CSL Events
The 2nd conference of the working group “Shaping AI in Education” from the Council of Europe in Strasbourg during October 24-25, 2024
The Executive Director, Dr. Kepi, presented CSL’s position, underscoring the organization’s commitment to the responsible use of AI in education. This statement highlighted CSL's current applications of AI in educational programs, focusing on how AI can enhance personalized learning and support professional development while ensuring ethical standards and transparency in its use. The presentation reinforced CSL’s role as a proactive contributor to shaping effective AI policies in the educational sector. Good afternoon! Esteemed colleagues and participants! It is an honor to be here today as we delve into one of the most significant topics shaping the future of education—the regulation and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence in our schools and universities. As AI continues to revolutionize how we teach, learn, and manage educational systems, it is essential that we navigate its integration thoughtfully, ensuring that…
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Meeting with the trainers and individual trainers at the eve of the VII Cohort of the Compulsory Training Program.
On October 11, 2024, on the eve of the start of the VII Cohort of the Compulsory Training Program, the Center for School Leadership organized a dialogue meeting with the trainers and individual trainers of the program. This meeting, which has already become a tradition, aims to strengthen cooperation and create a supportive environment for all those who are engaged in the process of treating school leaders. This consultative meeting is an important step in the preparation of the VII Cohort of the Compulsory Training Program. With a focus on communication and collaboration, the Center for School Leadership continues to invest in the professional development of trainers, guaranteeing a rich and fruitful experience for all program participants. This is a great opportunity to build a strong support network and contribute to better education across the country.
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European Scientific Research Day
On September 30, 2022, the Center for School Leadership on its own initiative and in coordination with the General Directorate of Pre-University Education (DPAP) and the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation (AKSHI) organized several awareness activities in "Sami Frashëri" and "Ismail Qemali" Gymnasiums, Tirana within the EU initiative, European Scientific Research Day, which takes place on the last Friday of every September. This year the theme was "Science in school" and the activity is part of the Maria Slodovska Curies Actions (MSCA), of the EU Program for Scientific Research and Innovation Horizon Europe (2021-2027). Considering the role played by the institution to quickly create a new approach to leadership and direction in the school in coordination with the above-mentioned institutions, invited Prof. Robert Gjedia, researcher of education sciences at the Faculty of Social Sciences of "Barleti" University, Prof.…
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Graduation Ceremony of the 2nd Cohort
The Center for School Leadership of Pre-University Educational Institutions (CSL) is co-established by the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) and the Ministry of Education and Sports in October 2018, aiming to broaden and advance leadership skills for principals and aspiring principals. In accordance with the aim, a training program was established, based on successful models on school leadership skills improvement in -compliance with the professional development needs, standards and qualifications of school principals in Albania. On January 21st, 2022, the Center for School Leadership organized the Graduation Ceremony of the 2-nd Cohort for all the participants who successfully completed the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program (CTP) during the timeframe October 2020-July 2021. 184 participants completed a journey full of challenges and were successfully certified, out of 209 participants who firstly enrolled in the CTP. Among the 184 certified school leaders, 84 of…
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The MEMORANDUM of Understanding is signed between the “The Center for School Leadership” for Institutions of Preuniversity Education and “Fan S. Noli” University, Korca.
