The Agricultural University of Tirana had the pleasure of welcoming Prof. Dr. Franz Ottner from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, during 10–16 May 2026. The visit of Prof. Dr. Franz Ottner was organized within the framework of the AUT–BOKU 2030 project.
Invited by Prof. Dr. Aida Bani from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Prof. Ottner delivered lectures for students of the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in Environmental and Water Engineering, as well as Agronomy. The lectures focused on topics related to General Geology, Mineralogy, Soil Science, Land Rehabilitation, and Nature-Based Solutions.
The lectures were followed with great attention and interest by the students. Prof. Ottner provided clear explanations and valuable insights into clay mineralogy and its potential applications in environmental rehabilitation and sustainable land management. Particularly useful for the students was the information shared about minerals that serve as natural sources of essential macro- and micronutrients necessary for plant growth and soil fertility.
The students also showed great interest in XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) techniques used for mineralogical identification. Their curiosity and engagement were reflected in the many questions addressed to the professor throughout the lectures.
The lectures were also followed with particular interest by the PhD students of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, who gained in-depth knowledge about the influence of soil mineralogy on soil properties and plant nutrition.
For the past two years, Prof. Dr. Franz Ottner has been collaborating with Prof. Dr. Aida Bani and her PhD candidate, Assistant Lecturer Teuta Bushi, within the framework of the UBT–BOKU cooperation project. This collaboration has resulted in several scientific publications, including innovative studies on soil behavior in relation to clay mineralogy.
Prof. Ottner also participated in the CASEE 2026 Conference, held at the Agricultural University of Tirana from 11–13 May 2026, where he was co-author of the presentation delivered by Prof. Dr. Aida Bani entitled: “Reducing Nickel Transfer to Crops in Ultramafic Soils Using Nature-Based Solutions.”
He also participated in a field trip to the ultramafic outcrops of Tropoja, in northern Albania, where soil samples were collected along an ultramafic toposequence formed under the influence of a mountainous Mediterranean climate.
This visit further contributed to strengthening and expanding the collaboration and academic relations between our institutions.
