Speech of the Rector of the University of Elbasan “Alexander Xhuvani”, prof. dr. Skender Topi, at the Student Graduation Ceremony, Academic Year 2018-2019

Dear students,

Very dear family and relatives of students,

Dear Academic Personnel of the University of Elbasan,

Dear Rector and Dean colleagues,

Dear guests,

Welcome to the graduation ceremony of the University of Elbasan “Alexanderjuvani”, for the 2018-2019 academic year!

What excellent journey we made together; We aimed and realized:

- unconditional support for staff students,

- Quality of standards in providing study programs,

- internationalization of the institution.

Our journey was not easy. We began with the drafting and implementation of the student -centered development strategy, where the decision -making of collegial bodies was oriented to the student's highest interest in each faculty, in each student. You elected your representatives at the EU Academic Senate, who knew how to properly address your voice. But we didn't get enough. For you and you, we have established the Student Council of the University of Elbasan, which coordinates its work with our bodies, and often becomes a precursor to the best initiatives and practices for you.

A special career counseling sector has been created in the service of students, which informs, assists, orients and trains all the time you are a student, serving as a link between your work market diplomas where you aspire to be in the future.

University curricula have been unified with European ones for study programs at the Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences and continuously work for all study programs at our university.

Dear students,

It is you, your work, your professionalism, dedication and passion for your work, which makes us all proud. Each of you is a colleague, he is a co -driver, he is a friend.

Together students and lecturers, we have implemented bold projects and ventures, starting with the accreditation of the institution. We have continued with the realization of each venture for scientific conferences, participation in national and international projects for capacity building, study programs, etc.

The support for you, for your initiatives has been, is and will be unconditional.

The University of Elbasan offers 39 Bachelor of Study Programs, 17 Master's Degree Programs, 34 Professional Master's Study Programs, 7 2 -Year Professional Study Programs and 2 Doctorate Study Programs. These study programs have been structured in such a way as to allow students an academic and practical training.

In order to provide a fuller academic program, our study programs have also been added to the international experience of various professors who have become part of teaching near you. I emphasize the fact that invited professors were not part of only one study program, but of all study programs.

For me, in the capacity of the Rector, I am proud that these professors have always sought to return to our audiences, as synergy and cooperation with you have been impressive.

I would like to emphasize another important element, which relates to infrastructure.

In our co -operative, we have known to focus priorities on your practical and didactic training, equipping the University of Elbasan with some new laboratories such as:

IT Laboratories, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Education Sciences,

Laboratory of Biology at the Faculty of Natural Sciences,

Nursing and physiotherapy laboratories at the Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences,

Laboratory within the lifelong learning center.

Digital anatomy laboratory, with 100 % funding from the Albanian government

Currently, the Media Laboratory of the Center is enriched and updated at the Faculty of Humanities.

In parallel with the academic organization, continuous training and qualifications have been developed for you, to make the "Soft Skills" orientation to make the period of university banks easy to work desks.

Referring to the professions regulated by a special law, where prior licensing is required, it results from the center of educational services that passage is 80 %. This has made it possible for the immediate employment and without delays from the students. Thanks to the tracing of students, mainly in the district of Elbasan and beyond, 55% of them are employed in public and private institutions in the country.

Students beneficiaries of excellence scholarships have also provided a one -year employment contract in the state administration.

Many EU students have been beneficiaries of the employment program with the Elbasan Labor Office. These students, divided by profiles of their professions, worked for 6 months with academic support staff enriching and improving their professional skills.

Together we intended to have an open 3600 institution. During this trip we signed hundreds of cooperation agreements in Europe and up to America. The peculiarity of these agreements lies in the fact that they were not just words listed on paper. These agreements have turned into concrete exchange projects, capacity building, for continuous training and qualifications.

Together we have visited over 50 partner universities and welcomed over 150 staff of these institutions. Our students have studied with their peers in these institutions and their number is still increasing. Part of us have become many European students and others will join the second semester of the academic year.

In promoting the best professional values ​​and practices, we organized joint activities where leitmotivi was the importance of cooperation without walls, without barriers, without hesitation.

Today we are partners in capacity building projects and together we build communication bridges for your future, which is our future.

Dear students,

Your journey has just begun, but I am hopeful, that this trip will be successful and you will proudly keep the status of the University of Elbasan student.

Dear colleagues,

We can be the best together together.

I will close my speech, with a quote from John Dju: “Education is not a preparation for life; Education is life itself. "

Success everyone!