On November 4th, 2025, the “Fehmi Agani” University in Gjakova celebrated a significant milestone in higher education within Kosovo, becoming the first institution in the country to integrate its official domain @uni-gjk.org into the services and licenses of the Kosovo Research and Education Network (KREN). This achievement, once deemed technically unfeasible, was realized through an intensive six-month effort by the university’s IT Office, in collaboration with the KREN team and with support from the SHER project, which provided the essential expertise for this integration.

On the same day, a comprehensive training session was conducted within the university premises, led by the SHER project expert, Mr. Albert Aliu. During this session, practical methods for utilizing KREN network services were demonstrated, alongside the advantages they offer to academic institutions. As a result of this integration, staff and students of “Fehmi Agani” University in Gjakova now have access to Microsoft licenses and all KREN network services without the need for new email addresses or migration to the Microsoft platform.

This pragmatic solution enables the full utilization of KREN services while preserving the existing Google domain (@uni-gjk.org), representing a crucial step toward harnessing the vast digital potential in academia, research, and administrative operations within the university.

The university’s Rector, Professor Assoc. Dr. Drilon Bunjaku, emphasized that immediately upon assuming his mandate, he identified the underutilization of KREN resources due to incompatibilities between the Google platform and the Microsoft system. Following visits to KREN offices in ITP Prizren and ongoing collaboration with SHER project representatives, a technical resolution was achieved that facilitated this successful integration.

“Thanks to the close cooperation between the university’s IT Office, the KREN team, and the SHER project experts, a complete integration was realized without the need for the university to transition to the Microsoft platform. This accomplishment exemplifies the power of vision and collaboration in maximizing the digital potential within higher education in Kosovo,” declared Bunjaku.

Furthermore, Rector Bunjaku expressed his gratitude to the SHER project leader, Mr. Aqim Emurli; representative Mr. Nehat Dervishi; and expert Mr. Albert Aliu for their support and contributions throughout the process. He also commended the professionalism and dedication demonstrated by the UFAGJ IT Office staff, Mr. Arbër Krypa and Mr. Amir Sahatqija. Additionally, he thanked the KREN director, Mr. Atif Basani, for their constructive partnership in this joint achievement.

Mr. Nehat Dervishi of the SHER project highlighted, “It is with great pleasure that we supported the ‘Fehmi Agani’ University in Gjakova through this process, and we are delighted that our collaboration has yielded tangible results. The SHER project will continue to support initiatives that enhance the digital capacities of higher education institutions across Kosovo.”

The management of “Fehmi Agani” University remains committed and views this milestone as an integral part of the ongoing digital transformation strategy aimed at improving services for students, staff, and the broader academic community.