ACADEMIC ORIENTATION & ADVISING
ACADEMIC ORIENTATION & ADVISING
Campus Life > Academic Orientation & Advising
While Studying at CIT...
On these pages, you will find information and guidance on how to complete your studies. The information below is designed to help students to make the most of the support and resources available to you as you begin your studies at CIT or prepare for the end of your academic journey.
ADVICES BEFORE YOU FINISH YOUR STUDIES
Your final year of university can seem like a scary year, full of exams, dissertations and preparing to leave the sheltered bubble of university life.
However, it can be one of the best years, and a chance to apply all you’ve learnt in your previous years and work on a project of your choice!
We’ve put together some top tips for surviving your final year of university, from how to manage your dissertation, top exam tips, to making sure you’re looking after yourself!
Your final year of university can be exciting, but it can also be a stressful period, managing deadlines, applying to jobs and managing the finances of university. So, it’s important to make sure you’re looking after yourself.
Some great ways to make some time for yourself are to spend time with friends (even if it’s just a facetime!) , take daily walks and keep up with your societies.
Creating a weekly and monthly timetable is a great way to stay organized during your final year of university.
Allowing you to easily arrange your extra-curricular activities, other social events and easily see when any essays are due and other key exam dates.
Have a set duration of time allocated to each task. This allows you to divide your time for different subjects adequately. (Don’t forget to include self-care days/ hours in this timetable).
Another top time management tip during your final year of university is to start projects and essays early.
Your final year of university will fly by, so it’s important you are beginning your work early and getting started, so you’re not left behind and constantly feeling like you need to catch up.
For many degree subjects, writing a dissertation is a massive part of the final year at university.
Whilst it can seem an enormous task, writing a dissertation is a chance for you to investigate a subject you are personally interested in, and produce a project you are particularly proud of. Here’s a few dissertation tips:
Pick a theme that interests you
- A top writing dissertation tip is to choose a theme that you have an interest in. This could be a subject you are interested in career wise, hobbies or a particular module you’ve enjoyed on your course.
- Picking a theme that is currently trending or trended may also be beneficial, especially if it is something that is commonly discussed.
- Once you do, approach it from a different angle, this allows you to carry out your own unique research.
- Previously researched topics can be useful for creating an outline or guide as to how you can conduct your own research, especially for the methodology, but do not copy a study.
Consult with your supervisor
- Speak to your supervisor in your allocated sessions and make sure you attend all of them.
- Have them review your question, the hypotheses and methodology chosen.
- Complete all drafts you are requested to do; take on any given advice and keep note of their email so you can contact your supervisor outside seminar hours.
Start your research as soon as you can
- Getting your question approved earlier allows you to start collecting data and composing the other aspects of your dissertation quicker.
- The earlier you start your research the quicker you can get everything approved.
- You don’t want to leave anything till the last minute; the methodology can take a bit of time to collate the data. So, meet the deadlines and get started as soon as you can – use every given bit of time you have!
It’s important more than ever to make sure you have a work environment where you can properly concentrate and work best.
A chaotic room, office or desk space can lead to a chaotic mind, making it harder to complete tasks. Here’s a few tips on how to create the best working environment:
Create a balance of work environments if possible
- If your university has its libraries open, it could be beneficial to study from there.
- This will allow you to create separate working environments for studying and relaxing and add structure to your studying day.
- If possible, try to study in an environment that isn’t your bedroom, as this will allow you to switch off better and concentrate better.
Ask others to be respectful
- If you’re in shared accommodation, it’s a good idea to remind your friends and roommates to be respectful and considerate during the day when you are trying to study.
- It may be a good idea to set times with each other for when you all would like to work and have quiet time.
- This will allow you to all work in a calming environment, and to also recognize when to stop working and relax in the evening with your flat/house mates.
Final year exams are an important part of helping you achieve your desired overall grade. Here are some good final year exam tips to help ensure you achieve the grade you want:
Start early
- As with your dissertation, the earlier you start to plan, prepare and get revising, the better!
