Venera Demukaj Headshot

Venera Demukaj

Assistant Professor

RIT Kosovo

Venera Demukaj

Assistant Professor

RIT Kosovo

Bio

Dr. Venera Demukaj is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Kosovo.  She has a Ph.D. in Political Economy with a focus on foreign aid in post-war countries. She teaches Development Economics; Natural Resource Economics; Environmental Economics; International Trade and Finance; and Senior Capstone.  Dr. Demukaj also coordinates and supervises Honors students’ research projects. In addition to teaching, Dr Demukaj has also participated in administrative duties, serving as an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs during 2021-2023. 

In 2015 she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and spent four months as a visiting scholar at West Virginia University with a focus on energy sector developments. Dr Demukaj has also been involved in several national and regional projects as a team leader or principal investigator. Currently she is leading STEM for ALL STEFORA project co-financed by the Erasmus+ program focused on capacity building of HEIs for STEM education.  

Dr. Demukaj is a member of the Advisory Board of the GAP Institute in Prishtina and a member of the CEFTA LSEE Academic Network in London. Her main research interests are post-conflict transitions; foreign aid; diversity, inclusion, and women empowerment.

Select Scholarship

Selected publications??????????????????

2023. “Gender Stereotypes and Women Participation in STEM Fields in the Western Balkans: A Scoping Review” with Ferati, Mexhid & Kurti, Erdelina & Mörtberg, Christina & Shahrabi, Kamal & Kerolli-Mustafa, Mihone. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies. 12. 228. 10.36941/ajis-2023-0044. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2023-0044

2022. “Challenges and Opportunities for Women Studying STEM” with Ferati, Mexhid & Kurti, Arianit & Mörtberg Christina. Published in: ICT Innovations 2022. Reshaping the Future Towards a New Normal. ICT Innovations 2022: 14th International Conference, ICT Innovations 2022, Skopje, Macedonia, September 29 – October 1, 2022 / [ed] Zdravkova, K., Basnarkov, L., Springer, 2022, Vol. 1740, p. 147-157.

2021. “Does aid fuel corruption? New evidence from a cross-country analysis” with Albian Krasniqi.  Development Studies Research, 8:1, 122-134, DOI: 10.1080/21665095.2021.1919538.

2019. “Gender Stereotypes and Educational Choices in Kosovo” with Edona Maloku and Anyla Beqa. Research report. Center for Social Studies and Sustainable Development, Prishtina. 

 

2019. “Regional Integration, Trade and Development in the Balkans: A Dynamic Poisson Approach” with Luca J. Uberti. LSEE-CEFTA Research Papers on International Trade. Research Paper No. 3. 

 

2018. Book chapter: Poverty, Inequality and Foreign Aid published in Kosovo’s Economy. Original title in Albanian: Varferia, Pabarazia dhe Ndihma e Jashtme në “Ekonomia e Kosoves”. Riinvest, Prishtina. 

 

2015. “When corruptive behavior becomes a rule, not an exception: Use of abusive practices for private benefit in higher education institutions in Kosovo” with Edona Maloku. Proceeding of the International Conference on Good Governance in Developing Countries’. Faculty of Economy, University of Tirana. ISBN: 978-99956-95-49-1

2014. “The political economy of regulation in post-war Kosovo: intended and unintended consequences of external actors’ involvement – Introduction” with Nicolas LeMay-Hebert, Luca J. Uberti. Eastern European Politics, as part of the themed symposium under the same name 

 

 

Selected Projects

2023 – 2024. “STEM for ALL STEFORA” co-financed by Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. Capacity Building in Higher Education, STRAND 1. Project coordinator. 

2020 - 2022. “Generation Z enters STEM” supported by the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education. Project lead by Linnaeus University in Sweden. Co- principal investigator.

2018 - 2019. “Gender Stereotypes and educational choices in Kosovo” supported by Swiss Development Cooperation. Co- principal investigator.

2018 - 2019. “Increasing participation of Kosovar girls in STEM education through information workshops, online platform, and mentoring” supported by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. Principal investigator.

2012 – 2013. “Economic Development and Political Transition in Kosovo” supported by USAID BEEP/Balkan Trust for Democracy. Principal Investigator.

2012-2013. “Education Specific Corruption in Western Balkans” as part of the Regional Research Promotion Project (RRPP). Team leader for Kosovo.

 Scholarships and Awards

October 2016. First Prize for the Best Paper Competition (co-authored with Luca J. Uberti). The “Best Paper” competition was launched by the Research Unit of South Eastern Europe at the London School of Economics (LSE) supported by the Secretariat and the CEFTA Chair Office.

