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Navigating Global Rankings and Local Realities: Rethinking Quality Assurance in Pakistani Higher Education
No full textUniversity rankings have become an important part of how colleges and universities around the world are run. These results have a bigger effect on how universities in Pakistan handle quality assurance, make rules, and use resources. This study looks at how universities in Pakistan are ranked globally and how that affects their quality assurance policies and procedures. This shows what happens at the administrative and academic levels as a result. A qualitative, multi-case study method was used, and 20 top managers from four public and private universities in Pakistan were interviewed in an unplanned manner. A theme was used to analyze the data and identify trends and topics that kept emerging. As you can see, global ranks are now a big part of setting leadership KPIs and figuring out how to spend money. Some things have changed in order to get a better grade: QA duties, study goals, and data accessibility. But these changes also make HEC rules harder to follow, increase managers\u27 workload, and add to teachers\u27 stress. They may even lead to a move away from making teaching and community service core academic goals. The study emphasizes to colleges the importance it being competitive on a global level while also meeting the needs of students in their own country. To make higher education more open to both global and local ideas, the paper suggests using quality assurance methods tailored to each situation, involving more parties, and simplifying the compliance process
Adoption of Financial Technology (FinTech) in Businesses in Kosovo: Owners’ Readiness to Use Digital Payments
No full textThis paper addresses the adoption of financial technology in businesses in Kosovo, focusing on the readiness of business owners to use digital payments. The main challenges stem from the fact that, despite positive developments such as the digitalization of the banking system, the majority of business transactions are still conducted in cash. The study combines a literature review of theoretical models of technology acceptance (TAM, UTAUT, TPB, TOE, etc.) and the drivers/barriers identified in various countries with empirical research conducted in Kosovo. A total of 150 surveys were carried out with business owners across different sectors and regions of Kosovo. The results show that perceived usefulness and trust in technology have a significantly positive impact on readiness for adoption. Organizational factors such as the owner’s technological capabilities and business characteristics (e.g., being a startup) also influence the level of adoption. Overall, most hypotheses were confirmed: businesses that see concrete benefits and feel confident in using digital payments are much more willing to adopt them compared to those concerned about costs, risks, or who prefer cash transactions. The study concludes with practical recommendations for key stakeholders - banks, FinTech providers, and policymakers - to raise awareness, strengthen trust, and improve infrastructure for cashless payments. The paper contributes both to academic literature on FinTech adoption and offers concrete implications for increasing the use of digital payments in Kosovo
Relationship Between Inflation, Economic Growth and Unemployment: Empirical Analysis for Balkan Countries
No full textThis study explores the relationship between economic growth, inflation and unemployment. The empirical analysis of the study is based on a panel of data for the Balkan countries covering the period from 1990 to 2025. The study, in addition to examining the relationship between economic growth, inflation and unemployment, will also test the causal relationship between them. To determine this relationship and to support the study hypotheses, various econometric models have been applied, such as: Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Fixed Effects, Random Effects and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM)
The Role of External Audit in Improving the Quality of Financial Statements and Financial Sustainability of LLCs in Kosovo
No full textNowadays, we have an ever-increasing attention to issues related to the role of external auditing in ensuring the quality of financial reports and the financial stability of businesses, given that LLCs are among the most widespread forms of businesses in our country. This paper will investigate the relations between external auditing, financial reporting quality and financial sustainability by identifying key financial performance indicators derived from the results calculated from financial reports. For a firm to operate in a competitive and dynamic market, financial sustainability is very important for the long-term stability of the company. This study is based on an empirical and analytical approach to understand the impact of external auditing on the quality of financial reports and the financial sustainability of LLCs. The sample will include 150 LLCs which will be selected based on the annual turnover of audited financial statements. From the analysis of the results of the work, we can conclude that increasing the effectiveness of external auditing has a significant impact on the quality of financial reports and financial transparency of businesses, making fair accountability to stakeholders increase trust and influence the strengthening of internal capacities, enabling better financial risk management
Newspapers Printed in Albanian Language in Kosovo and the News On Cultural Events
No full textConsidering the case of Albanian cultural news in Kosovo (Albanians in Kosovo constitute about 97% of the population), this paper discusses the inclusion of cultural news in written journalism. Until 2020, four daily newspapers in the Albanian language were published in Kosovo. As of 2020, no printed newspaper is operating. Therefore, we have considered two printed newspapers: Koha Ditore and Epoka e Re and we have presented culture-related news as a set of practices through which knowledge is obtained and cultural events are perceived. Empirically, we analyzed media coverage of culture in two newspapers published from 2000 to 2020. The newspapers were owned by private individuals and share the same market. From the quantitative analysis of the content, it appears that these two newspapers have also given the right place to news from culture. The way editors present cultural events differ in these two newspapers and each of them claims and justifies their knowledge of cultural events in Kosovo, in the region and in the world. The presentation of cultural news is more influenced by the difference between local and global journalistic perception, mainly through direct versus indirect access
Applying Lasso Regression for Property Price Prediction in Emerging Markets: An Empirical Study of Prishtina\u27s Real Estate Sector
