SEEU Welcomes Back Two New Graduates from University of Birmingham

South East European University (SEEU) is happy to welcome back Albinota Nuredini and Vlera Ismaili, two of our graduates who have recently completed their Master’s in Air Pollution Management and Control at the University of Birmingham, funded by the McCall MacBain Clean Air Fellowship. Their return is part of SEEU’s ongoing efforts to encourage highly skilled graduates to bring their knowledge and expertise back to their Alma Mater.

Albinota and Vlera now join several other SEEU alumni who have completed their studies abroad and returned to contribute to the university. In recent years, SEEU also welcomed back Lejla Ademi from the University of Birmingham, Fortesa Asani from the London School of Economics and Political Science and Mennan Selimi from the University of Cambridge.

At the University of Birmingham, Albinota worked on air pollution in North Macedonia, focusing specifically on the Kercove region. Her research looked at the environmental and health impacts of pollution caused by local industry, vehicle emissions, and the region’s geography. By analyzing air quality data, Albinota was able to identify key pollution sources and their impact on the population. During her studies, Albinota attended the Air Quality Conference organized by The Knowledge Exchange Group, where she earned a CPD certificate, further building her expertise in the field.

Vlera focused her master’s research on predicting air quality in Tetovo, analyzing data from 2019 to 2023. In her analysis, she aimed to forecast air pollution levels and help tackle local air quality issues. Vlera also attended the 2024 Northern Air Quality Conference in Manchester, where she engaged with policymakers and researchers working on solutions to air pollution. She gained additional experience through her collaboration with the Clean Air Fund (CAF), learning from experts dedicated to improving air quality.

At SEEU, Albinota will become part of the Environment and Health Research Group (EHG) at the Max van der Stoel Institute, where she will focus on addressing environmental challenges. Meanwhile, Vlera will join the Distributed Systems and Data Science research group (DSG), working on the technological and systems-related aspects of tackling these issues. Additionally both of them will take active part in the implementation of European Alliance project – ChallengeEU specifically on green transition activities scheduled to begin January 2025.

We are happy to have both Albinota and Vlera back with us at SEEU and look forward to seeing how their research and experience will contribute to addressing environmental challenges in our region. Their return is a testament to SEEU’s commitment to nurturing talented individuals who are ready to make a difference.