President Begaj’s Greeting Speech at the Inauguration Ceremony of Public University Rectors
Honorable Ms. Manastirliu, Minister of Education and Sports,
Honorable Ms. Zhupa, Chairperson of the Education and Media Committee,
Honored Chairman of the Academy of Sciences,
Esteemed rectors,
Distinguished participants,
It is a genuine pleasure to share this day with you and congratulate you on your new roles. For me, this moment of your inauguration as rectors is more than just a formality or a legal requirement.
I consider it a starting point that marks the beginning of a new chapter in your academic life, a valuable opportunity to lay the foundations for a new and enriched university experience where, together with all educators and students, you will be part of a shared journey.
Newly appointed to this significant duty, you now become leaders of a dynamic community, ready to face the challenges imposed by both today’s needs and the future of our country. You and the universities you will lead share common goals and unite in the desire for high academic achievements to positively impact our society and shape a better future for our nation and upcoming generations.
Your commitment should not be confined to the universities you represent. You will be part of a larger community, sharing responsibilities and missions, from community service projects to partnerships with local and international institutions and organizations. The university is a vibrant ecosystem of ideas and passions, a privileged place to express solidarity. Only through exchanging and sharing experiences with other institutions can you discover your commonalities while respecting your differences.
This is how you will build an inclusive community, strong in its diversity. Your commitment to the community and your ability to collaborate will be the true measures of your success.
This will require you to strengthen academic freedom and independence to foster decision-making, debate, and the clash of ideas. A culture of debate is essential for exercising free thought in line with our history, our values, and fully in line with your mission.
Engaging in this cultural mosaic means opening up to learning and academic growth.
Dear rectors,
We are experiencing rapid foundational shifts in both form and content. There is no doubt today that we live in an era of change, identified by some as the fourth industrial revolution, a globalized world characterized by networks, the internet, or AI, which are gradually proving not only more capable than humans but, above all, capable of learning and making autonomous decisions.
In this context, our higher education needs to evolve to maintain and enhance its quality so that your research and academic activity remain competitive for the future of our country. The goal is clear, but the path is delicate and full of surprises.
Your basic role and mission are to offer students the taste of learning, curiosity, and discovery, and I believe some of the challenges that will require answers in your new duty today and in the future are:
What will be the real contribution of new information and communication technologies in teaching? How will our universities adapt and what use will they make of digital technology, artificial intelligence in the future?
Above all, which study programs will be a priority for our students, where adaptability to a constantly changing world must be essential?
Personally, I understand where you stand. Being a university rector today is a great responsibility. Public interest in improving education quality should be seen as a motivation for action.
– You face the expectations of students, parents, and the entire Albanian society for universities and higher education institutions that respond to the demands of the times;
– You face our society’s immediate need to prepare professionals and intellectuals who will meet the needs of our society for development today and tomorrow;
– You face students who desire both education and a guarantee of employment;
– You face strong competition from a global higher education market.
On the other hand, being a rector today is also an extraordinary opportunity to be a positive agent of change:
To contribute to a vital sector, because higher education in particular is closely linked to our progress as a nation, that we as Albanians learn next to knowledge. Today you have the opportunity to leave a mark on the history of Albanian education. Your success is measured by the difficulty of the challenges you face.
I encourage you in fulfilling your duty to place not only your mind but also your soul. The soul of an Albanian who, though with difficulty, overcomes challenges, who loves his profession, his homeland, and the good and the beautiful. The level of higher education reflects not only the degree of development of society but also, in a way, conditions any other social activity.
In this context, you, esteemed rectors, are essential. You have the responsibility and privilege to create conditions where Albanian youth can fully utilize their human and professional potential.
It is your duty to ensure that our universities are places where knowledge shines, where students are inspired and motivated, where academic freedom is encouraged, where the quality of teaching increases, where scientific research is cultivated, improved, and promoted, where an environment that stimulates critical thinking, creativity, and innovation is created.
In a time when a good portion of our students prefer to study abroad, we need to create equal and stimulating opportunities here, in our country. Therefore, I encourage you to work to make our universities more attractive by offering conditions and opportunities so that our youth do not feel compelled to seek success abroad.
Our universities should be at the forefront of academic research, ensuring high quality in every aspect of their activity. In an era where knowledge and new technologies are changing at an unprecedented pace, it is the duty of our universities to be at the forefront of these changes by contributing to the scientific and technological development of the country.
Build on past successes and positive experiences. Initiatives such as the internationalization of universities, the exchange of students, and teams of educators and administrators are a good example. The exchange of good teaching and research experiences directly affects the quality increase in our universities.
The Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research gives a new dimension to the concept of academic and financial freedom. Use this to create more organic links between studies and labor market needs. The fact that we still have graduate students who cannot find a job in their field of study should make us see the opportunity to improve the system by introducing new curriculum study programs. Otherwise, what is the value of a university diploma for a student who cannot use the knowledge acquired?!
Adaptation to the market must also be accompanied by facilitating the steps of transitioning from student life to work life. Transition, by definition, is a difficult period, especially when you leave school benches and head towards the unknown. We all know how different working life is. Therefore, I urge you to see the opportunity to promote work practices by making them more attractive and easier to implement.
As the leaders of our higher education institutions, your responsibility is great. But so is your potential to positively influence the lives of thousands of students and the development of the country.
A nation truly cannot exist without workers and craftsmen, nor can it progress without scientists and philosophers.
In conclusion, dear rectors, I hope to build together and with confidence the new space for university education, to face the challenges of the times with courage and determination.
I am convinced that you have the power to make a difference. Wishing you a successful academic year, I once again express the pleasure of sharing with you this new start to your function.
Congratulations and success in your noble mission!