Digitalization and Smart Lab Concept

Introduction of smart labs in academic environments is a big step towards innovative and efficient learning spaces in order to develop and test ideas for a better future, including those for future smart cities. The diffusion of such facilities depends on a country’s degree of digitalization and technological progress. During the last three years, there have been registered many successful examples worldwide, preluding for their larger diffusion in future. In countries like Albania, after the important initiatives within the framework of the national digital agenda 2015–2020 and the more ambitious ones expected in the latest (2022–26 digital agenda), introduction of smart labs in academic institutions may result very advantageous. On this basis, the paper aims to describe the approach to adopt, and the eventual benefits that may result from the diffusion of smart labs in Albania. Before analysing the technical aspects, a literature review will be conducted a better comprehension of their importance and impact, as well the differences with other innovation spaces. In addition, it will be made a comparison of recent smart labs examples with a special focus on the recent the smart lab project in the Barleti University in Tirana.