- If you have a lot of exams, it’s important to prioritize the ones you have first and make a solid revision plan so you’re not neglecting any modules.
- It’s also a good idea to highlight which exams you feel the least confident on, and spend the most time on these.
- There’s no point spending hours revising a topic you feel confident on.
Condense your notes
- Brief and concise notes are the best to revise from.
- Copy and pasting paragraphs and novels from study guides are time consuming and make it harder to retain the information.
- Break down your revision notes: to bullet points; trigger words and phrases that link to the main topic.
Tailor your revision
- Tailor your revision notes to how you study best.
- For creative and visual learners: spider diagrams; mood boards, poems, and illustrations, may be more useful for revision than just words on a paper.
- Ensure the link is direct and brings all the ideas and concepts together.
- Your final year of university can be stressful and hectic at times, but it’s also one of the best years of university, so remember to take care of yourself, organize your time and have a productive work space.
- Work hard, but also allow yourself to have fun and take in your last year of university fully!
A Student Oriented Institutions
Many of our students choose to attend more than just classes in classrooms or the auditorium.
If you want to expand your scope of learning, you can use:
The SAC Office will offer career counseling to enable students and graduates to recognize and understand themselves and the world of work to come to a resolution on career, life, and educational choices. It involves more than just coming to a decision on what major to pursue in school and the job a student would want to take up once they graduate. It includes choosing as well as changing careers, searching for jobs and dealing with work-related issues.
Academic Adviser responsibilities include:
An academic adviser plays a pivotal role in a student’s educational journey. Serving as a guide and mentor, the adviser provides personalized support to students, helping them navigate the intricacies of their academic pursuits.
All students at the Canadian Institute of Technology are assigned an Academic Advisor. Students are expected to meet with their advisors at least twice a semester to ensure they are progressing smoothly and to address any questions or concerns that may arise.
Academic Advisors:
- Discuss academic programs consistent with each student’s abilities and interests;
- Provide accurate and timely information regarding academic options and available resources;
- Explore various career paths and educational goals by encouraging advisees to select an appropriate study program;
- Monitor the student’s progress toward achieving academic and career goals, as well as, a meaningful college experience;
- Address Academic Alerts submitted by faculty regarding excessive absences and academic difficulties throughout the semester;
- Help students select electives with care and purpose to enhance their resumes and enrich their lives
The SAC Office will support students in improving the 21st Century Skills listed below which are very essential for excellent performance in the job market.
- Critical thinking
- Creativity and imagination
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Communication
- Problem solving
Critical thinking is all about solving problems. Creativity teaches students to think outside the box, Collaboration shows students how to work together to achieve a common goal. Communication lets students learn how to best convey their ideas.
Career Guidance, Counseling Mentorship
This Office will offer career counseling to enable students and graduates to recognize and understand themselves and the world of work to come to a resolution on career, life, and educational choices. It involves more than just coming to a decision on what major to pursue in school and the job a student would want to take up once they graduate. It includes choosing as well as changing careers, searching for jobs and dealing with work-related issues.
Career Testing and Assessment
Self-assessment involves students analyzing their own learning as well as work progress. It allows a student to pinpoint gaps in their skills, set realistic goals, track their own growth, and where exactly to focus their attention in learning. The process helps students stay motivated and advocates for self-reflection and control for their learning.
On these pages, you will find information and guidance on how to complete your studies. The information below is designed to help students to make the most of the support and resources available to you as you begin your studies at CIT or prepare for the end of your academic journey.
Teaching methodologies
CIT guides the academic staff in the improvement of didactic competences, and in the use of diverse and flexible pedagogical methods, which are in accordance with the expected learning outcomes, formative objectives, etc.