April-August, 2015. Fulbright Scholarship Award—Visiting Scholar Program. West Virginia University. Focus of the program: Energy sector development in Kosovo.

 May 2013. Scholar of the Year, RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) 

February – May 2010. Ph.D. Internship Program. United Nations University-World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) Helsinki, Finland.

September 2007 – December 2010. University of Trento, Italy. Three-year merit-based scholarship, doctoral program in International Studies.

February 2004 – July 2005. Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Scholarship.

Currently Teaching

ECON-405
3 Credits
This course first surveys the sources of comparative advantage. It then analyzes commercial policy and analyzes the welfare economics of trade between countries. Some attention is paid to the institutional aspects of the world trading system. Finally, the course introduces the student to some salient notions in international finance such as national income accounting, the balance of payments, and exchange rates.
ECON-421
3 Credits
This course develops an economic perspective on one of the most important and challenging issues facing global society: the allocation, use, and preservation of natural resources. The course presents and discusses the methodology economists use to inform natural resource managers and policy makers. Economic thought and analysis are used to evaluate a variety of issues in this area. The course concludes with a brief discussion of the interdisciplinary aspects of natural resource management.
ECON-448
3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to development economics, which focuses on the problems and challenges faced typically but not exclusively by the developing countries. In this course we will study the economic transformation of developing countries by focusing on the characteristics of land, labor and credit markets in rural areas of developing countries. We will survey the large literature on modeling economic growth and discuss relevant case studies from developing countries.
ECON-520
3 Credits
This course examines the relationship and apparent conflict between economic growth and environmental quality, the economics of environmental issues and policy, the environment as a resource and a public good, and the ability and lack of ability of free markets and the government to deal adequately with pollution and other environmental problems.
PROF-770
0 Credits
This course guides the student through preparation of the Capstone Proposal that is required for the applied final course of his/her MS in professional studies degree - the Capstone Project. Student will determine a Capstone Project concept, and articulate the methods for implementing the Capstone Project. The course concludes with a paper describing the Capstone Project, including background and description, methodology, anticipated outcomes, and probable Capstone Adviser. Student will meet regularly with the course facilitator. Upon successful completion of this course, student will be registered for the Capstone Project. (Pre-requisites: PROF-705 and core coursework; course restricted to MS in professional studies students)
PROF-775
1 - 6 Credits
The capstone course for students enrolled in the MS in professional studies degree program. With individualized advising from a faculty adviser, students participate in a real world problem solving project carried out in an organizational setting while also relating to a student’s professional concentrations. Course requirements involve completing a literature review, writing a project proposal, engaging in online discussion with faculty adviser and other SOIS capstone students, various kinds of field work, writing full draft and final academic report and making a (Powerpoint) presentation. Registration completed on behalf of students following faculty review of acceptable capstone project proposal. (Prof 770; Department approval)
SOIS-500
3 Credits
This course focuses on a project that demonstrates how the student’s multidisciplinary plan of study has prepared him/her for future academic and career activities. Students will integrate their multidisciplinary concentrations through a capstone project and supplementary exercises. The student will execute his/her identified project and prepare the finished project for public presentation and review by an approved Client or Subject Matter Expert, SME. Additional emphasis will be placed on the acquisition of networking and similar professional skills such as interviewing techniques, research techniques, and making use of academic, business, and personal networks.
SOIS-510
3 Credits
A capstone class for students in the applied arts and sciences bachelor of science degree program. Course provides students an opportunity to reflect upon and enhance the many aspects of their individualized educational programs and focus on future goals.

In the News

  • March 14, 2023

    RIT Kosovo (A.U.K.) attended the Global Governance Summit at RIT Dubai

    The RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) President, Kamal Shahrabi and RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) Faculty, Albina Balidemaj, Robert Muharremi, and Venera Demukaj participated in the Global Governance Summit held at RIT Dubai. 
    The event gathered representatives from the Academic Senates and the Presidents from the Rochester Campus in New York and the global campuses in China, Croatia, Kosovo, and the United Arab Emirates.  

  • April 7, 2022

    Streamlining Curricular Development

    On March 25, 2022, the project team organized the workshop with the representatives of the Higher Education Institutions in Kosovo, form the ICT and Energy sector, as part of the project “Streamlining Curricular Development Processes and Establishment of the Task Force for Curricular Development”, funded by the University Support Grant Program of the U.S. Embassy in Prishtina and administered by KUSA, and implemented by RIT Kosova (A.U.K).