The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania paved the way today for the establishment of the campus of the College of Europe in Tirana, with the approval of the agreement signed last June between the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu, and the Rector of the European College, Federica Mogherini.
The Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu, at the end of the government meeting, said that this agreement, which aims to promote cooperation in the higher education sector and expertise in the field of European studies in Albania and beyond, represents an exceptional opportunity for Albania to increase its presence in international education and further strengthen the integration of study programs with EU member countries.
“We have taken an important decision regarding the European dimension of higher education, the agreement that allows the opening of the College of Europe branch in Tirana. Opening this campus in Tirana will be the third, after Brugge and Natolin, and this not only marks a strategic partnership between Albania and European institutions, but on the other hand, it opens opportunities for students, professionals from Albania, and young people from the Western Balkans to study in the Tirana branch of the College of Europe,” said Manastirliu.
The College of Europe campus in Tirana will offer an academic program of European standards for students and professionals from Albania, the Western Balkans, the European Union, and beyond, and will open the cycle of studies starting this academic year.
“The Branch of the College of Europe in Tirana will start its studies in this academic year. The Albanian government, through this agreement, is also committed to initiating and supporting all aspects related to the construction of the College of Europe campus in Tirana and will also finance up to 5 annual scholarships for Albanian students.
The Minister considered it a historic event for the government’s vision of the internationalization of our universities.
“Of course, this is a historic event. For the first time, a subsidiary of a prestigious university opens its branch in Albania, not only because of what this university will bring to Albania academically in the function of our vision for the internationalization of higher education and for the continuation of our programs for opening branches of the most prestigious universities”.