DevFest Kosova 2025 Turns RIT Kosovo into a Global Tech Arena
RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) became the epicenter of Kosovo’s technology community as it proudly hosted DevFest Kosova 2025, in partnership with Google Developers Group Prishtina (GDG Prishtina). Nearly 500 participants from universities, startups, and the IT industry gathered for two days of cutting-edge talks, workshops, and networking with senior professionals from global technology leaders such as Google, Microsoft, IBM, Cloudflare, Intel, NVIDIA, Airalo, and more.
From the opening session, the energy was unmistakable. A participant captured the sentiment directly:
“Saturday hit different — RIT Kosovo transformed into a full-on tech hub.”
Day One: Opening at the University of Prishtina
The first day of DevFest Kosova 2025 kicked off at the University of Prishtina (“Hasan Prishtina”), where the event was formally opened by our Dean of Faculty, Dr. Albina Balidemaj Basha. Her remarks set the tone for what the festival represented for the region:
She highlighted the rapid growth of the CIT community in Kosovo and emphasized how gatherings like DevFest strengthen innovation, collaboration, and learning across institutions.
Day Two: RIT Kosovo Becomes a Full-Scale Innovation Hub
The second day brought the festival to RIT Kosovo, where sessions filled within minutes, classrooms overflowed, and workshops continued with standing participants eager to learn.
Attendees described the content as practical, focused, and directly applicable to their work:
“No fluff. Just insights that actually matter.”
“Hands-on, practical, and packed with strategies you can apply immediately.”
“The kind of event that reminds you why you chose tech in the first place.”
Participants especially valued the rare opportunity to speak one-on-one with international professionals:
“It’s rare to get access to people working at this level. The conversations alone made it worth attending.”
One attendee noted:
“RIT Kosovo felt less like a university and more like a global tech scene.”
A Powerful Endorsement from Abroad
A particularly impactful reflection came from one of the international speakers after the event:
“The developers here are driven, smart, and genuinely eager to build. Kosovo is quietly becoming a serious technology hub, and the world will soon take notice.”
Closing Remarks by Interim President Michael E. Hess
DevFest Kosova 2025 concluded at RIT Kosovo with closing remarks delivered by Interim President Michael E. Hess, who emphasized the importance of connecting students to global industry leaders and showcasing what an American-style education looks like in practice. He described the experience as “both transformative and inspiring” for visitors and participants alike.
The event also welcomed students from the Tirana Campus, fostering regional collaboration and opening new conversations about future joint initiatives across the Western Balkans.
A Celebration of Collaboration
DevFest Kosova 2025 was made possible through the generous support of Wasabi, Google, Raiffeisen Tech, KODE Labs, Outsourcy, Tactica, and academic partners including the University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina.”
As RIT Kosovo leadership expressed:
“This is what happens when academia, industry, and the global tech community come together. This is how the future is built.”
RIT Kosovo remains committed to bridging education and industry, empowering students with global exposure, and nurturing the next generation of engineers, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
If DevFest Kosova 2025 delivered one message clearly, it was this:
Kosovo isn’t waiting for opportunity.
Kosovo is building it.