The content of the knowledge at CIT is focused on:
- Core concepts, key terminology, review of classic authors – as appropriate and the nature of the course;
- Demonstrating the relative limitations of basic and advanced concepts;
- Addressing the current theoretical debate on alternative concepts and critical thinking towards basic concepts;
- Review of the main historical aspects of the discipline and new approaches;
- Examination of cases and laboratory practice;
- Presenting a contemporary theoretical and practical information in the context of the discipline, examined according to a defined problem/case;
- Analytical treatment of advanced topics and conceptual difficulties from a global perspective;
- Structure the lecture according to the contemporary theoretic flow of thought, but also considering alternative thoughts, alternative theories, methods, applications;
- Problems of today’s empirical reality in our country and abroad;
- Application of the comparative method of theories related to management practice and administration of institutions or institutional interaction.
Pedagogical method is focused on:
- To organize the teaching process mainly based on lectures/seminars exercises/laboratories;
- Substantial extent of learning outside the classroom independently through additional/supporting literature, or data for independent study and work;
- Laboratory tasks should be performed individually or in a team, inside or outside the institution;
- Team work where skills such as communication and creativity are developed;
- Foster debate among students on their study topics.
Academic calendar
The academic year at CIT is divided into two semesters consisting of two periods each.
- There are fifteen weeks in each teaching semester.
- There are up to three (and sometimes only two) weeks at the end of each semester on which students present on specific days at CIT according to a timetable to give their exams.
- In both semesters, 7th and 8th week are designed for midterm exams.
- In the first semester from 24 December up to the first week of January students have a winter holiday.
- Centralized exams are organized not earlier than the 15th week of the semester.
- A makeup session of exams and diploma thesis defense is approved during September. In this session students can improve up to three exams. If they are not Failure for Non-Attendance, they have the right to make up their final grade and the midterm.
Timetables for this academic year are shown at cit.edu.al Student Life, Resources.
Where to find your program regulation its courses and other details
Every program regulation is available on our website. Understanding the regulations will help you manage your studies and prepare for assessment.
Program Regulations are available at: https://cit.edu.al/cit-documents-2/ – Faculty Regulation
The Program Regulations contain the rules that govern your program and your registration with us and will tell you about:
- purpose of the program
- assessment for the program
- prerequisites for modules/courses
- how your degree classification is calculated (the ‘scheme of award’)
- syllabuses and module/course outlines
- assessment criteria.
You will also find the General Regulations at the above link. These apply to all students. They provide information on:
- rules for taking assessments
- plagiarism rules
- assessment
- prior learning and credit transfer
- complaints and academic appeals.
The Program Specification contains key information about your program of study, and includes:
- the structure and content of your program
- learning outcomes
- learning, teaching and assessment strategies.
The Program Specification and Regulations are updated annually. Any significant changes that have been made are indicated at the beginning of the documents, and explain whether the changes will be introduced for all students on the program or whether they will only be introduced for new students. If there are lots of changes for new students only, we will usually introduce a ‘revised’ version of the Program Regulations.
Many of our students choose to attend more than just classes in classrooms or the auditorium.
If you want to expand your scope of learning, you can use:
Academic Advising: At CIT academic advising is a very important process to help students better understand the academic environment and at the same time to prepare themselves for a long journey in their life. At CIT there are several actors who offer career counseling to enable students and graduates to recognize and understand themselves and the world of work to come to a resolution on career, life, and educational choices. This process involves more than just coming to a decision on what major to pursue in school and the job a student would want to take up once they graduate. It includes choosing as well as changing careers, searching for jobs and dealing with work-related issues.
Office Hours: Office hours are designated times when you can meet with your professors and teaching assistants to discuss the material presented in class or any other related interests you might have. Course-related discussions include asking for extra help, seeking clarification on class material and following up on aspects of the class you find compelling.
Additionally, students have the opportunity to engage in discussions about majors and programs of study, graduation requirements, internships, masters, campus events, and various other topics.
Many professors do not mandate that students attend office hours. They expect students to decide for themselves when they need or want to participate. Professors announce their office hours on the first day of class when they present the course syllabus to you.
