Originally from Rusani, Delvina, the Albanian expert in the field of managerial consulting and market strategies, Ariona Jupi intertwines the cultures of her homeland with those of the three other countries where she has lived and worked: Greece (where she gained her first work experience in Athens), Germany, and Ireland. Starting with a passion for engagement in the social sphere, her work with the Albanian diaspora has expanded into collaborations with international projects and the coordination of activities within the IllyrianBrains professional network. "By supporting each other, we solve short-term and long-term functional problems," she declares in an interview with Diaspora Shqiptare Newspaper.
Ms. Jupi, could you describe your personal and professional journey in the diaspora?
I am a professional in the field of managerial consulting and market strategies. I have studied and worked in three different European countries: Greece, Ireland, and Germany. My academic background is in Management, Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Management. In my over 10-year career, I have been part of multicultural teams in the consulting industry, wholesale and retail sales, information technology, chemical production, banking, and information services.
Currently, I am working at Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner, a consulting company in Munich. Most of my daily work involves projects aimed at enhancing the competitive advantage, profitability, and value of German companies operating globally.
In my free time, I have had the opportunity to pursue my passion for social entrepreneurship and diaspora engagement. Since 2020, I have been mentoring students who want to study, pursue a career, or start a business in Germany. Additionally, I contribute as an expert in sustainability projects for the United Nations, serve as a mentor for women entrepreneurs from Kosovo in a project led by Germin organization, contribute to the diaspora community development at Illyrian Brains Network, and serve as a mentor and teacher for the integration of migrant women in Germany at ReDi School of Digital Integration.
My current volunteer engagement is as a diaspora expert at the Albanian E-commerce Association (AECA) in the program "Diaspora2030 - Engagement for Sustainable Development," supported by the German agency GIZ. This program aims to exchange knowledge between diaspora experts and local organizations.
What does Illyrian Brains represent and how does it work?
Illyrian Brains represents a network that builds bridges of communication and collaboration among Albanian students and professionals worldwide. Illyrian Brains is managed on a voluntary basis by young people from Albania and Kosovo, both living within the country and abroad. Currently, we are a group of over 30 individuals contributing voluntarily. The aim of Illyrian Brains is to create a network of Albanian professionals, entrepreneurs, and students around the world, aiming to connect the "brains" of Albanians worldwide to cultivate opportunities for collaboration and communication, fostering mutual assistance in various professional, scientific, and startup fields.
We are present on social networks such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook, and we have our own website called illyrianbrains.com The social network where we are most active is LinkedIn, where we have over 5,000 followers, followed by Instagram (1,150 followers) and Facebook (around 600 followers).
To achieve the goal of Illyrian Brains, we have undertaken various initiatives, starting with online meetings, webinars featuring successful Albanian individuals discussing social, cultural, and economic topics. Once a week, we post profiles of individuals seeking employment on social media. We also share profiles of successful Albanian individuals within our IllyrianBrains network to inspire others with their success stories. Additionally, we promote successful startups founded by Albanians. The initiatives that have been most successful so far are physical meetups (Happy Hour), which have led to many friendships and professional connections. The first Happy Hour we organized took place in November 2021 in three cities: Milan, London, and Tirana. Since then, the number of cities has expanded, and currently, Illyrian Brains has a presence in Tel Aviv, Cologne, Hamburg, Dubai, Munich, Rome, London, Paris, New York, Milan, Pristina, Tirana, Berlin, and Trento. These meetups take place on the same day in all cities.
We are very proud that thanks to the initiatives we are carrying out with the Illyrian Brains team, many individuals who are part of our network have managed to find new job opportunities in different cities such as Milan, Berlin, Munich, London, and Tirana.
How do you assess the approach of the professional diaspora towards Albania, and where can stronger actions be taken to narrow the gap?
I have noticed two groups within the Albanian diaspora: one has a sweet nostalgia for their home country, while the other enriches their nostalgia by actively contributing to the country's development.
For me, the diaspora is not just about summer vacations and remittances. The qualified Albanian diaspora should transfer the skills and knowledge gained in their country of residence, provide financial contributions through strong trade flows, and organize philanthropic events to respond to crises. Therefore, I would like to give some recommendations for institutions and professionals.
On the one hand, there are several projects and institutions that aim to engage diaspora professionals and businesses. Unfortunately, this information is not available to everyone. In various networking events that I have organized for Albanian students and professionals in Germany, I have noticed that less than 10% were aware of the available diaspora institutions and projects, while the rest requested more information and expressed their willingness to volunteer for projects that can help their country of origin. Institutions need to use more effective communication strategies to increase access and transparency.
On the other hand, I agree with former US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy's statement: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Each of us can contribute in different ways to support the development of Albanians inside and outside the country. I want to share more of my activities to give readers an idea of how they can contribute. For the past two years, I have been training and mentoring students who are undergoing internships under the supervision of various programs such as Germin, AlbanianSkills, and Kosovo Generation Unlimited - Mentoring for Future. Furthermore, as a business and market analyst for the "Private Sector Workforce Development in Kosovo (PSWD)" program, funded by USAID, I am analyzing the wood processing industry and its potential to give Kosovo a competitive advantage in the European market.
As mentioned earlier, my current action is as a diaspora expert in a program by GIZ called Diaspora2030. Here, I want to call on all those who live in Germany, have obtained professional or academic qualifications in Germany, or have been recognized there and have at least two years of relevant professional experience in that country or in an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) country to contribute as diaspora experts in Albania and Kosovo.
By supporting each other, we solve short-term and long-term functional problems. But most importantly, we convey a message of care, active engagement, optimism, and belief in one another.