Riinvest Institute

KONKURS P?R STUDENT?T ?mimi “PROFESOR EKREM BEQIRI” p?r esen? m? t? mir?! N? kuad?r t? 30-vjetorit t? Institutit Riinvest, ftojm? student?t kosovar? brenda dhe jasht? vendit t? konkurojn? me eset? e tyre n? fush?n e shkencave ekonomike dhe sociale. Fondi i ?mimit: 600 €, mund t? ndahet p?r 1 deri n? 3 eset? m? t? mira. Afati: 14 Mars – 10 Prill 2025 D?rgo eset? n?: [email protected] ***************************************************************** STUDENT COMPETITION The “PROFESSOR EKREM BEQIRI” Award for the best essay! As part of the 30th anniversary of the Riinvest Institute, we invite Kosovar students, both in and outside the country, to compete with their essays in the fields of economic and social sciences. Prize fund: €600 may be awarded to 1 up to 3 of the best essays. Deadline: March 14 – April 10, 2025 Submit your essays to: [email protected] #Riinvest30Vjet

Kosova po plaket shpejt! ??? Sipas t? dh?nave t? Agjencis? s? Statistikave t? Kosov?s (ASK), raporti i plakjes (popullsia e mosh?s 65+ n? raport me popullsin? 0-14 vje?) ?sht? m? shum? se dyfishuar q? nga viti 2011 dhe m? shum? se kat?rfishuar q? nga viti 1981 – nj? rritje alarmante! ?far? po ndodh? ?? Lindjet po bien? ?? Emigrimi i t? rinjve po rritet? ?? Jet?gjat?sia po zgjatet ?far? do t? thot? kjo? ?? M? pak t? rinj - M? pak fuqi pun?tore n? t? ardhmen? ?? Presion mbi skemat e pensioneve dhe sh?rbimet sociale ?? Nevoj? urgjente p?r politika q? p?rmir?sojn? arsimin p?r nevojat e tregut t? pun?s, shtojn? pun?simin dhe reformojn? skemat sociale e pensionale, p?r ta b?r? Kosov?n m? atraktive p?r qytetar?t dhe investitor?t Instituti Riinvest, n? bashk?punim me UNFPA Kosovo, po kryen nj? analiz? p?r t? shqyrtuar trendet demografike dhe p?r t? identifikuar politikat q? kan? nevoj? t? p?rdit?sohen karshi ndryshimeve t? popullsis? me q?llim t? mb?shtetjes s? q?ndrueshm?ris? demografike.? Na ndiqni p?r grafika dhe analiza t? tjera interesante mbi k?t? tem?! ***************************************************************************** Kosovo is aging rapidly! ??? According to data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (ASK), the aging ratio (the population aged 65+ compared to the population aged 0-14) has more than doubled since 2011 and more than quadrupled since 1981 – an alarming increase! What’s happening ? ?? Birth rates are declining? ?? Youth emigration is increasing? ?? Life expectancy is rising? What does this mean? ?? Fewer young people - A shrinking future workforce ?? Increased pressure on pension systems and social services ?? An urgent need for policies that align education with labor market demands, boost employment, and reform social and pension systems to make Kosovo more attractive to both citizens and investors. The Riinvest Institute, in collaboration with UNFPA Kosovo, is conducting an analysis to examine demographic trends and identify the policies that need to be revised in light of demographic shifts and to support demographic resilience. Stay tuned for further detailed graphics and in-depth analyses on this topic!? #DemographicResilience #Q?ndrueshmeriaDemografike

Two of our researchers, Alma Bajramaj and Tring? Shkodra, have successfully concluded a two-week fellowship at DLR-PT in Bonn and Berlin, as part of the Policy Answers project implemented by Riinvest Institute in Kosovo. During this time, they engaged with key experts from the European and International Cooperation Division, which closely collaborates with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through the International and European Bureaus. A special thank you to the colleagues in DLR Projekttr?ger for their support and insights. This experience has been invaluable in strengthening Kosovo’s engagement in European research programs and fostering future collaboration opportunities. Western Balkans Info Hub #ResearchInnovation #DLR #HorizonEurope #PolicyAnswers #WesternBalkans #InternationalCooperation #Riinvest

We are delighted to share our latest report as part of the Skills for sustainable jobs in Kosovo (KSV/021) project, supported by LuxDev. This report provides an in-depth analysis of labor market needs in Kosovo, with a special focus on the ICT, Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency sectors. The report addresses skills gaps and offers concrete recommendations for developing modular training courses, aiming to increase women’s participation and improve the competitive skills of the workforce. A big thank you to all the partners and contributors who made this report possible! For more details, find the report at the attached link: https://shorturl.at/HBvtU This activity was carried out with the support of "Skills for sustainable jobs in Kosovo" project, funded by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, and LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.?

The population pyramids from the 2011 and 2024 censuses vividly illustrate Kosovo's demographic transformation over the past decade. Notably, there's a significant narrowing at the base, indicating a decline in the younger population, while the upper segments have expanded, reflecting an aging society. Recent data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics highlights significant demographic shifts between 2011 and 2024: ?? Population decline: The resident population decreased from 1,739,825 in 2011 to 1,602,515 in 2024, marking an 8% reduction. ?? Aging society: The average age rose from 29.97 years in 2011 to 34.84 years in 2024. ??? Urbanization increase: Urban residency grew from 38% in 2011 to over 50% in 2024, reflecting a shift towards city living. Age group distribution: ?? Children (0-14 years): Decreased from 27.2% in 2011 to 13.53% in 2024, indicating a declining birth rate. ?? Working-age (15-64 years): Slight increase from 66.1% in 2011 to approximately 75.5% in 2024. ?? Elderly (65+ years): Increased from 6.7% in 2011 to 10.97% in 2024, highlighting an aging population. The Riinvest Institute, in collaboration with UNFPA Kosovo, is conducting an analysis to examine demographic trends and identify the policies that need to be revised in light of demographic shifts and to support demographic resilience. Stay tuned for further detailed graphics and in-depth analyses on this topic! #DemographicResilience #Q?ndrueshmeriaDemografike

