Dr. Bernard Nikaj is currently the Ambassador of Kosovo to Belgium and Luxembourg at the same time acting as Head of Kosovo Mission to the European Union and NATO.

Previously he taught Management and Innovation at the University of Prishtina and Development Economics at AUK Summer School. He was the Minister of Trade and Industry at the Government of Kosovo during which time he led Kosovo’s Trade negotiations as part of the Stabilization Association Agreement (SAA) negotiations between Kosovo and the European Union. Prior to this he has worked for the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Minister of Trade focusing on issues of trade relations, industrial development, business environment reforms and foreign direct investment. He has more than ten years’ experience working on development projects in Kosovo, Albania and the Kyrgyz Republic focusing on public financial management, social sector reform, economic development and public administration reforms.

His research interest is in the field of Governance and Public Administration with specific interest in the use of information and communication technologies to aid the process of institutional reform and institution building.

He holds a PhD from the University of Maastricht and a MSc from the London School of Economics (LSE). He has been awarded British Foreign Office Chevening Scholarship for his masters studies, Netherlands Fellowship Award (NFP) by the Government of Netherlands for his PhD studies and has spent a semester as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of California at Berkeley. He is also FCO International Leaders Program (ILP) Alumni.

	Selected publications by Bernard Nikaj
Articles (journal, professional, popular)
Laar, Mindel van de & Bernard Nikaj, 2011, https://www.merit.unu.edu/rebuilding-kosovo-exploring-the-pros-and-cons-of-e-governance/, dual focus blog, More information
Book chapters
Nikaj, Bernard, 2013, The Case of Kosovo, in: Mojmir Mrak, Robert Bauchmuller, Paul McLure (Eds), Fiscal Impact Assessment of Structural Reforms, Case Studies in South Eastern Europe, Center for Exellence in Finance, Lubljana
Research reports
Nikaj, Bernard & Leon Malazogu, 2016, Incentives for accountability and performance in Higher Education, Research Paper, Governance and Public Interest Series, D4D Institute, Prishtina, Kosovo, More information
Ilazi, Besim & Bernard Nikaj, 2010, Internet and e-governance in Kosovo, e-Governance and ICT Usage Report for South East Europe, 2nd Edition. United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Sarajevo, 110-116
Conference contributions
Nikaj, Bernard, 2015, Building functioning Rule of Law institutions through Information and Communication Technology: Lessons from Kosovo, Conference Paper, Social, Political & Economic Change in the Western Balkans, RRPP Western Balkans, Ohrid, Macedonia, 2015, More information
Nikaj, Bernard, 2009, Open Source: Why people do it?, Conference Paper, Software Freedom Kosova – 1st International Conference on Open Source, Prishtina
Dagres, Hristos, Bernard Nikaj, Michael Weinhara & et al., 2004, Implementing Health Information Systems in Transition Countries: Our experience in Kosovo, Conference Paper, International Health Information Systems Conference, Samos, Greece
Theses
Nikaj, Bernard, 2017, From no-government to e-government, PhD dissertation Maastricht University / United Nations University, More information
Other (editorship, media appearance, keynote, etc.)
Nikaj, Bernard, 2016, Innovating your employment in Kosovo, You See!, Platform for social innovations in youth employment, More information
Nikaj, Bernard, 2014, Kosovo businesses are the main beneficiaries of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), The Horizon, nr. 21, Bi-Annual Publication of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, Op-Ed
Nikaj, Bernard, 2013, Stimulimi i rritjes se sektorit privat ne Kosove (Stimulating the private sector growth in Kosovo), The Kosovo Banker, nr. 04, Publication of Banking Association in Kosovo, Op-Ed
Nikaj, Bernard, 2011, Looking into the Future, The Horizon, nr. 16, Bi-Annual Publication of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo