"Eqerem Çabej" University in Gjirokastër has faced this beginning of the new academic year with a massive increase in applications from students from North Africa and Asia.
A2 CNN journalist Rigels Malile announced that most of them are from Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Algeria and other countries. According to him, their goal remains to be provided with a residence permit to then move to Europe.
" The phenomenon that is noticed, according to rector Jaho Canaj, is the massive application of young people from third countries, Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Algeria and other countries. This is not just a desire to study, but remains within the scope of the benefit of the documentation to come to Albania and then move to Europe ".
Based on the statements of the rector of this university, there is still no legal framework for their admission and some are on the waiting list, until a decision is made by the Ministry of Education.
"Albania does not have a legal framework to accept students from foreign countries, apart from collaborations with universities and in this context, the university "Eqerem Çabej" has not accepted students who apply on the official website, but is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to establish a legal framework and establish some criteria for which students can be accepted and which cannot, because massive requests remain to be provided with a residence permit here. Until now, there are no accepted students, there are students who have been left waiting, but it depends on the decision that will be taken by the Ministry of Education", reported the journalist.
Foreign students have been present in Gjirokastër for several years thanks to the Erasmus cooperation between "Eqerem Çabej" university and other universities, mainly Spanish and Italian. In Gjirokastër there are also students from the Presheva Valley.
Students from foreign countries are looking more for tourism and majors related to history.
There are currently no closed branches in Gjirokastra, registrations continue. But the problem remains the same that the branches of teaching are all at risk. There are branches with one or two students and they await completion in other phases.
Meanwhile, there are 800 foreign students studying at a university in Tirana, 50% of whom are studying medicine. Lecturer Klodian Muço spoke on "Dita Jonë" about the increase in requests from foreigners to study in Albania.
"Very high number of requests from foreign students. This year it has been a tough competition to select the 150 people we get every year from Italy in the first year. There are over 800 Italians. There are also other students from North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and others. In Medicine, they occupy 50% at the university level, they occupy over 1/3".