UNED Campus opens in Gjirokastër/ Manastirliu: new academic offer with European standards

2024-10-30 15:33:00, Aktualitet CNA

UNED Campus opens in Gjirokastër/ Manastirliu: new academic offer with

The National University of Distance Education (UNED) of Spain, a model public institution that brings the best Spanish and European experience, officially opened today its newest campus in the city of Gjirokastra.

The Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu, was present at the inauguration ceremony of the new campus; the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Mirela Kumbaro; the rector of UNED, prof. Ricardo Mairal Usón; the ambassador of Spain in Tirana, Alvaro Renedo Zalba; The Mayor of Gjirokastër, Flamur Golemi; the academic staff of "Eqrem Çabej" University as well as young people and students of this university.

Minister Manastirliu described this step as a historical moment for higher education in Albania, stressing that this campus represents a new educational standard that comes for the first time in our country.

"The National University of Distance Education (UNED) of Spain opens its doors here in Gjirokastra with a new academic offer, with about 50 years of distance learning experience through the best teaching methods and technology offered by this university with a diverse offer, the first of its kind to come to Albania. UNED is a unique opportunity and is a milestone in the entire chapter of internationalization in relation to the academic offer to increase the quality of higher education in Albania," said the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu.

Minister Manastirliu also focused on the work being done in the process of internationalization of Albanian universities.

"When we started the program of internationalization of higher education, of course the focus was that our universities could create partnerships in building joint programs or double degrees with prestigious universities and very quickly we moved from this phase to opening campuses of prestigious universities here in Albania, such as UNED, as is the College of Europe, as in the following we will open the campus at the Polytechnic University of Tirana of one of the prestigious universities of France such as the Technological University of Compiegne, or the opening of the study programs of the Technical University of Istanbul that we are working to bring to Albania as soon as possible. These are steps that show our vision to dimension the offer of higher education in Albania and increase it to a European standard, bringing Europe to Albania," said Manastirliu.

In today's ceremony, "Eqrem Çabej" University signed a cooperation agreement with UNED to expand academic exchanges and adapt the educational offer according to the requirements of the labor market and tourist development of Gjirokastra, a city listed in UNESCO. For Albanian students, this is a unique opportunity for a quality distance education, increasing academic standards, preparing them for the challenges of the labor market and to be competitive at the international level.

The campus will be active this academic year 2024-2025 and registrations for the new programs at this university are open online until November 5, for all Albanian students and those from the region, without geographical restrictions.

In this campus, students will have the opportunity to follow study programs offered by UNED, equipped with international standards, and benefit from scholarships through cooperation with the Albanian-American Foundation for Development.