Dr Heliona Bellani (Miço) is a legal scholar and lecturer in Tirana. She serves as a lecturer and researcher at Western Balkans University. Her teaching covers public, constitutional, and administrative law, and her research focuses on human rights, the right to education, minority protection, social inclusion, data protection and quality assurance in higher education. From 2014 to 2020, she directed Albania’s State Exams Directorate and has worked as a senior legal expert on EU- and UN-supported projects. She completed her PhD at the Institute of European Studies, University of Tirana, on the development of the right to education in Albania in line with international and European standards. She is an active member of several COST networks (TraFaDy, ORBIT, GDHRNet, TRIBES) and a recipient of the READ Fellowship of the Albanian American Development Foundation (AADF) for the project Legal Protection of Minorities (2024–2025). She was a Visiting Researcher at the University of Bologna in September–October 2025. In 2026, she was awarded the academic title of Associate Professor by the Faculty of Law at the University of Tirana. She has authored and co-authored numerous scholarly publications and regularly presents her work at international conferences and scholarly forums.
Heliona Bellani (Miço) is awarded the title of Associate Professor and holds a PhD in Legislation and European Institutions from the Institute of European Studies at the University of Tirana (2012–2019), where her doctoral research focused on the evolution of the right to education in Albania in light of international standards and European legislation. She also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana, completed in cooperation with the University of Nebraska, USA, with a thesis on corruption in Albania and anti-corruption measures (2005–2007), as well as a Master’s degree in Civil Law from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana (2004–2006), focusing on public property and decentralization in local government. She completed her undergraduate studies in Law at the University of Tirana (1999–2003). In addition to her formal academic qualifications, she has undertaken specialized professional training in areas such as human rights, education law, child protection, legislative drafting, and public administration, including courses delivered by Harvard University, the European Association for Education Law and Policy, and international organizations.
Books & Edited Volumes
Bellani (Miço), H., Hajdini, B., Mulleti, N., Hoxha, D. (eds.) (2025) Strengthening Minority Rights in Albania: Linking the Internal Legal Framework with International Human Rights Commitments. ALBAS.
Pajuste, T., Miço (Bellani), H., Maslo Cerkic, S. (eds.) (2024) Legal Perspectives in the Modern Era of Technological Transformations. ADJURIS – International Academic Publisher.
Lauwers, G., Lumani (Zaçellari), M., Miço, H. (eds.) (2019) Introductory Textbook on Law and Rights for Students in Teacher Training and Educational Sciences. Mileniumi i Ri.
Journal Articles
- Selçuk, O., Halisoğlu, T., Erdoğan, Z., Karpava, S., Sulaj, A.,Bellani, H. (2026). A Scoping Review on Discrimination, Social Protection and Coping of Transnational Families in Europe. Društvena istraživanja: Journal for General Social Issues, Vol. 35 No. 1, 2026. https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/501471.
- O’Brien, N. et al. (incl. Bellani, H.) (2025) How peer support is conceptualised and implemented to reduce bullying in 10 European countries, Pastoral Care in Education.
- Miço, H., Cungu, J. (2025) Human Rights Education as a Means Towards Social Justice: Evaluation of the Albanian Legal Framework on Human Rights Education, Archivio Giuridico Online (Filippo Serafini).
- Hajdini, B., Bellani Miço, H. (2025) Combating Corruption in the Albanian Judiciary: Promoting Due Process, EUWEB Legal Essays: Global & International Perspectives.
- Hajdini, B., Bellani Miço, H. (2025) Parandalimi i korrupsionit në gjyqësor, nëpërmjet rritjes së integritetit: Rasti i Reformës në Drejtësi në Shqipëri, Revista Juridike Shqiptare.
- Miço (Bellani), H., Leci, E. (2024) Assessing the Security of Privacy Rights and Data Protection in Albania: A Critical Analysis Within the European Legal Framework, Juridical Tribune – Review of Comparative and International Law.
- Miço, H. (2023) The Right to Private and Family Life and the Need for Protection Against the Digital Environment, European Journal of Economics, Law and Social Sciences.
- Cungu, J., Miço, H. (2023) The Language of Racism and Discrimination Through the Lens of Political Communication in Online Media, Balkan Social Science Review.
- Miço, H., Mulleti, N. (2023) Social Inclusion in Education for Asylum-Seekers and Refugees: A Human Right or a Hope?, EUWEB Legal Essays: Global & International Perspectives.
