Blerta Prevalla Etemi

CIT Program Head and Assistant Professor

RIT Kosovo

bpecad@rit.edu

Office Location

Main building-Head Of Department Office

Office Mailing Address

Germia Campus, Dr. Shpetim Robaj st. nn 10000 Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo Phone: + 383 38 66 00 00

Blerta Prevalla Etemi

CIT Program Head and Assistant Professor

RIT Kosovo

Bio

Dr. Blerta Prevalla Etemi is the CIT Program Head and Assistant Professor in the Department of Computing and Information Technologies at Rochester Institute of Technology, Kosovo. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Education and Instructional Technology from Near East University, Cyprus, and a Master’s degree in Software Engineering from South East European University.

With over 18 years of academic and leadership experience, she has built a distinguished career in teaching, research, and international collaboration.

Her areas of expertise include software engineering, programming, user experience design, databases and digital education.

She has taught across various Computer Science programs and has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering creativity, teamwork, and innovation in higher education.

Dr. Prevalla Etemi has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers indexed in Scopus, Springer, and IEEE, covering topics such as artificial intelligence in education, cybersecurity, smart systems, and flipped learning.

She also serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Modern Technology and has contributed as a keynote speaker, conference co-president, and publication chair for several international conferences, including the 5th Springer ISSIP 2024.

As a proven project leader, she has successfully coordinated multidisciplinary teams and large-scale academic and policy-driven initiatives. She led a major World Bank consultancy project for the Bureau for Development of Education in North Macedonia, providing expert guidance on the technical specifications and strategic design of national educational software systems.

She is also actively involved as an IT Expert in the National Broadband Competence Office under the Ministry of Digital Transformation (North Macedonia), contributing to broadband policy development and digital transformation strategies.

In addition, Dr. Prevalla Etemi serves as an ICT Consultant with Salience Consulting, where she works on projects such as the Balkan Digital Highway for the World Bank, focusing on expanding high-speed broadband access in the region.

Her career also includes leadership positions such as Dean and Vice Dean of a Computer Science Faculty, where she played a pivotal role in academic planning, quality assurance, and accreditation processes.

She has participated in numerous international academic exchanges and training initiatives, including the Erasmus+ STEFORA project and the IVI Summit 2024 at Maynooth University, Ireland.

Over the years, she has mentored both undergraduate and master’s students, coordinated research-driven projects, and contributed extensively to the advancement of information technology education and policy in the Balkans.

bpecad@rit.edu

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Currently Teaching

GCIS-123

Software Development and Problem Solving I

4 Credits

A first course introducing students to the fundamentals of computational problem solving. Students will learn a systematic approach to problem solving, including how to frame a problem in computational terms, how to decompose larger problems into smaller components, how to implement innovative software solutions using a contemporary programming language, how to critically debug their solutions, and how to assess the adequacy of the software solution. Additional topics include an introduction to object-oriented programming and data structures such as arrays and stacks. Students will complete both in-class and out-of-class assignments.

GCIS-124

Software Development and Problem Solving II

4 Credits

A second course that delves further into computational problem solving, now with a focus on an object-oriented perspective. There is a continued emphasis on basic software design, testing & verification, and incremental development. Key topics include theoretical abstractions such as classes, objects, encapsulation, inheritance, interfaces, polymorphism, software design comprising multiple classes with UML, data structures (e.g. lists, trees, sets, maps, and graphs), exception/error handling, I/O including files and networking, concurrency, and graphical user interfaces. Additional topics include basic software design principles (coupling, cohesion, information expert, open-closed principle, etc.), test driven development, design patterns, data integrity, and data security.

ISTE-200

Java for Programmers

3 Credits

An intensive review of object-oriented design and the Java programming language for students with prior programming background. This course covers the creation of application programs using Java. Topics include: Java and the Java environment, object-oriented design, GUI interfaces, exception handling, threads, and the client/server environment. Programming projects will be required. (Prerequisite: Object Oriented programming experience, such as an OO course, or work as an OO programmer).

ISTE-500

Senior Development Project I

3 Credits

The first course in a two-course, senior level, system development capstone project. Students form project teams and work with sponsors to define system requirements. Teams then create architectures and designs, and depending on the project, also may begin software development. Requirements elicitation and development practices introduced in prior coursework are reviewed, and additional methods and processes are introduced. Student teams are given considerable latitude in how they organize and conduct project work.

ISTE-501

Senior Development Project II

3 Credits

The second course in a two-course, senior level, system development capstone project. Student teams complete development of their system project and package the software and documentation for deployment. Usability testing practices introduced in prior course work are reviewed, and additional methods and processes are introduced. Teams present their developed system and discuss lessons learned at the completion of the course.