Noela Mahmutaj is a lecturer at the Institute of European Studies at the University of Tirana. She finished the PhD program and holds the title of Researcher and Teacher-Researcher in International Relations and World Politics.Noela has a PhD degree in Political Science from the International Relations School at Saint-Petersburg State University. After receiving her BA degree in Political Science at Peoples' Friendship University in Moscow, Russia, Noela earned an MA in Diplomacy and International Relations in the EU at the Institute of European Studies. Her research interests are Geopolitics, International Relations in the Balkans and Russian studies.Dr Noela has published several research works and articles in her area of Interest.