Training Office: Training Office offers students, graduate students, academic & administrative staff, as well external parties the opportunity to get engaged in various programs and activities, such as participating in several trainings, workshops, webinars, competitions and also taking advantage of other benefits and resources.
The Training Office is organized and run by the Coordinator of Training Office and supported by our staff and third parties. Being the focus point of this office, the targeted groups are provided the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and enhance their existing skills, share experiences, and establish connections with each other.
This initiative ensures a way for all participants to organize hands-on activities in “Canadian Institute of Technology”, in their communities and collectively pursue professional development opportunities.
The main objective of the Training and Continued Education Office is to create and develop the skill and knowledge necessary for achieving task performance. It aims to ensure that all participants have the technical skills needed to perform their job efficiently and smoothly, while also fostering increased motivation and engagement. Also, it fosters the spirit of loyalty among students and alumni and promotes the general welfare of the “Canadian Institute of Technology”.
It exists in order to support and meet the goals of the university college and to strengthen the relationship between the students, staff, the Institution and the community.
CIT HUB: CIT HUB is an innovation center focused on promoting creativity and entrepreneurship. It’s a space where people can meet, interact, create, undertake, work and innovate together.
CIT HUB’s goal is to encourage students across multiple disciplines to work together in one location where with the help and support of our exceptional and resourceful team of professors, mentors and experts they can spark and fuel new ideas that can lead to potential intellectual property and new businesses.
CIT HUB have under his umbrella programs such as:
- Start-up Business Incubator and accelerator, where young entrepreneurs have a possibility to grow their ideas;
- Facilities such as CIT Maker Lab, furnished with powerful computers and software, 3D printers, Virtual & Augmented Reality Gadgets, IOT hardware, etc. where for the first time in Albania, students can perform real R&D, prototyping and even low scale production of their ideas.
- The HUB also offers Coworking spaces, where workers of different companies, or freelancers share office space, allowing cost savings and convenience through the use of common infrastructures.
- Advanced Masterclass Trainings in technology, ICT, Finance, Business, etc.
- CIT Entrepreneurs Club, Mentor & Trainers Club, Investors Club, etc.
- And also, a lot of events, competitions and networking possibilities for entrepreneurs and investors.
More on CIT HUB: https://cit-hub.al/
Mobilities: Canadian Institute of Technology supports physical and blended mobility of higher education students in any study field and cycle (short cycle, bachelor, master). Students can either study abroad at a partner higher education institution or carry out a traineeship in an enterprise, a research institute, a laboratory, an organization or any other relevant workplace abroad. Students can also combine a study period abroad with a traineeship, further enhancing the learning outcomes and development of transversal skills.
The main objectives targeting students are to:
- Expose students to different views, knowledge, teaching and research methods as well as work practices in their study field in the European and international context;
- Develop their transversal skills such as communication skills, language skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, inter-cultural skills and research skills;
- Develop their forward-looking skills, such as digital and green skills that will enable them to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow;
- Facilitate personal development, such as adapting to new situations and self-confidence.
Student mobility can be carried out in any study field and during any study cycle (short cycle/bachelor/master) practiced at CIT. The high-quality mobility activities with maximum impact on the students are insured through compatibility with the student’s degree-related learning and personal development needs.
Students may carry out the following opportunities:
- A study period abroad at a partner higher education institution. The study period abroad must be part of the student’s study programme and related to the particular part of the study cycle the student is currently attending. A study period abroad may include a traineeship period as well. Such a combination creates synergies between the academic and professional experience abroad.
- A traineeship (work placement, internship) abroad in an enterprise, university, a research institute, a laboratory, an organization or any other relevant workplace. Traineeships abroad are supported during studies at any study cycle and for recent graduates.
CIT publishes all Erasmus calls on its homepage: http://cit.edu.al or on the student web page: https://cit.edu.al/student/ and via CIT emails system.
