Prof. Dr. Edmond Hajrizi’s leadership has transformed UBT from a modest-yet visionary start-up into a globally recognized university ecosystem, delivering tangible impact across education, the economy, and society. In a country recovering from conflict, he envisioned UBT not merely as an academic institution, but as a national platform for innovation, inclusion, and development.

Under his guidance, UBT has become the primary source of talent for Kosovo’s ICT sector—65% of its workforce are UBT graduates. Through the UBT Accelerator, Digital Innovation Hub, and over 100 successful spin-offs, the university generates more than 1,000 new jobs annually. These outcomes are a direct result of Prof. Hajrizi’s model that blends academic learning with entrepreneurial execution.

He has championed sustainability through the creation of a smart, carbon-neutral Innovation Campus, operationalizing green infrastructure, AI-driven systems, and energy-efficient technologies. UBT’s leadership in SDG implementation—recognized by Times Higher Education Impact Rankings—extends to national policymaking through its Monitoring and Evaluation Centre, developed in partnership with the UN.

The social impact is equally profound. UBT offers free healthcare, psychological services, inclusive scholarships, and open research platforms to communities in need. During the COVID-19 crisis and natural disasters, UBT mobilized resources for public resilience.

By integrating innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility into the DNA of the institution, Prof. Hajrizi has created a university that doesn’t just teach change—it delivers it. His leadership is a living impact story of how higher education can rebuild nations, empower people, and shape a more resilient future.

Prof. Dr. Edmond Hajrizi’s leadership journey offers valuable insights into how visionary thinking, when paired with strategic execution, can turn a university into a transformative force for society. One of his core learnings is that leadership in higher education must go beyond academic administration—it must be purpose-driven and future-facing. By integrating entrepreneurship, sustainability, and innovation into the very DNA of UBT, he demonstrated that universities can play a central role in national development, especially in post-conflict contexts.

His advice to fellow leaders is clear:
Lead with mission, not maintenance. A university should not simply preserve knowledge, but activate it through real-world engagement, problem-solving, and partnerships.

Empower others to lead. Prof. Hajrizi institutionalized distributed leadership—trusting faculty, staff, and students to initiate change and lead strategic initiatives. This culture of empowerment ensures agility, inclusivity, and resilience.

Build ecosystems, not silos. The success of UBT lies in its ecosystem model—where academia, industry, government, and civil society are tightly interconnected. This approach allows the university to remain adaptable and impactful in fast-changing environments.

Embed sustainability and digital transformation as core pillars. Future-ready institutions must be both smart and green—leveraging technology while remaining grounded in social responsibility.

Above all, stay human-centered. Leadership is not just about structures and strategies, but about shaping lives, lifting communities, and building a better tomorrow. The most enduring impact comes when education becomes an act of service.

Looking ahead, Prof. Dr. Edmond Hajrizi is committed to advancing UBT as a globally connected, innovation-driven, and impact-oriented university ecosystem. His future plans center on scaling up UBT’s role as a global model for smart, sustainable, and inclusive higher education—aligned with the challenges and opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

A key priority is the expansion of the UBT Innovation Campus into a fully operational “Living Smart City Lab,” integrating AI, IoT, renewable energy, and urban mobility solutions. This campus will serve not only as a testbed for cutting-edge technologies but also as a real-world environment for interdisciplinary learning and problem-solving.

UBT will further strengthen its international partnerships to increase joint research, mobility programs, and dual-degree offerings—especially in areas such as smart cities, health tech, cybersecurity, and circular economy. The goal is to position UBT as a bridge between Southeast Europe and the global innovation ecosystem.

Another major initiative is the establishment of a National Digital Skills & AI Academy, equipping students, professionals, and public servants with future-proof competencies. This will be coupled with expanded inclusive scholarship programs to reach marginalized and rural communities.

In parallel, Prof. Hajrizi aims to mainstream sustainability across all disciplines, update curricula to meet the SDG 2030 targets, and institutionalize UBT’s role in policy co-creation and national resilience planning.

Ultimately, his vision is clear: to shape a new generation of leaders, innovators, and changemakers—capable of transforming not just their careers, but the future of their societies.