Eduina GUGA

I am Eduina Guga, born on 8 July 1988 in Gjirokastër, Albania, and I currently serve as the Director of the Vjosa Wild River National Park. This position represents both a professional responsibility and a personal commitment, as the Vjosa is Europe’s last wild river and a natural treasure of immense ecological, cultural, and economic importance.

My academic journey began at the Polytechnic University of Tirana, where I studied Electronic Engineering, before pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance at Eqrem Çabej University. I continued my education with a Master of Science in Finance at the University of Tirana and later earned my PhD in Economic Sciences, specializing in Management, at the European University of Tirana.

For nearly a decade, I was engaged in academia at Eqrem Çabej University, where since 2016 I taught as a lecturer and later as a professor of Management in the Finance Department of the Faculty of Economy. My academic achievements include a wide range of research and publications in finance, management, and sustainable development. In recent years, I have focused my work on projects that connect scientific research with regional development priorities. These include studies on sustainable tourism strategies along the Vjosa River, the economic development of the Vjosa Valley through alternative tourism, and entrepreneurship training for young people. Several of these works have been published internationally, including in Migration Letters and WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics.

Today, in my role as Director of the Vjosa Wild River National Park, I bring together my academic background and research expertise to advance the protection, sustainable management, and international recognition of this unique ecosystem. My work is dedicated to balancing biodiversity conservation with opportunities for local communities through sustainable tourism, education, and innovation, ensuring that the Vjosa remains a living river for future generations.