Others on us

on: 21 Sep 2016

Staffordshire University

Prof. Iraj Hashi

I have been associated with Riinvest Institute since 1998 and visited them several times each year since then. I have worked with them on a variety of research projects, conferences and educational activities such as Summer Schools. I have seen them move from one place to another every few years and noticed new faces each time I visited them. I have seen them grow not only in numbers but more importantly in the quality of their work and maturity of their young staff. I have seen the leadership of the Institute transferred from the older generation, the founders, to the new generation who worked their way through the ranks, developing their knowledge, qualifications and skills on the way. While in earlier years, they relied very much on the help of foreign consultants for their projects, they gradually developed their own skills and became more capable and self-confident so that the bulk of their work is now done by themselves without any foreign consultants.

This has been a remarkable journey for Riinvest Institute, its founders, its past and present leaders and its staff. Over the years, the Institute has been a training ground for many young Kosovars who worked there for a few years and moved on to other institutions and companies where they made use of what they learnt at Riinvest. Riinvest Institute has been fantastic at investment in human capital and though it has not always benefited from its investment directly, it has made a significant contribution to raising the intellectual and academic level of several generation of researchers and academics in Kosovo.

Three factors have made Riinvest special for me. First, they have always worked with integrity and independence and never succumbed to political influences and pressures. They have not been dependent on the Government of the day and, therefore, have been able to pursue their project objectives without worrying about the reaction of the government or the funders to their investigations. They may have paid a price for their independence and integrity but it has been worth it.

Second, they have always been willing to support their young staff to improve their knowledge and raise their intellectual level and become better researchers. Even though many of them left the Institute after gaining higher qualifications, this did not stop the Institute supporting the next generation of their staff. On the contrary, they continued to offer opportunities for self-improvement to their staff irrespective of whether or not they will remain in the Institute. Not many institutions here in Kosovo or in Western countries are so generous with their staff. But then, not many institutions in Kosovo or in Western countries command such respect and affection by their present and former staff.

Third, Riinvest has also played the role of a serious civil society organisation, encouraging the involvement of citizens in debating issues which have had significant impact on the society and raising the public awareness of these issues – ranging from alternative methods of privatisation of socially owned companies in the early 2000s, corporate governance of banks and large POEs in late 2000s, and now the current debate on the Trepca Mining Complex. This is a service to the society which has not been offered by other organisations.

In the last 20 years, Riinvest Institute has gone from strength or strength, expanded the scope and quality of its work significantly and, most importantly and to its founders’ credit, the younger generation have taken over the running of the Institute. It has made a significant contribution to Kosovo’s human capital and economic development. I congratulate the founders, represented by Professor Muhamt Mustafa and the new generation of leaders, represented by Dr. Lumir Abdixhiku. May your good work continue for many years to come.

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