigating diverse funding frameworks. Her ability to integrate financial oversight with strategic project implementation has been instrumental in ensuring effective execution, compliance, and measurable impact. Her professional background reflects a solid and versatile skill set in coordinating complex projects and delivering results-oriented programmes.
Email: Majlinda.bara@uet.edu.al
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PhD cand. Aida Hoxha
Mrs. Aida Hoxha has over seven years of professional experience in legal and administrative coordination, specializing in international projects. Since October 2019, she has served as a Legal and Administrative Coordinator for International Projects. Throughout her career, Aida has honed exceptional organizational and communication skills, coupled with a meticulous attention to detail, enabling her to excel in complex, multi-faceted roles. She holds a Master’s degree in Civil Law and is currently pursuing a PhD in Legal Studies, with a focus on constitutional and administrative law, underscoring her dedication to advancing her legal expertise and professional impact.
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