Alba Çela holds a B.A in Political Science/ International relations from the American University in Bulgaria (magna cum laude) as well as an M. A in Nationalism Studies from the Central European University (with Distinction) in Budapest. She has been a recipient of the prestigious John Gunn scholarship at the University of Washington and Lee in Virginia. Alba’s main areas of research are: democratization, political parties, national identity and European integration. Her monograph is entitled “Ghost political parties and the deformation of democracy: the case of Albania and the region”. Additionally, Alba participates as an independent expert in research, monitoring & evaluation and advocacy projects for several international donors and organizations such as OSFA/ FES/ BIRN/NDI etc.