From 4–8 May 2026, Dr. Alba Gerdeci, lecturer at the Department of Law of EPOKA University, carried out an academic visit at the Department of Law of the University of Salerno under the hosting of Prof. Teresa Russo, Associate Professor of EU Law and Jean Monnet Chair of EUVALWEB. 

As part of the visit, Dr. Gerdeci delivered lectures to students of the European Union Law course focusing on the historical background of Kosovo and the legal challenges related to the prosecution of serious crimes arising from the 1998–2000 conflict. A central focus was the role of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC), which are closely connected to the broader effort to establish and consolidate the rule of law in Kosovo and other post-conflict societies. The lecture discussed the potential impact of the KSC in combating impunity, addressing structural weaknesses within domestic judicial systems, and safeguarding fair trial guarantees and the protection of fundamental rights in accordance with European human rights standards. Students also engaged critically with major debates surrounding the Chambers, including concerns regarding local legitimacy, perceptions of selective justice, and the broader implications of reliance on international judicial mechanisms for the development of domestic judicial capacity. In addition, the discussion highlighted the relationship between such justice mechanisms and the European Union’s conditionality framework within integration processes, encouraging students to reflect on the broader legal and political dimensions of international justice, European integration, and post-conflict governance.

During the visit, Dr. Gerdeci also met with representatives of the International Relations Office to discuss opportunities for strengthening academic cooperation, student mobility, and future joint initiatives between the two institutions.

The academic program further included participation in a conference dedicated to trafficking in human beings, where scholars and experts examined emerging trends and contemporary challenges related to human trafficking at the national, European and international levels. Particular attention was devoted to new forms of trafficking and exploitation, including online recruitment and exploitation through digital platforms, labor exploitation linked to irregular migration, trafficking networks operating through transnational criminal structures, and the increasing vulnerability of women and children in situations of conflict, displacement, and socio-economic instability. Discussions also addressed the evolving legal and policy responses of the European Union and international organizations in strengthening prevention mechanisms, victim protection, and cross-border judicial cooperation.

This academic visit represented an important opportunity for academic exchange, international collaboration, and dialogue on contemporary challenges in international, European, and human rights law.