The executive director of "Center for School Leadership” for IAP, mr. Geron Kamberi and the rector of Fan S. Noli University, prof. dr. Dhimitri Bello, signed the memorandum of understanding between the two institutions, on October 8th, 2021. During the meeting the leaders of the two institutions, agreed on the importance of the co-operation between them and the engagement in joint projects, as well as in the organization of various scientific activities, conferences and trainings in the field of leadership and management in education. Within the framework of the Agreement with the University of Fan S. Noli, also in co-operation with the Albanian Institute of Sociology, in November 2021, "The Center for School Leadership” will organize: The International Interdisciplinary Conference "Leadership and Management in Education and Institutions of Preuniversity Education". During the meeting, attendees discussed on important details that would…
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The Graduation Ceremony of the First Cohort of Certified School Leaders and Prospective School Leaders of the K-12 Educational Institutions – July 23rd, 2020
The Center for School Leadership certified the first cohort of school leaders and candidates for school leaders after the completion of the Mandatory Training Program. November 2019 marked the starting date of the training for the first cohort: 48 applicants selected out of 140 applications from current school leaders and prospective ones from private and public K-12 Institutions in Tirana. The Mandatory Training Program was conducted throughout nine months, organized in trimesters. The third and final semester was directly affected by the global pandemic of COVID-19. Confronted with an unprecedented situation, the Center for School Leadership was committed to its goals and activities, thus, transitioned to a completely remote learning model. Forty-six participants successfully concluded the Mandatory Training Program, among which were 17 current school principals, 17 vice-principals, and 12 prospective principals of the K-12 educational institutions in Tirana.…
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Center for School Leadership is runing the training program online
In this challenging time, Center for School Leadership (CSL) is making efforts to keep the pace of its activities. This week, CSL started the 3rd trimester of the compulsory training program for certification of school principals. The training program is running online since the last sessions of the 2nd trimester using an alteration of online platforms such as zoom and google classroom. The online method is found by the participants well accepted and the best alternative of running the program nowadays. Continuing the training program online has been supported by the findings of the survey conducted with the participants. Based on this survey, 92% of the participants find the online sessions of trainings as the best solution given the situation and 86% of them have attended all the training sessions. “Pedagogic diagnosis of the school’, “Leading transformational change within the…
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At the end of first semester of the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program
The first semester of the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program for certification of PEI leaders ended these days. Over three months of the course, the acting principals and aspiring principals attended three modules related to Developing a Vision and a Strategy for school improvement; Observation, feedback and other mechanisms to advance teachers and the Data-based pedagogical leadership. During lecture hours, participants evaluated several practice cases from day-to-day schoolwork and discussed with each other the problems encountered. An important component of the program is the internship - professional practice in educational institutions, under mentoring of experienced principals in Tirana's elementary and high schools. Participants regularly attended the professional practice each Friday and will continue throughout it in the following months. We will continue onward with the other modules of the training program with a lot of dedication and persistence, to successfully complete…
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A two-day meeting on the evaluation and improvement of school quality in Albania
On December 3-4, 2019, the Center for School Leadership, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, organized a two-day meeting with a focus on evaluation and improvement of school quality. The participants were mostly representatives from the Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-University Education (ASCAP) and General Directorate of Pre-University Education (DPAP). The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss on the work done so far by ASCAP staff in the preparation of school quality assessment products under supervision of the international expert Mr. Anthony Richardson, Consultant for Education at University College London (UCL), Institute of Education, UK. Approximately 40 school inspectors and principals were introduced to the methodological guidelines for external and internal evaluation of the school, focusing specifically on each guideline element. For two days there were numerous discussions, in the form of question-and-answer…
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The conference on “The school leadership role in improving quality of learning”
The Center for School Leadership, in collaboration with Marin Barleti University, organized on December 5, 2019, a conference on “The school leadership role in improving quality of learning”. More than 80 participants in the activity, teachers and principals of elementary and high schools from different cities, and participants of the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program for certification for PEI principals, were closely acquainted with the professional standards for the formation of PEI principals. The new Professional Standards for Development of PEI principals – elements, necessary knowledge, personal and professional skills and indicators that a principal should have and should know, was one of the key topics addressed by the international expert Mr. Anthony Richardson, MA, B.Ed. (Hons), Consultant for Education at University College London (UCL), Institute of Education, UK. Mr. Richardson, through a dynamic presentation and several group-based case exercises, enabled…
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Train the Trainers of the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program for Certification of Principals of PUEI
In the framework of the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program for Certification of PUEI principals, the Center for School Leadership organized the first “Train the Trainers” with the selected staff of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana who will provide the training program for PUEI principals during academic year 2019-2020. The training was delivered by the international experts: Yaakov Gutterman PhD, Head of Leadership Program on Education, at Kibbutzim Institute Israel and Ms. Ayelet Skolnik, specialized in mentoring and coaching in educational sector as well as development and guiding leadership. During the 8 days of training, from 11 - 19 October 2019, the selected group of trainers was introduced to the methods of organizing and implementing the training program. Special focus was given to one of most important pillars of the training – the experiential learning in the form…