G?zuar festat e fundvitit nga Instituti Riinvest! K?to 30 vite kan? qen? nj? udh?tim i jasht?zakonsh?m fal? jush – partner?ve tan?, miqve dhe bashk?pun?tor?ve. Le t? jet? ky vit i ri nj? kapitull i ri i sukseseve dhe g?zimeve p?r t? gjith?! ************* Season's greetings from Riinvest Institute! These 30 years have been an extraordinary journey thanks to you – our partners, friends, and collaborators. May this New Year bring a new chapter of success and joy for everyone!

As part of the Policy Answers project, we are delighted to share that two of our researchers are currently undertaking fellowships at the prestigious Institute of Economics in Zagreb, Croatia. This fellowship program, exclusive to Policy Answers team members and researchers from partner organizations, is designed to enhance skills, foster collaboration, and contribute to impactful research across the Western Balkans region. Here’s what our fellows are working on: ?? Benet's Fellowship focuses on advancing the understanding and application of the CEIZ Index methodology, a key tool for measuring economic performance and assessing regional development. ?? Halim’s Fellowship centers on gaining insights into the Institute of Economics in Zagreb expertise in managing EU-funded projects, which will strengthen Riinvest’s project administration capacity by transferring knowledge and skills. Their work exemplifies the goals of the Policy Answers: advancing knowledge, building professional capacity, and strengthening cross-border cooperation in the region. We are proud of their contributions and look forward to sharing their findings and experiences with our community. Western Balkans Info Hub Ekonomski institut, Zagreb #PolicyAnswers #RiinvestInstitute #Fellowship #EconomicResearch #RegionalCollaboration #WesternBalkans

In this video, three authors of the report—Prof. Dr. Muhamet Mustafa, Prof. Dr. Alban Hashani, and Prof. Dr. Petrit Gashi—share key perspectives on the most pressing economic challenges and opportunities for Kosovo. ?? These insights are drawn from the Annual Economic Forum 2024 Report, providing a roadmap for sustainable economic development. ?? Watch the video and let us know your thoughts! ?? You can also access the full report here: https://shorturl.at/pkAbi #FEV2024 #RiinvestInstitute #EconomicDevelopment #InvestmentEfficiency #Kosovo

Economic Literacy in Journalism Workshop This past weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting an engaging and impactful workshop aimed at strengthening economic journalism across the Western Balkans. The workshop brought together journalists from Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia. ??? Sessions on economic policymaking, free media, data analysis, and legal protections for journalists, delivered by expert speakers such as Alban Hashani, Goran Rizaov, Gent Beqiri, Visar Vokrri, Arber Hitaj and Flutura Kusari. ?? Key Takeaways: 1?? The importance of diverse and accurate economic reporting in holding institutions accountable. 2?? Strategies for protecting journalistic work from legal challenges while maintaining ethical standards. 3?? Regional collaboration as a cornerstone for building capacity and fostering excellence in economic journalism. We were greatly impressed to see the enthusiasm and dedication shown by the participants and partners, and we are excited to see how these efforts will translate into impactful stories that inform and empower the public. A heartfelt thank you to our speakers, participants, partners and Economic Fundamentals Initiative who made this event possible! ?? EFI Kosovo

I was delighted to speak at Riinvest Institute Annual Economic Forum “Overcoming the trap of insufficient growth and enhancing the efficiency of investments in Kosovo” (Alban Hashani), where I shared EBRD’s view as the leading institutional investor in Kosovo. As of now, we have signed 110 projects with EUR 700 million financing in Kosovo, most of them since we opened an office here in 2012. Around 70% of this financing went to the private sector, mainly SMEs via dedicated credit lines. However, as a young, fast-developing country, Kosovo has large investment needs especially in infrastructure which would improve the country’s competitiveness and enable its integration into European supply chains. Early this year EBRD published an interesting research paper on the Western Balkan convergence towards EU living standards. Standards of living in the six economies of the Western Balkans are well below those in the European Union. The gap is closing gradually, but a full catch-up could, on current trends, take 70 years or more. The fundamental problem is low productivity in the economy, a result of many years of under-investment, weak institutions, unfavourable demographics and a difficult business environment. Research paper suggests a three-pronged approach to reforms: better governance, enhanced openness and going green, which are relevant for Kosovo as outlined below. Governance. Standards of public governance need to be improved, especially through reform of public administration and public-owned enterprises (POEs), simplifying complex regulations, leveraging the digital revolution. I would especially emphasize the importance of better strategic planning for infrastructure projects and strengthening of the institutional capacity for their implementation. Greater openness to trade and investment can be achieved by increasing the role of the private sector in the economy and making POEs more efficient, strengthening regional cooperation. In addition, investments in enabling infrastructure such as roads, railways, energy supply, municipal services etc are crucial for new local and foreign investors to come to Kosovo. Going green and developing more renewable energy capacity is equally important to attract investments and generate growth in the country. In this area, Kosovo can do much more by streamlining well-designed auctions and developing regulatory framework for c-PPAs for private sector renewable energy projects. Also, further progress with market liberalisation is important to create market conditions tor new independent power producers. I am confident that Kosovo has a European future. It can, and should, accelerate its development by prioritising economic reforms, opening opportunities for the private sector and moving faster with investments in infrastructure. EBRD will remain Kosovo’s partner on this path. #Kosovo, #EBRD, #investments, #governance, #openness, #goinggreen