From 11^th to 17^th November 2023 the project DualAFS enabled some professors and staff from Nuertingen-Geislingen University (NGU) to be part of a staff mobility to Kosovo and Albania. Prof. Dr. Winter, Ines Maurmann, Sara Goth, Heiko Eßlinger and Sara Pfaff travelled to Kosovo and Albania. Prof. Dr. Braun joined the travel in Tirana, Albania.

We started our one-week journey in Kosovo in Prishtina. On Sunday, 12^th, The rectorate and staff of the university of Mitrovica (UMIB) showed us the new laboratories for food-sciences and the hybrid classroom which was an achievement of the DualAFS project and is now in daily use. In the city museum of Mitrovica we got insights in history and culture of Kosovo, especially Mitrovica. On our way to Prishtina we got to see two dairy farms and had the chance to get into conversation with the local farmers.

At the university of Prishtina (UP) we had the privilege to give some lectures on 13^th November about current research of NGU projects, dealing with animal welfare and German agricultural industry. The exchange with students from UP was beneficial for the awareness in agricultural and agronomical differences between Germany and Kosovo.

At the university of Tirana (AUT) we took part in a workshop called “Developments in Livestock Feeding, Husbandry & Welfare”. We gave our lectures about our current research to veterinary students from AUT and practicing veterinarians. During the final conference of the DualAFS project, we met the other project participants from the Savonia university of Finland, the University of Korca, Albania (UNIKO), AUT, UP, UIBM, NGU and other Working Life partners from Albania and Kosovo. Prof. Dr. Braun gave more insights into different ways for improving and integrating practice parts within the curricula of the agriculture Master’s programme at NGU. Hearing about the achievements of the DualAFS project, the impact and futural challenges and having fruitful conversations with (inter-)national participants broadened our horizon and was such a great experience.

Beside the conferences we visited – together with the other project partners – the Skenderbeg tomb in Lezha, a company which produces natural casings and animal by-products, the Petrela castle in Tirana, the Apollinia exhibition, a milk processing factory and the city Berat. These excursions gave deep insights into Albanian history, culture and agribusiness.

We are very thankful that we were able to do this staff mobility – a huge thanks to DualAFS and Erasmus+!

All the experiences and encounters with people from Kosovo, Albania and Finland were beneficial for us and our work at NGU. We are looking forward to further possibilities to work and to do further research with partners in Albania and Kosovo in the future.