No full textThis study employs Lasso Regression (LR) to forecast apartment prices in Prishtina, analyzing a dataset of 1,468 transactions from the Kosovo Department of Property Taxes (2019-2023). Focusing on variables like distance to the central business district and apartment size, LR was selected for its ability to perform feature selection and regularization, applied using Python. The preliminary model included variables such as distance to central business district, distance from main road leading to central business district, size, floor, distance from bus stations, distance from ambulances, distance from schools, distance from green spaces, income status of inhabitants per apartment, and distance from public parking and after feature selection and regularization excluded variables such as the distance from the main road leading to the CBD, distance from bus stations, distance from ambulances and schools, and distance from public parking The methodology involved evaluating model accuracy with metrics such as Mean Squared Error and Coefficient of Determination. Emphasizing LR\u27s feature selection, significant predictors were identified, streamlining the model and offering insights into Prishtina\u27s property price determinants, highlighting LR\u27s effectiveness in feature selection in the context of emerging markets real estate valuation. The Lasso Regression model applied to Prishtina\u27s apartment prices demonstrated moderate predictive accuracy, with an R² of 0.501, indicating it captures about half of the market\u27s variability. Performance metrics, including MAE, RMSE, and MSE, underscore the trade-off between model simplicity and precision. Despite lacking a direct feature importance ranking, Lasso\u27s feature selection capability identifies key variables, offering insights into Prishtina\u27s real estate market. This study highlights the potential of Lasso Regression in feature selection and regularization within emerging markets, showcasing its strength in simplifying complex datasets for enhanced interpretability and actionable insights, thus marking a significant contribution to the field by suggesting to integrate Lasso regression with other ML models for better predictive accuracy
Labor Rights and Financial Implications for SMEs in Kosovo during the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for developing economies, fundamentally testing the resilience of labor market structures and the adaptability of the workforce. In Kosovo, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which represent the cornerstone of the national economy, were disproportionately impacted by stringent public health restrictions, limited access to finance, and persistent uncertainty. This study seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the extent to which labor rights and social protection mechanisms were exercised during the pandemic, as well as to assess the broader financial and socio-economic implications for SMEs. The findings indicate pervasive informality in employment relations, coupled with significant barriers to accessing state support schemes. More than 60% of workers experienced temporary or permanent job loss, while a considerable number of enterprises reported severe financial distress, in many cases leading to insolvency due to their inability to sustain payroll obligations Nevertheless, a subset of businesses that adopted flexible work arrangements or engaged in minimal digital transformation demonstrated relative resilience, developing adaptive models that enabled continuity under crisis conditions.The study underscores the critical need for institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the enforcement of labor rights, enhancing social protection coverage, and establishing more effective state intervention mechanisms to mitigate risks in future emergencies
Factor Wages, Rents, and Real Estate Prices: Assessing Housing Affordability in Kosovo through an EU Comparative Lens
No full textConside This paper examines housing affordability in Prishtina, Kosovo’s Capital City through an empirical analysis of income levels, rent burdens, and property prices. Drawing on data for average and minimum salaries alongside housing costs, it assesses the affordability gap facing low-income households. The findings show that in Prishtina, where the average housing price is €1,250/m², a minimum-wage earner would need about 15 years of net pay to purchase a 50 m² flat, nearly the same as 12 years in the EU. With realistic savings rates (20 %), the time to purchase a 50 m² flat in Kosovo requires extends to 18,4 years. Despite Kosovo’s significantly lower property values, low wages and disproportionate rents make both renting and ownership highly restrictive. Rent absorbs around 63% of an average salary in Kosovo, and thus in Prishtina, compared to 41% in the EU Capitals. These dynamics constrain household spending on health, education, and well-being, highlighting the urgency of policies promoting affordable housing and sustainable urban development
Material Imagination: A Sketch for an Atmospheric Sculpture
No full textThis paper seeks to construct a symbiotic relationship between discursive and artistic practices. In essence, it brings to light the implications of emerging forms of artistic expression and examines how these forms are conceptualized within a broader discursive horizon. Grounded in this intentional syntony between art and discourse, the paradigmatic shift that reconfigures our mode of perception is illuminated through the lens of phenomenology, which raises a fundamental and pressing question: “What is visible in the thing, and what is the visibility of the thing?” (Merleau-Ponty). The attempt to address these questions guides us toward a more expansive understanding of visibility—an understanding situated within a horizon that is neither confined to space or time, nor entirely external to them, but rather, manifests as a topography, a landscape that remains as yet unexplored. This new theoretical context created enables us to grasp new sculptural forms, which, perhaps in accordance with contemporary trends, can be seen in what is known as “fog sculpture.” However, beyond this artistic trend stands the work of our artist, Burim Berisha, who challenges us with what we might define as “atmospheric sculpture.” Drawing on Bachelard’s discursive tool of material imagination, this form of art penetrates an intimate topology, where both the used and imagined materials speak for themselves. These are not closed forms; rather, they invite us into agony between perception and sensibility. Berisha’s approach is not traditional — it is innovative. It consists of a fourfold practice: the use of everyday materials, words, sound, and smoke. This mode of artistic manifestation embodies temporality, a fracture of memory that is both personal and collective. Ultimately the form of atmospheric sculpture does not allow us to observe it from a distance — on the contrary, it invites us to see through it, with it, and within it
DASISedu’ Program for Seismic Response History Analysis of 2D Frame Structures with Different Seismic Protection Systems
No full textOver the past decades, a lot of effort has been put in studying the mechanical behavior of various base isolation and energy dissipation devices subjected to a range of extreme design situations. This led to the development of validated theories that can describe the dynamic behavior of various seismic base isolators (with the lead-rubber and friction pendulum isolators being amongst the most prominent types used in USA). The authors of this paper took these developed theories as basis for developing the so called ‘DASISedu’ computer program for interactive simulation of the dynamic behavior of typical planar structures (both multistory building frames and bridges) integrated with various seismic isolators and/or energy dissipators. This paper discusses the modelling and analysis features of the DASISedu program using a typical 2D frame structure. Furthermore it shows comparative results between DASISedu and SAP2000 programs as means of verifying the correctness of results obtained in DASISedu