- Miço, H., Cungu, J. (2023) Entrepreneurship Education, a Challenging Learning Process Towards Entrepreneurial Competence in Education, Administrative Sciences.
- Zaçellari, M., Miço, H. (2021) Parents and Teachers’ Involvement in Designing Educational Programmes within the Albanian Curricula of Pre-university Education, Eastern European Journal of Transnational Relations.
- Miço, H., Zaçellari, M. (2020) Online Learning as a Means Toward Achieving an Adaptable Right to Education in Albania, Knowledge – International Journal.
- Miço, H., Zaçellari, M. (2020) Legal Aspects of Participation Practices in the Albanian Education Context, Polish Journal of Educational Studies.
Book Chapters & Conference Proceedings
- Bellani (Miço), H., Cungu, J. (2026) Dignity and Inclusion: Ensuring the Rights of Minority Children in the Contemporary Educational Systems, in The Child in History – Between Dignity and Enslavement, Vol. 3, University of Białystok Publishing House.
- Bellani (Miço), H., Cungu, J. (2025) The Pedagogue in Albania, in The Pedagogue in Europe, Roma Tre-Press.
- Bellani, H., Hajdini, B. (2025) Between Protection and Protocol: Refugees' Rights in Albania’s Constitutional Order, in Proceedings of the EUVALWEB Final Conference “Quo Vadis EU Security?”.
- Hajdini, B., Bellani (Miço), H. (2025) The Role of the Assembly in Monitoring the Implementation of Legislation: The Case of Albania, in Proceedings of the National Conference “Parliamentary Research Day”.
- Bellani (Miço), H., Hajdini, B. (2025) The Influence of Higher Education Institutions in the Drafting of Legislation, in Proceedings of the National Conference “Parliamentary Research Day”.
- Miço, H. (2024) Legal Issues of Roma Inclusion in Education in Western Balkan Countries, in Proceedings of the International Conference “Teacher Education on the Move” (ATEE).
- Miço, H., Alibeaj, G. (2024) Afati i arsyeshëm si garanci e procesit të rregullt ligjor. Ndikimi i Gjykatës Evropiane të të Drejtave të Njeriut në praktikën shqiptare, Revista Studime Juridike.
- Popa Tache, C. E., Miço (Bellani), H. (2024) Some Reflections on the Right to Refuse Internet Use and the “Chilling Effect”, in Legal Perspectives in the Modern Era of Technological Transformations, ADJURIS.
- Miço, H. (2023) The Dimensions of Social Inclusion in the Right to Education, in ATEE Annual Conference Proceedings.
- Miço, H. (2023) Development of the Teaching Profession in Albania Towards Standardization as a Regulated Profession, in New Perspectives in Education and Social Sciences.
- Miço, H. (2022) Transformation of Albanian Higher Education Through the Accreditation Process: Progress, Obstacles, and Future, in New Perspectives on Using Accreditation to Improve Higher Education, IGI Global.
- Miço, H. (2022) The Right to Education of Asylum Seekers and Refugees: Reflection of International Standards in Albanian Legislation, EUWEB Legal Essays.
- Miço, H., Zaçellari, M. (2021) Barriers to Implementation of the Child’s Rights to Inclusive Education: The Case of Albania, in The Child in History – Between Dignity and Enslavement, University of Białystok.
- Miço, H., Kodra, K. (2021) Evaluation of Happiness in Albanian Education Legislation and Policies, in Happiness and Contemporary Society.
- Miço, H. (2020) Addressing the Right to Education in Albania Before and After the Communist Regime, in Proceedings of the International Conference on European Studies.
- Miço, H. (2020) The (Lack of) Integrity in the Right to Education in Albania, in Proceedings of the International Conference on Advanced Research in Teaching and Education.
- Zaçellari, M., Miço, H. (2019) Issues Regarding Quality Education for Returned Migrant Children in Albania, in Shaping the Future Through Dialogue, Quality and Education.
- Miço, H. (2019) The Teaching Profession in Albania and the Continuous Need for Improvement Through Teacher Training Reforms, in Rethinking Teacher Education for the 21st Century, Verlag Barbara Budrich.
Reports / Research Outputs
- Miço, H., Cristani, F. (2023) Human Rights Council Report A/HRC/51/17: The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age, Global Digital Human Rights Network (GDHRNet).
