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Research, teaching and mentoring

About

I'm Evis Plaku. I research, teach and build in AI so that people and machines can grow into independence: robots that need less human guidance, and students who become engineers and researchers in their own right.

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Research, teaching and mentoring as three connected points, joined by one continuous thread with AI at the centreAIResearchTeachingMentoring
Research shapes what I teach, and students' theses shape what I research next.

My research asks how robots can plan safe paths with less and less human guidance. The same idea shapes how I teach: I want students to reach the point where they can work through a hard problem on their own. Thesis topics often grow out of my research, and strong theses can turn into new papers.

I lecture at University Metropolitan Tirana, where I am Program Director for AI and where I completed my PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems, on the autonomy of mobile robots in complex environments. At Holberton School I lead AI education and the machine learning curriculum. Away from work you will find me at a chessboard or on a soccer pitch, and I enjoy analysing a match almost as much as playing one.

How my work connects

Research Robots that plan safe paths with less and less human guidance. 12 papers since 2017 Teaching Open courses where students build one real project and keep it. 3 open courses Mentoring Theses in AI agents, agentic RAG and robotics, supervised step by step. 3 open topics

Strong theses become new papers, and the loop starts again.

Career

Twenty years of studying, university teaching and building AI programs.

20052010201520202025 now
Education
BSc BSc Computer ScienceUniversity of Tirana, 2005 to 2008
MSc MSc Computer ScienceUniversity of Tirana, 2008 to 2010
MSc Freiburg MSc Artificial Intelligence and RoboticsUniversity of Freiburg, 2010 to 2013
CUA Advanced Studies in Machine Learning and RoboticsCatholic University of America, 2016 to 2016
PhD PhD in AI and Intelligent SystemsUniversity Metropolitan Tirana, 2022 to 2026
University teaching
TA Freiburg Teaching AssistantUniversity of Freiburg, 2010 to 2013
UMT Lecturer in Computer ScienceUniversity Metropolitan Tirana, 2017 to 2018
CIT Lecturer in Computer Science and AICanadian Institute of Technology, 2018 to 2022
UMT Lecturer, Researcher and Program Director for AIUniversity Metropolitan Tirana, 2022 to present
Industry and programs
Holberton Education Lead, AI Engineer and ML Curriculum LeadHolberton School, 2022 to present
Hover or tap a bar for details. Bars with an arrow continue today.
All roles and degrees

Experience

  • 2022 to presentLecturer, Researcher and Program Director for AIUniversity Metropolitan Tirana
  • 2022 to presentEducation Lead, AI Engineer and ML Curriculum LeadHolberton School
  • 2018 to 2022Lecturer in Computer Science and AICanadian Institute of Technology
  • 2017 to 2018Lecturer in Computer ScienceUniversity Metropolitan Tirana
  • 2010 to 2013Teaching AssistantUniversity of Freiburg
  • OngoingAcademic Author and Video LecturerIU International University, three coursebooks and ten video courses

Education

  • 2022 to 2026PhD in AI and Intelligent SystemsUniversity Metropolitan Tirana
  • 2016Advanced Studies in Machine Learning and RoboticsCatholic University of America
  • 2010 to 2013MSc Artificial Intelligence and RoboticsUniversity of Freiburg
  • 2008 to 2010MSc Computer ScienceUniversity of Tirana
  • 2005 to 2008BSc Computer ScienceUniversity of Tirana

Get in touch

evis.plaku@umt.edu.al
StudentsOffice hours and email guidelines are on the Teaching page.
ResearchersCollaboration, co-supervision or code behind a paper: name the paper in the subject.
InstitutionsPrograms, training or talks: include the dates, audience and format.

Office hoursMonday 12:00 to 14:00, Wednesday 08:30 to 10:30, Room 104, UMT

Short bio for organizers

Dr. Evis Plaku is an AI researcher, lecturer and mentor at University Metropolitan Tirana, working on motion planning and safe navigation for autonomous robots.