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Launch of the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program for Certification of PUEI Principals
The Center for School Leadership in cooperation with the Albanian American Development Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth organized on October 16, 2019 the ceremony of Launching the Compulsory Preparatory Training Program for Certification of PUEI Principals. This activity marks the beginning of a training program for principals and aspiring principals, aiming the professional development and certification of principals of Pre-University Education Institutions in Albania. The training program will start in November with first 48 participants, teachers, principals and vice-principals selected from Tirana district schools. This training program is based on the curriculum drafted on the "Professional Standards for PUEI Principals Peerformance", derived by the "Needs Assessment Study of Principals in our Pre-University Education System". The training program supported by the successful model of the Leadership Program in Israel, aims to build leadership capacity with modules such…
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Design and Development of Training Curricula for principals of PUEI
In June 20 – 24, 2019, Center for School Leadership organized the activity on the Design and Development of Training Curricula for the preparatory training program for certification of in-service and aspiring principals of Pre-university Education Institutions. The main goal of this activity was the design of preparatory initial training curricula for in service and aspiring principals based on the latest new proposed standards of school principals. This activity was led by Yaakov Gutterman, PhD, Head of Leadership Training program at Kibbutzim College of Education, Israel with the participation of curricula development experts from Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-University Education, General Directorate of Pre-university Education, Institutions of Higher Education and school principals. Also, in the framework of this activity, a meeting of the above mentioned working group with some principals from K9 schools and high schools of Tirana at…
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Towards a reformed school inspection system and standards for school inspectors in Albania
On Tuesday, 28 May 2019, in premises of the Center for School Leadership was held the workshop: “Towards a reformed school inspection system and standards for school inspectors in Albania” There were 20 participants in the workshop from the Directory of Curriculum and Inspection in the Pre-university Education (DCIPE), Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-University Education (AQAPE), General Directorate of Pre-university Education (GDPE), school inspectors and school principals. Workshop was run by the international consultant Anthony John Richardson, with extensive experience in educational leadership. His recent assignments include educational leadership consultancy to the University College London (UCL), Institute of Education and as the lead associate Education Director for the UK National College for Teaching and Leadership, in the international business unit. The workshop was organized in two sessions: The first session addressed questions on the current situation of the inspection…
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Results of Needs Assessment Study of the principals in Pre-University Education Institutions
On April 24, 2019, the Center for School Leadership in cooperation with the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) and the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MoESY) organized the activity "Results of the Needs Assessment Study of the principals in Pre-University Education Institution". The purpose of this activity was to present the results and the recommendations of the study conducted and their reflection on the training programs to be provided by the Center for School Leadership. Participants in the activity were representatives from the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and its dependent institutions such as: Center for Educational Services, Education Development Institute, representatives from the Regional Education Directorates and Education Offices, Principals and Media Representatives . The meeting was attended by nearly 150 participants who expressed their interest in the results of the study by exchanging ideas and opinions on…
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Center for School Leadership in a study visit at Avney Rosha Institute, Israel
On April 13-17, 2019, representatives from the Center for School Leadership in Albania had a study visit to the Avney Rosha Institute, Israel. Avney Rosha, the Israel Institute for School Leadership, established in 2007 as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and “Yad HaNadiv” (Rothchild Foundation), is the main collaborator of the Center for School Leadership in Albania. The mandate of the institute was in creating a prestigious Institute that would enforce a harsh pipeline in selecting the right individuals that would become principals. It is not only the training component a purpose per se, but the whole process, from the admission process to the hiring of new trained principals. Since the very beginning AR has used the best experts from USA and UK, but what helped a lot were the local context with local expertise, partnerships with…
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Launching event of Needs Assessment Study for principals of Pre-University Education Institutions
The Albanian-American Development Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth presented the beginning of the activity of the Center for School Leadership in Albania as well as the launching of the nationwide Needs Assessment study. The needs assessment study that will evaluate the needs for professional development of school principals, which is expected to publish the final findings and recommendations in April 2019, aims to review and revise the latest Standards of Evaluation for School Principals in Albania and other related documents to school principals’ role; Provide a situation analysis and recommendations for professional development needed to achieve agreed standards, considering the following stages of capacity development: Academic knowledge offered by university providers, Pre-service training, Continuous professional development; and Assess and provide recommendations on hiring, performance evaluation and firing process of school principals in Albania. Assessment and recommendations…
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Signing the Agreement of Founding the Center for School Leadership
On October 4, 2018, in the premises of the Center for School Leadership, in the presence of the Prime Minister Mr. Edi Rama and in the presence of Chairman of the AADF Board of Trustees, Mr. Michael Granoff, was signed the Agreement of founding the Center for School Leadership. This center will be funded by AADF and will be supported by MESY for the operations and achievement of its objectives. This agreement is signed for 10 years. In the meeting was Mr. Aleksander Sarapuli and Mr. Martin Mata, Co-CEO’s of the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) and Ms. Lindita Nikolla, Minister of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY). The Ministry’s policy and strategy for the development of pre-university education aims to improve the performance of school principals, ensure a high quality of school management, advance the skills of principals as educational leaders…