University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service will host Dr. Gazmend “Gazi” Zeneli, professor of environmental policy at the University Marin Barleti in Tirana, Albania, August 24 through September 20. Dr. Zeneli’s visit is made possible by a faculty exchange program the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service has with the University of Marin Barleti. Dr. Zeneli’s visit marks the second time the Clinton School has hosted a scholar from the University Marin Barleti. This will be Dr. Zeneli’s first trip to Arkansas.
Dr. Zeneli has led various projects in his home country, including the Albanian National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2014-2020 and the Annual Environmental Performance Audit of the Natural Resources Development Project. He has published and presented more than 70 articles and scientific papers in the field of forestry and environment (including publications in Tree Physiology and Oecologia).
He will be presenting a public lecture at the Clinton School on September 3 at noon. His talk will center on the question of “Is there hope for the global environment in the long run?” and focus on EU policies and laws related to global ecological changes. Other visits, meetings, and presentations are being planned in collaboration with the University of Arkansas Monticello’s School of Forestry and Natural Resources, the Arkansas Forestry Commission, and Arkansas Forestry Association, the USDA Forest Service, and the Nature Conservancy.
“’ Having Dr. Zaneli represents a unique opportunity for Clinton School students, faculty, and staff, as well as others throughout Arkansas,” said Dean Skip Rutherford. “I am grateful to Dr. Christy Standerfer who has been instrumental in both arranging his visit and establishing the faculty exchange program with University Marin Barleti.”
Dr. Zeneli received a Ph.D. in Ecology from Friedrich Schiller University in Jena (Germany) after several years of research at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena (Germany). Prior to that, he earned an M.Sc. in Natural Products Chemistry from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (Greece) and a degree of Diploma Engineer in Forestry from the Faculty of Forestry Sciences in Tirana (Albania).
He has served as Dean of the Faculty of Integrated Studies with Practice in Durres, Albania; acting Director of the Barleti Institute of Research and Development in Tirana; and acting Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University Marin Barleti.
About the Clinton School of Public Service
The first school in the nation to offer a Master of Public Service (MPS) degree, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service gives students the knowledge and experience to further their careers in the areas of nonprofit, governmental, volunteer or private sector service. The school embodies President Clinton’s vision of building leadership in civic engagement and enhancing people’s capacity to work across disciplinary, racial, ethnic and geographical boundaries. More information about the Clinton School is available at www.clintonschool.uasys.edu.
About University Marin Barleti and Albanian Institute of Public Affairs
Universiteti Marin Barleti is a private institution of higher education in Albania named after the 15th-century historian/humanist, Marin Barleti, author of the historical account of the Skanderbeg epics. The university was established in 2005 by Marin Barleti Ltd., which is part of DUDAJ Group. Its mission is to raise the standards of a higher level of education within Albania. The university is governed by a board of some of the most respected names in Albanian, including the former president of the country, Rexhep Mejdani.
The Albanian Institute for Public Affairs, housed within the University Marin Barleti, is a recently established (2011) non-for-profit institution, that doesn’t pursue any political, commercial, business, or religious agenda. AIPA is committed to making a real impact on the democratization process of Albanian society, through improving the process of policy-making in Albania at a local and central level, enhancing capacity-building, and strengthening public participation in all social activities with a public interest.
More information about the University Marin Barleti and the Albanian Institute of Public Affairs is available at http://www.umb.edu.al
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