Prof. Dr. Nevila Nika – Chairwoman of the Board of Directors at the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism. Prof. Nika completed her studies at the University of Tirana, Faculty of History and Philology, in the History Department. She has held several important positions such as: archival specialist in the Department of Medieval Documents up to 1912, Head of the Department of Documents from 1912–1944, Director of the Central State Archive in Tirana, and Head of the Quality Control Department. From October 2005 to October 2013, she served as Director General of the Archives of the Republic of Albania. During 2014, she worked as Director of Parliamentary Publications in the Assembly of Albania. Since March 2015, she has been part of the academic staff of the European University of Tirana. Throughout her career as a historian and archivist, she has stood out for her contribution to the training of archivists and to informing the research community and the public about the documentary heritage of the Albanian Archive.
Prof. Dr. Ramiz Zekaj – Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism, as well as Editor-in-Chief of the scientific-cultural journal “Univers”. He is the founder and board member of the Albanian Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (AIITC). He studied Oriental Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy in Prishtina and later completed the Institute of Foreign Languages in Medina (Arabic Language). He also completed higher studies in Islamic Jurisprudence. In 1994, he was awarded a Doctorate in History by the Academy of Sciences of Albania. He has lectured at several universities and research centers in Vienna, Novi Pazar, Sarajevo, etc. From 2016–2019, he taught at the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Prishtina. For over 20 years, he led AIITC with a clear and modern vision. He is the author of numerous scientific publications and a member of several national and international organizations.
Prof. Dr. Valter Shtylla – Member of the Board of Directors at the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism. He completed his studies at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Tirana. In 1995, he earned the academic title “Professor Doctor”. He is fluent in four foreign languages: Italian, Russian, French, and Serbo-Croatian. He has participated in numerous national and international conferences and is the author of several scientific publications. He has extensive experience in the field of cultural heritage, working as a Researcher in the Department of Antique-Medieval Monuments, Director of the Monuments Department in Tirana (1974–1977), Head of the Antique-Medieval Monuments Sector (1980–1992), Director of the Institute of Cultural Monuments (1992–1998 and 2008–2010), and President of the Albanian National Committee of ICOMOS (2000–2012).
Mr. Buron KACELI – Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism. He graduated in 1970 from the Academy of Arts, Painting Department. Several of his artworks are preserved in the National Gallery of Arts and in private and state collections in Albania and abroad. He has rich professional experience at the National Gallery of Arts, Institute of Cultural Monuments, Publishing House for School Books, and the Municipality of Tirana as Deputy Mayor. He has held several personal exhibitions in Tirana, Shkodër, and Durrës, as well as collective exhibitions in Belgrade, Prishtina, Paris, and Italy (winner of the Critics’ Award). He also participated in the annual exhibitions of the “Nëndor” Group and exhibitions at the “Kaceli” Gallery.
Mr. Kujtim MORINA – Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism. He completed his studies in Mathematics at the University of Tirana (1994), Law at the University of Shkodra (2004), and earned a Master’s degree in European Studies from the University of Graz, Austria (2008). From 1999–2009, he worked with UNHCR, CARE, and OSCE in Kukës. In 2009, he joined the Albanian diplomatic service and served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 2013. From 2013–2016, he was the Ambassador of Albania to Kuwait. Since 2016, he has worked in the Department of Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is the author of two poetry books and one short story collection and has translated several literary works.
Anisa HYKAJ – Executive Director of the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism (IETT). She was born in Tirana and comes from a patriotic Albanian family devoted to national causes since Albania’s independence and onward. Her education began in Tirana and continued with further studies in London, United Kingdom. In 2003, she successfully completed her English language studies and was certified by the University of Cambridge. In 2006, she completed her studies in Multimedia Design and Communication at “Williams” University College, London.
After returning to Albania, from 2013 to 2019 she worked as Head of the Electronic Communication Department at AIITC Institute, Tirana. In parallel, she held the position of Coordinator for External Relations of international and national conferences. During 2014–2020, she served as Coordinator of the scientific–cultural journal “Univers”. Since September 2019, she has been working as a Coordinator at IETT, where she aims to contribute to the preservation and recognition of our national heritage, as well as to the promotion of Albanian tourism worldwide.
She is a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), Interpret Europe, and the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN).
Megi BELESHKO – Administrative Assistant at the Institute of Education, Heritage, and Tourism (IETT). She holds a Master’s degree in Intercultural and Tourism Communication.
At IETT, Megi plays a key role in supporting and coordinating the institute’s projects and initiatives, particularly those focused on youth inclusion and empowerment. She also served as Head of Logistics at TMUN 2025, successfully leading the organization and logistical coordination of the conference with a focus on diplomacy and leadership.
With consolidated experience in administrative support, project coordination, and logistical management, she contributes to the institute’s daily operations, ensuring efficient organization, clear communication, and successful execution of activities.
Additionally, Megi has presented and moderated various forums and conferences in the fields of youth and tourism. She also holds certifications in AI tools, tourism, professional internships, and social media management.
Inesa SULAJ – Advisor at IETT in heritage and tourism. She holds a BA in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Management (University of Tirana) and an MSc in Urban Design and Landscape (Polis University). She has over 8 years of experience in Albania, the Balkans, and the UK. She has worked in the Ministry of Culture, USAID, US Embassy projects, and as a consultant. In 2021, she joined the National Gallery of Arts as an Education Expert. She completed a Chevening-funded Master’s in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. She also worked at Attenborough Arts Center and the Richard III Visitor Centre. She is co-founder of MuZEH Lab and a member of ICOM, Interpret Europe, and the Balkan Museum Network.
Alma MULAJ – Economist at the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance-Accounting from the Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT). She has participated in various trainings and projects in economics and finance. She has strong knowledge of Financa 5 and IT tools. She speaks advanced English and German. Her fields of interest include economics, finance, and banking systems.
Muhamedali KURA – Head of the Innovation, Research and Development Center at the Institute of Education, Heritage and Tourism. He is specialized as a software engineer and data architect. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in “Software Engineering” at the Canadian Institute of Technology, as well as his Master of Science (MSc) in “Computer Engineering – Big Data”. Alongside his studies and professional work, he has participated in various trainings and projects in the field of Data Analysis and Machine Learning, considered an important innovation not only in Albania but worldwide.
