The next meeting of the Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions was held today. 

At the invitation of the Chairman of the Conference, Prof. Dr. Artan Hoxha, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Edi Rama, and the Minister of Education, Ms. Mirela Kumbaro, were also present at the meeting, confirming the direct attention of the highest political level to higher education as a strategic priority for the economic, social and cultural transformation of the country.

 

The Chairman, Prof. Dr. Artan Hoxha, also Rector of the University of Tirana, emphasized the fundamental role of this Conference as a national platform for dialogue, representation and policy coordination in the field of higher education. He underlined that universities are key institutions of public interest and that higher education is not a financial burden, but a long-term strategic investment in Albania's human capital, knowledge, innovation and competitiveness.

 

The Minister of Education, Ms. Mirela Kumbaro, emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional cooperation and the active role of universities in the process of reviewing and improving the sectoral legal framework, in order to increase the quality, autonomy and internationalization of the university system.

 

The Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Edi Rama, praised the cooperation built between the government and higher education institutions, as well as the contribution of the Rectors’ Conference in addressing the structural challenges of the sector. He highlighted three strategic priorities for the next phase of higher education development: improving and modernizing the higher education law, internationalizing Albanian universities, and restructuring the university infrastructure according to contemporary standards. In this context, the Prime Minister pointed to the good example of the University of Tirana, which is at the forefront of a series of universities that have significantly increased their funding capacities beyond support from the state budget.

 

The conference concluded with in-depth and constructive discussions on Law No. 80/2015, reaffirming the joint commitment to a sustainable reform of higher education, based on academic quality, scientific research, internationalization and service to society.