1. 1 The foundation of Business Informatics at the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana Current state – Program – Bologna process Marsida Ganaj Source: University of Tirana – Faculty of Economics – Mathematics Statistics and Applied Informatics Department

2. 2 General overview  First ideas Objectives of the Business Informatics branch Job market Student number planning over the years Human resources  Reflection on models and experiences  Business Informatics and the Bologna process  Actual program and subjects  Current state and progress  Future improvements

3. 3 Objectives of the “Business Informatics”  Promoting a new branch of studies in Information Science in the University of Tirana  A study program which brings together: Computer systems Managerial applications Economics  New specialists with Informatics – Economics background

4. 4 Job market  The job opportunities are rising Middle/Large enterprises – private and public sector Banking System Financial Institutions Public Administration The Education System Research Institutions

5. 5 Student number planning over the years Student acceptance: 2003-20042004-20052005-20062006-20072007-2008 I-st Year506065 70 II-nd Year-405055 III-rd Year--405055 IV-th Year---4050 Total Students:50100155210230  Approx. 50 – 70 students per year

6. 6 Human resources  Responsible - Mathematics Statistics and Applied Informatics Department – Faculty of Economics (F.E.)  Economics Dep. – F.E.  Finance – Accounting Dep. – F.E.  Managing and Marketing Dep. – F.E.  Cooperation Informatics Department – Faculty of Natural Sciences Institutions specialized on Information and its elaboration

7. 7 Human Resources (cont.)  Mathematics Statistics and Applied Informatics Department 4 – Professors 3 – Assoc. Professors 5 – Dr. 6 – Master qualified 4 – Assistants 20 – outside assistants – working in institutions of the field

8. 8 Reflection on models and experiences  University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki Greece (the experience of the Dep. of Applied Informatics was closer to our aim)  University of Bamberg – Germany  Analogues branches in universities of Italy France Hungary

9. 9 Business Informatics and the Bologna process  1-st year of Bologna program – Academic year 2005/2006  Bologna program started 2 years after the foundation of the new branch  4 + 1 schema  Old program 8 semesters – New program 7 semesters + 1 dedicated to diploma thesis  Each subject one semester  More importance to the informatics related subjects (50% of the subjects)  Choosing between alternative subjects

10. 10 Business Informatics and the Bologna process (cont.)  8-th semester special courses and diploma Contacts with experienced people from institutions of the field (informatics - economics) Getting to know the real working environment Seminar –presentations of diploma results during the preparation period

11. 11 Problems of implementation  Not so many alternatives of subjects between which students can choose Alternatives depend on the job opportunities Actually in our country there is no working environment for some possible alternatives No such a broad experience on teaching some subjects

12. 12 Actual program and subjects SEMSubjectHoursSEMSubjectHours I 1.INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATICS 2.ALGORITHMICS 3.PROGRAMMING 4.MATHEMATICS 1 5.INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS 6.FOREIGN LANGUAGE (ENGLISH) 3:2 2:2 3:1 0:2 II 1.COMPUTER SYSTEMS ORGANISATION 2.DATA STRUCTURES 3.MATHEMATICS 2 4.STATISTICS 1 5.INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT 6.FOREIGN LANGUAGE (ENGLISH) 2:1 2:2 2:1 0:2 III 1.COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE 2.APPLIED MATHEMATICS 3.STATISTICS 2 4.MICROECONOMICS 5.FOREIGN LANGUAGE (ENGLISH) 2:1 2:2 0:2 IV 1.OPERATING SYSTEMS 2.MACROECONOMICS 3.ACCOUNTING 4.SYSTEMS’ PROGRAMING 3:2 2:2 2:3

13. 13 Actual program and subjects (cont.) SEMSubjectHoursSEMSubjectHours V 1.NETWORKS AND DATA COMUNICATION 2.OFFICE AUTOMATION 1) 3.FINANCE LAW 4.EKONOMETRICS 5.FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 6.ENTERPRISE ORGANISATION 2:1 2:2 2:1 3:2 2:1 VI 1.DATABASES THEORY 2.MARKETING 3.INTERNET PROGRAMMING 2) 4.COST ACCOUNTING 5.LEADING INFORMATION SYSTEMS 6.TIME SERIES ANALYSIS AND PROGNOSTICATION TECHNIQUES 3) 2:2 2:1 2:2 2:1 3:2 2:1 VII 1.DATABASE ANALYSIS AND DESIGN 2.FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND MARKETS 3.OPERATIONAL RESEARCH 4.ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 4) 5.INFORMATION SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN 2:2 3:1 2:1 2:2 VIII 1.SPECIAL COURSE 1 (INFORMATICS) 2.SPECIAL COURSE 2 ( EKONOMICS) 3.SPECIAL SEMINAR (THESIS) 2:0 0:2 Alternatives 1) Office Automation – Multimedia 2) Internet Programming - Computer Graphics 3) Data Analysis - Time Series Analysis and Prognostication Techniques - Multi Variable Statistics 4) Artificial Intelligence - Expert Systems

14. 14 Current state and progress  Work in progress for the master program  Considered: Information Systems, Business Informatics, Applied Informatics  Cooperation with universities Previously mentioned Lincoln University – Nebraska U.S.A. (the University of Tirana has a joint program and fruitful years of experience in masters like: MBA, MPA)  Staff mainly trained in the U.S.A.  This year the staff could be extended with 4 – 6 master degree assistants

15. 15 Future projects and improvements  Finalizing the master program  Rising the quality of teaching  Try to take more experienced and qualified staff (with master or Dr. degrees)

16. 16 Thank you!