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IGEO

Director's Message

Ylber Ylber

Prof. Dr.
Ylber MUCEKU

Director of Institute of Geosciences.
Institute of Geosciences is a national scientific research center in Albania, in the field of regional and applied geology, seismology, meteorology, hydrology, and the environment. It has a mission to advance the scientific research using the most modern technology and methodology in the field of geosciences for the long-term benefit of the Albanian economy and society. Also, it aims to contribute to teaching for an in-depth university education of students, as well as to the qualification of young scientists, combining advanced and innovative scientific research with educational experiences in the geosciences field. Institute of Geosciences monitors and evaluates natural hazards such as earthquakes, storms, avalanches, floods, droughts, fires, active tectonics, massive mass movements, soil erosion, etc., with the aim of the risk reduction. Therefore, for the next decades, scientific research in the geosciences field will be addressed directly related to society's challenges to natural hazards, climate change, natural resources, water and land use, etc. Our vision is for the Institute of Geosciences to be an elite scientific research institution in the field of geosciences in our country, and an important international partner to contribute and serve the economic development and society in Albania and beyond.

The institute of Geosciences (IGEO)

IGEO, The Institute of Geosciences, formerly known as the Institute of Geosciences, Energy, Water and Environment (IGJEUM), is a research and development institution and a main unit of the Polytechnic University of Tirana (UPT).

This national institute, the only one in the field of Geosciences in Albania, was originally created as a merger of two previous research institutes, the Institute of Geosciences (IGJEO) and the Institute of Energy, Water and Environment (INEUM), based on Decision No. 560, dated 22.08.2007 and Decision No. 561, dated 22.08.2007 ("On the merger of several institutes and research units of the Academy of Sciences, near the Polytechnic University of Tirana"). Further, this institution was named "Institute of Geosciences" by decision of the Academic Senate of the Polytechnic University of Tirana, No. 36, dated 27.07.2021.

Mission of the Institute of Geosciences (IGEO):

  • To conduct basic and applied scientific research in the fields of Geology, Hydrology, Meteorology and Seismology;
  • To contribute through the monitoring, forecasting and scientific research in the field of natural geological and hydro-meteorological hazards, as a support to the civil protection structures, national security and the sustainable development of the country
  • To contribute to the in-depth high education and the qualification of young researchers through the knowledge and technology transfer, within the responsible fields of research.

Main objectives of IGEO to accomplish its Mission:

  • Permanent seismological, hydrological and meteorological monitoring, through the three national monitoring networks, location and evaluation of earthquakes and additional geological phenomena, extreem meteorological event forecasting and floods, and the information dissemination to the responsible institutions and to the public
  • Sustainalbe administration, maintanance and modernization of the monitoring networks, as well as the generation, update and security of the national data archive of the corresponging fields of responsibility
  • Study and determination of the seismic hazard, hydrological hazard and climate changes, conduction of general and applied studies, as well as academic activities to support the knowledge transfer in the corresponding fields of responsibility
  • Expertizes and services based on the physical and legal entity request, inside the country and/or abroad, in the covered fields of expertize
  • Institutional collaboration with partners inside the country and abroad, within the determined legal contraints, as well as by mean of the Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), based on bilateral and multilateral cooperation

IGEO owns and operate the national Seismic, Hydrological and Meteorological Network.

IGEO owns and uses the national data archive of seismology, meteorology and hydrology, both analogues and digital formats, to accomplish the operational and strategical support towards civil protection structures, as well as to support the scientific research and academic activities. Institute is responsible to generate, update, modernize and secure the national data archive.