University of Elbasan

Gradient-based optimizers are highly sensitive to design choices in their adaptive learning rate mechanisms. To address this limitation, we introduce POP, a meta-learned Reinforcement Learning (RL) policy that predicts adaptive learning rates for gradient descent, conditioned on the contextual information provided in the optimization trajectory. Our method introduces a novel RL reward formulation, a new function-scaling strategy for in-distribution generalization, and a novel prior that is used to sample millions of synthetic optimization problems. We evaluate POP on an established benchmark including 43 optimization functions of various complexity, where it significantly outperforms gradient-based methods. Our evaluation demonstrates strong generalization capabilities without task-specific tuning.

While environmentally sustainable practices have become widely integrated in organizations around the world, their implementation in Albanian companies is still in its early stages of adoption. This study aims to investigate the implementation initiatives and the relationship among environmental management systems in the Albanian hotel industry. Specifically, this study explored the relationship between environmental management accounting (EMA), green human resource management (GHRM) and green organizational behavior (GOB). In addition, the direct relationship between GHRM and GOB was investigated. To fulfill this objective a survey was conducted among 328 employees associated with the hotel industry, representing a core component of Albanian hospitality sector. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to examine the relationship between the specified constructs. The findings affirm the positive and direct impact of environmental management accounting (EMA) on both green human resource management (GHRM) and green organizational behavior (GOB) respectively. Additionally, the research confirms the direct and positive relationship between GHRM and GOB within Albanian hotel industry. This research provides an important groundwork for future explorations of environmental management systems within Albanian hospitality industry, where similar studies is limited.

This paper examines Albania’s progress in aligning its domestic regulatory framework with European Union standards in the fields of public procurement, concessions, and public-private partnerships (PPPs). It provides an analytical overview of the EU regulatory framework governing public procurement and evaluates its influence on the approximation of Albanian legislation within the context of Chapter 5 of the EU acquis. Special emphasis is placed on concessions and PPPs, which remain among the most challenging areas of alignment, particularly in relations to Directive 2014/23/EU. The paper identifies key legislative gaps, ongoing concerns related to transparency, and inconsistencies in the enforcement of procurement rules, as well as the need to further enhance the digitalization of concession procedures. It also considers the existing administrative and supervisory framework, drawing on data from concession and PPP procedures between 2016 and 2024, along with the roles of key institutions such as ATRAKO, the Public Procurement Agency, and the Ministry of Finance. Furthermore, the paper highlights several persistent structural weaknesses, including the limited effectiveness of anti-corruption measures, the insufficient integration of PPPs into government investment planning, and inconsistencies between the Public Procurement Law and the legal framework governing concessions and PPPs. In light of these findings, the study outlines key areas for future reform, emphasizing the importance of strengthening implementation, institutional coordination, and transparency in order to support Albania’s progress towards European Union integration.

Cultural heritage constitutes one of the most im portant assets for the sustainable development of tourism in Albania. Cultural heritage implies a common bond, our belonging to a community. It represents our connection with the past, present and future. In the digital age, official tourism websites and cultural portals constitute the main source of information for domestic and foreign visitors. However, a considerable number of these websites present significant shortcomings in the English language version, which directly affects the right of tourists to be informed accu rately and the perception of institutional profes sionalism. This study aims to analyze the quality of transla tions and content on websites that promote cul tural heritage in Albania, with a special focus on the city of Elbasan. The analysis includes linguis tic, legal and institutional aspects that affect ac cess to information and transparency towards the international public. The findings show that the lack of standardiza t

Aim: To map and summarise evidence on the role, benefits and challenges of telehealth in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) management, including assessment and intervention. Methods: This scoping review searched PubMed and Scopus for English-language studies published from 2015 to 2025; the search was last updated on 14 April 2026. Nine studies met the eligibility criteria, comprising randomised controlled trials and observational, mixed-methods, descriptive, pilot, and qualitative studies. Results: Available findings suggest that telehealth-based assessment may achieve high diagnostic concordance with in-person evaluation, and that telehealth-delivered interventions may yield similar outcomes in selected domains. Several studies reported high caregiver and clinician satisfaction. Key challenges included technological access barriers, variability in caregiver engagement, and concerns regarding reliability and equity in under-resourced settings. Conclusion: Telehealth may be a valuable complement to, rather than a replacement for, in-person care. Future primary studies should use rigorous designs and standardised outcome measures and should prioritise linguistically diverse and low-resource populations; future evidence syntheses should include formal risk-of-bias assessment.