The Datathon Challenge 2026, organized by the Faculty of Economics, University of Prishtina and 4InnoPipe2 Project, demonstrated how data from Datasphere database, can be transformed into powerful narratives that help us better understand the economic and social realities of Kosovo and the Western Balkans.
Bringing together 13 teams and around 40 students, the competition challenged participants to explore datasets, identify meaningful patterns, and communicate their findings through compelling evidence-based stories. Throughout the process, students were mentored by Prof. Mjellma Carabregu Vokshi and Prof. Albulena Shala, who guided teams in combining analytical rigor with effective storytelling.
The topics covered reflected some of the most important challenges and opportunities facing our society today, including economic dependency, remittances, gender equality, corruption, entrepreneurship, youth migration, green transition, employment, artificial intelligence in education, labor market alignment, inflation, macroeconomic development, and women entrepreneurship. These presentations showed that data is not merely a collection of numbers—it is a tool for understanding people, policies, and future development paths.
Through a combination of data analysis, critical thinking, creativity, and storytelling, student teams transformed complex datasets into meaningful insights about some of the most pressing economic and social challenges facing Kosovo and the Western Balkans today.
The topics explored were remarkably diverse, covering: Kosovo’s structural economic dependencies
- Remittances and regional economic development
- Gender equality and women’s entrepreneurship
- Corruption and governance indicators
- Entrepreneurial ecosystems and startup activity
- Youth migration trends
- Green transition and decarbonization challenges
- Employment dynamics in Kosovo
- Artificial Intelligence in education
- Academia–labor market alignment
- Inflation and household welfare
- Applications of macroeconomic theories in Kosovo
A special thank you to our international jury members: Titta Pirkola, But Dedaj, Dubravka KOvačević, Monika Sonta and Lyubomyr Matskeh whose expertise and valuable feedback enriched the experience for all participants. After a highly competitive final round, the jury selected three winning teams:
- Most Creative Solution Bridging the Gap: Aligning Academia with the Modern Labor Market – Anjeza Rrustolli, Melosa Malushi, Mendim Smajli
- Deepest Statistical Analysis – An Analysis of Control of Corruption Indicators – Aurora Berisha, Arbreshe Mazreku
- Most Practical Economic Application – The Shrinking Basket – Inflation vs. The Kitchen Tables of Kosovo, Alba Surdulli and Liza Koliqi
Congratulations to all students who participated and showcased outstanding analytical, research, teamwork, and presentation skills. Events such as the Datathon Challenge highlight the importance of data literacy, critical thinking, and evidence-based decision-making—competencies that are becoming essential in the digital economy and knowledge society. The future belongs not only to those who can collect data, but to those who can transform data into insights and insights into impact.
