AGJENCIA KOMBETARE E KERKIMIT SHKENCOR DHE INOVACIONIT

Their core work

NASRI is Albania's National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation, responsible for coordinating national research policy and connecting Albanian researchers with European opportunities. Their primary operational role in H2020 has been running the Albanian node of the EURAXESS network — facilitating researcher mobility, career development, and cross-border research services. They also serve as a National Contact Point (NCP) for ICT-related EU funding programmes, helping Albanian institutions navigate and access Horizon 2020 calls.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

NASRI's early H2020 involvement (2015-2018) centered on EURAXESS researcher mobility services with a strong emphasis on career development, gender equality, and engagement with industry. In the 2019-2021 period, they broadened into ICT National Contact Point activities through Idealist2020, while continuing EURAXESS work with a shift toward piloting new talent hub models. The trajectory shows an organization moving from basic network participation toward more structured service delivery roles.

NASRI is evolving from a passive EURAXESS network member toward a more active service hub, piloting talent-matching infrastructure — a useful partner for projects needing Balkan research ecosystem access.

How they like to work

NASRI always participates as a partner, never as coordinator, which is typical for national agencies from smaller EU-associated countries operating in large support-action consortia. Their 72 unique partners across 42 countries indicate they work within very broad pan-European networks rather than building deep bilateral relationships. Working with NASRI means gaining access to the Albanian research ecosystem through an institutional gateway — expect facilitation and local coordination rather than technical research contributions.

NASRI has collaborated with 72 partners across 42 countries, almost entirely through large pan-European EURAXESS and NCP networks. This gives them touchpoints across nearly all EU and associated countries, though these are broad network ties rather than deep research partnerships.

What sets them apart

NASRI is Albania's institutional gateway to European research networks — one of very few Albanian organizations with sustained H2020 participation. For consortium builders needing geographic coverage in the Western Balkans or Widening Country participation, NASRI offers an established contact point with a track record across multiple framework programme cycles. Their value lies in local ecosystem access and policy coordination, not in technical research capacity.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EURAXESS TOP III
  Their largest funded project (EUR 27,875), marking Albania's formal integration into the pan-European researcher mobility network.
• EURAXESS Hubs
  Their most recent project, piloting a new talent hub model — signals a shift from passive network membership to active service delivery.
• Idealist2020
  Their only non-EURAXESS project, demonstrating capacity to operate as an ICT National Contact Point beyond researcher mobility.