Project presentations: CIT gives great importance to technology, quality of laboratories, but also computer programs, which are used for various modules or subjects. Many of the courses / modules give a huge weight to the realization of the project by the student, who at any time of the day can use the laboratories and programs installed for the realization of certain projects and tasks.
CIT in recent years has aimed to offer a “project-oriented” curriculum and this is reflected in the course programs, where a project must be created by the student and submitted at the end of the course.
The best projects are presented by students during the student conferences and Project Presentation Days.
Publishing a scientific paper in CRJ: CIT has its own scientific medium “CIT Review Journal”. The journal mainly covers the field of engineering, economy, as well as related scientific fields such as natural sciences, etc.
Finally, during 2021, as a stand-alone achievement, “CIT Review” became part of the Ulrichsweb ™ Periodicals Directory and was indexed in Citefactor, which is the largest indexing of scientific journals and scientific articles in the world.
Many students in the past have used the chance to publish research papers worked on in tandem with their instructors in CRJ.
Don’t lose the chance, you can be one of them!
Our instructors will guide and teach you on how to properly write a research paper and to publish it.
Student Clubs: Are you interested in starting a new club? You can enrich the college experience for you and other students by creating a community with shared interests.
The University offers a variety of clubs and organizations that meet everyone’s interest.
CIT recognizes the value and importance of community in the academic success of its students. Student clubs create opportunities for students to build connections with faculty, staff, and other students outside of the classroom. CIT has over 15 student clubs ranging from special interest to academic-related to multicultural clubs.
Through these clubs, students are not only able to develop leadership skills, but also create relationships through community engagement and enhance their overall college experience.
Clubs are under the leadership of the Student Government.
The purpose of clubs at CIT is to enhance the college experience of each student. Through participation in a student club, there are opportunities to meet other students with similar interests and enhance their educational experience while developing life-long skills.
Additional benefits of participating in a club include:
- Developing networks and fostering closer ties between staff, faculty, & students.
- Learning self-discipline, responsibility, and how to take initiative.
- Gain various leadership skills.
- Challenging beliefs, values, attitudes, and morals.
- Contributing to the development of identity and finding a sense of belonging.
- Being exposed to differing, diverse, and conflicting viewpoints.
- Helping students identify with the campus culture and persist to graduation.
- Channeling anxiety and stress into positive, enjoyable, and productive pursuits.
- Finding support from students with common needs or interests.
- Motivates students to strive for and maintain academic excellence.
Student Government: Student government is an essential aspect of education that provides students with a platform to express their opinions and ideas and participate in their school community’s decision-making process. Overall, CIT student government plays an important role in promoting student involvement and empowerment in their education and is a valuable part of the school experience for our students.
Objectives
Involving students and their representatives in the teaching process and governing activities of CIT as well as encouraging the creation of different students’ communities with social, cultural, scientific, sports character etc.
- Represents an independent organization of undergraduate and graduate students established at institutional level, which does not perform political and economic activities.
- Students’ Government promotes students’ participation and coordinates their representation in the governing bodies of CIT, in teaching-research structures and services, with the aim of expressing their opinions and presenting their proposals on issues of general interest at CIT regarding study programs, teaching regulations, the right to study, quality of services, the organization of various cultural and sports activities etc.
- CIT supports Students’ Government logistically and may fund some of their projects, including the publication of a newspaper.
Responsibilities of the President of the Students Government
- Should organize and direct the meetings.
- Create topics for discussion.
- Creating different events and activities that will involve the participation of the students.
- Present the problems of the students to the board meeting.
Responsibilities of the Vice President of the Students Government
- Possesses all the responsibilities mentioned in the section above in the absence of the President of the Student Government.
Responsibilities of the Secretary of the Students Government
- Keep notes regarding the topics that will be discussed in every meeting.
- Should make the list of presence of the student government members participating in the meetings.
- Must keep a record for every meeting.
Student Government Contact: [email protected]