Urban mobility planning as a frame for urban design of squares and streets, the Peja case in Kosovo

Urban streets and squares have a dual function: as links in transport networks and as places for accommodating urban life. In this paper an integrated approach of urban design of the public domain is developed, highlighting the layers multimodal mobility planning can provide for the design. The approach is shown on the basis of some cases for the city of Peja (Kosovo). The designs of two strategic elements in the urban network, the railway station boulevard and the Haxhi Zeka Square as well as a district collector street within the Zatra living area are described. These design projects were elaborated by a mixed international and local team, working together in design studios within the frame of the ‘MOBKOS’ cooperation project (www.mobkos.eu). This project was co financed by the Flemish and the Kosovar Governments in the period 2009-2011. A well the structured road categorisation system and urban parking strategy are determining elements of the design. But even so a ‘soft spine’ accommodating walking and biking routes and a new system of urban bus routes are important layers of the design. The paper doesn’t call for a traffic engineering dominated design. It is gradually understood that the prevailing ‘city for cars’ practices in Kosovo (that had already shown its limits in Pristine) would lead Peja into a dead end street. That is why concepts such as urban boulevards, ‘shared spaces’, green trails… are used in the designs. The same international team is preparing design studios in the city of Shkodra in Albania

Urban mobility planning as a frame for urban design of squares and streets, the Peja case in Kosovo

Urban streets and squares have a dual function: as links in transport networks and as places for accommodating urban life. In this paper an integrated approach of urban design of the public domain is developed, highlighting the layers multimodal mobility planning can provide for the design. The approach is shown on the basis of some cases for the city of Peja (Kosovo). The designs of two strategic elements in the urban network, the railway station boulevard and the Haxhi Zeka Square as well as a district collector street within the Zatra living area are described. These design projects were elaborated by a mixed international and local team, working together in design studios within the frame of the 'MOBKOS' cooperation project (www.mobkos.eu). This project was co financed by the Flemish and the Kosovar Governments in the period 2009-2011. A well the structured road categorisation system and urban parking strategy are determining elements of the design. But even so a 'soft spine' accommodating walking and biking routes and a new system of urban bus routes are important layers of the design. The paper doesn't call for a traffic engineering dominated design. It is gradually understood that the prevailing 'city for cars' practices in Kosovo (that had already shown its limits in Pristine) would lead Peja into a dead end street. That is why concepts such as urban boulevards, 'shared spaces', green trails... are used in the designs. The same international team is preparing design studios in the city of Shkodra in Albania

Raising awareness of local decision makers on spatial planning through the treatment of informal settlements - Peja case

Spatial and inclusive planning after 1999 has faced many challenges as a result of the inadequate professional preparation of local institutions in Kosovo. Lack of knowledge of inclusive approaches, non-contemporary methodologies used in the spatial planning process, emergent periods for reconstruction, lack of professional capacity, lack of budget and lack of political interest were just some of the challenges that spatial planning has faced in Kosovo municipalities. Strategic and inclusive planning approaches are not well accepted by local staff; on the contrary, the transition from conventional planning to strategic and inclusive planning was difficult and not easily acceptable. The Municipality of Peja as a pioneer in taking steps to move forward from the conventional planning process to the strategic one has successfully succeeded in drafting the spatial plans in line with the Kosovo spatial planning legal framework, but the success story has not been complete. It took even more time, commitment and budget to continue the processes up to the urban regulatory level. Following the recommendations and activities from the approved spatial development plans has forced Peja Municipality to approach the implementation process. The challenging approach to treat informal settlements, based on local human capacity and successfully finalizing the processes has made decision makers in Peja to continue to support spatial planning towards sustainable development. The process of taxing informal settlements by the process of issuing construction permits has had a positive impact on budget fulfillment which are then converted into capital investment projects, financed by the municipality or co-financed with various international programs. The partnership built between local institutions and the community has helped local government design social, economic and environmental community-based projects that have been supported by the community during the design process and during project implementation. After the projects were finalized the welfare and quality of life of the families increased, a pro-active community was built, local institutions built transparency in spending the local budget. A triangle of partnership has been built between the community, the municipality and international organizations that have co-financed the projects and this example has had a positive impact on the development of other urban areas in Peja

9. Digital Technologies - The Future Way of Learning in Higher Education

Digitalization trends have moved forward with accelerated steps, surrounding all spheres of our lives with the provision of light services, faster and less expensive communications, more functions, and a great influence on increasing quality of life. In developed countries, digitization of education is seen as one of the priority goals for achieving sustainable development. Higher education is an essential pillar in developing new knowledge economies for the twenty-first century, and Kosovo national authorities are strategically oriented toward the digitalization of higher education. Digitization includes a wide range of activities ranging from lecturers, group work lectures, and inclusion in individual or group study, and exams as an integral part of the revolutionization of higher education. The period of COVID19 has pushed forward the digitization of education in many countries of the world. In Kosovo, this was the period that established the dividing boundaries between the traditional multi-century teaching eras with the new digital era. This period is also characterized by the challenges faced by teaching and learning in the use of efficient digitized methods. This paper explores the impact of digitization on teaching and learning, specifically in medicine and architecture. Also, this work is intended to offer a model of how digital transformation can be used to build competitive advantages for universities. Based on the condition of the accreditation agency and the standards of the International Society for Technology in Education, we can say that the use of software and artistic methods in teaching processes affects the development and advancement of young people

6. Urban Development of University Campus and Quality Aspects of Artistic Education: A Case Study of Peja

Kosovo after the 1999 conflict was in a social, economic and environmental disadvantage. The creation of peace and stability depended on many actors such as UNMIK, whose mission was to achieve the overall goal of providing security and the normal living of all peoples in Kosovo and to achieve stability in South East Europe and the Balkans respectively. The research conducted in this paper reflects quality aspects in urban development of university campus and quality aspects of artistic education, especially in art, architecture, creativity, and regular meetings with focus groups, especially with residents of all settlements in Peja. The research methods consist of empirical observation in academia, observation of teaching methods, and promoting healthy academic campuses. Research concludes paper indicate that through urban development of university campus in Peja and quality aspects of artistic education in teaching methods as contemporary learning strategies strengthened with informal meeting places for education, can effectively present a urban plan methodology, hence, which can bring more clarity to the academia campuses and contemporary labor market. Furthermore, new academia campuses must involve a new closeness, a brand-new teaching method, as a response to the future contemporary academic objectives strengthened with a quality aspect of artistic education, for which Peja municipality are very well known. Peja has had and actually has the two artistic branches with legacy in education, such are the school of Fine Arts and the school of Music. The two schools in which has attended the dozen renowned Kosovar artists, who now live and work across Europe