Sending/Partner Institution: “Institut agronomique mediteeraneen de Montpellier”, France

E+ Programme: Exchange Students

Period: April 2022 – September 2022

Academic year: 2021/2022

I am Maya Bouhafs, an Erasmus student at the University Fan S. Noli in Korçe, Albania.

I am and Agricultural Engineer majoring in crop breeding and production graduated from higher national school of Agronomy of Algiers (Algeria) and I am actually attending Master studies in “Farming system design for sustainable food systems” at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier, France

I chose Albania rather than another country, because I wanted to give a try to the Eastern European countries and I know that Albania is full of history and that is definitely a place worth discovering and in addition, it has a good agricultural sector and as an agronomist, I find it very interesting. Travelling to Albania taught me how big and amazing this world is. I appreciate Albania`s culture and its beautiful landscapes. People are very welcoming and helpful, which reminds sometimes of my own country.

Moreover, working at the University with qualified supervisors and professionals guarantees a good research experience for me.

I am working to simulate future yields of wheat, under the impact of climate change and construct adaptation strategies to avoid a decrease in the production. By the end of this internship, I will sharpen my skills in modeling and data analysis. In addition to that, my stay in a foreign country will make me more autonomous and a self-confident person. I strongly believe, that will get the adequate skills to continue a PhD later.