The ICAA has been a focal point for international archaeological interest in Albania since its inception. Longstanding partnerships have been forged with a number of foreign universities, not least the University of East Anglia (UK) excavating at Butrint since 1994, and the University of Paris 1 (France) with which the ICAA works at Apollonia and Byllis, two of the most important archaeological sites in the country. Other significant partnerships exist with the University of Bologna (Italy) at the ongoing excavations at Phoenice, and with the University of Cincinnati (USA) (which surveyed Mallakastra province in 1998-2003) at the excavations of a Hellenistic sanctuary at Bonjaket close to Apollonia.

Furthermore, the ICAA has invested in relationships with foreign universities to support individual excavations and studies at archaeologically sensitive locations. A particular success has been the collaboration between the ICAA and the University of California to excavate the Archaic Greek tumulus at Lofkënd. Equally, as part of the race to record and investigate the cultural heritage and archaeology of Durrës the late antique city walls were documented in partnership with the University of Cambridge (UK), and the Archaic temples at Cape Palla and Spitalla were excavated jointly with the University of Parma (Italy).

The ICAA works concertedly to raise awareness of Albanian archaeology internationally and has presented papers at conferences and workshops throughout Europe, in the USA and Japan. In 2001, two international forums were held in Albania to discuss imperative cultural heritage management issues at Durrës and Gjirokastra. These events and collaborations have generated important results published in international journals, in books and in the ICAA’s own publication series.