Rector of the University of Tetova, Prof. Dr. Vullnet Ameti, began his speech at this academy with high appreciation and gratitude to all students who, with exemplary courage and without any hesitation, 24 years ago became the most vital pillar of the first hub of higher education in Albanian language in these areas. “They became the protagonists, missionaries, torches, and key holders of the platform of the University of Tetova, established by Albanian intellectuals headed by the first and historical Rector, Prof. Dr. Fadil Sulejmani. I want to express my deep respect to the Albanian education martyr Abdylselam Emini, whose blood became a light of knowledge on the road to building the University of Tetova. Special honor deserve our brothers, who served the University, by transforming their homes into university auditoriums, where the first students were educated, professionally trained and gained knowledge the first students of this institution. We will never forget the efforts of the Albanian families that contributed our University to stand on solid ground. After 24 years of unstoppable work, the University of Tetova has become a genuine education center not only in Macedonia but also in the region. Today, the youth of our country are studying, of the Republic of Albania, the Republic of Kosovo, the Preshevo Valley and the entire Albanian diaspora are studying in it. They, together with their distinguished professors, have left an indelible mark on the most important processes that the University of Tetova has passed since its foundation, the beginning of the first lectures and the period after the formalization, integration and the progress of the University. With special piety we also remember the contributors, who are no longer among us, and may their deeds be eternal” – said the Rector, Prof. Dr. Vullnet Ameti.
He also added in his speech that during this academic year our University has achieved significant results in all fields and has realized the main goals as an institution of higher education in our country.
“At the end of last academic year, with academic ceremonies we promoted about one thousand graduates of generation 2017/2018. The graduation of our senior students is a great event in the calendar of our activities, it is a testimony to the constant progress of our institution, its strong evidence that we all approached education and scientific research with the utmost seriousness.
University’s platform, rich educational and scientific offer, professional, fair and intensive cooperation with state institutions, with other universities in the country also, with the non- governmental sector, business community, etc., have transformed the University of Tetova into the epicenter of visit for young people, intellectuals, scientists and distinguished writers and poets in the country and abroad.
As a result of this image, we have succeeded in meeting our goals with the approach of new students who each year enroll in the study programs of our 13 faculties.
In the academic year 2018/2019, in the first, second and third cycle, we have enrolled about 3,000 new students.
We continued with the support for the students by providing facilitations in several tuition categories, while a considerable number of them have been freed from the payment of semesters.
It is worth pointing out that for the academic year 2018/2019, the University of Tetova has allocated 90 scholarships for first-cycle students and 22 scholarships for second-cycle students.
During this academic year, we have achieved another success because, along with the Northern Illinois University, we have concretized the educational-scientific work with the opening of the new study program for Business Administration in second-cycle studies.
This study program will work in full cooperation and coordination between our academic units:
The Faculty of Economics of University of Tetova and the College of Business of Northern Illinois University.
Special attention has been paid to intercollegiate cooperation with Albanian universities, universities from the region and international ones, intensifying inter-institutional relations with universities from the Republic of Albania, Republic of Kosovo, prestigious universities from the United States of America, England, Austria, Germany, Italy and from other Western countries” – said Prof. Dr. Vullnet Ameti.
In the final part of his speech, the Rector especially emphasized the activities of educational-academic and cultural character, which were realized at the University of Tetova. “During this year we have organized dozens of activities of educational, scientific and cultural character, such as: Fifth Conference of the Faculty of Physical Education; Fourth Conference of the Faculty of Applied Sciences; Second Conference of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, where our Nobel Prize winner, the Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Tetova – Prof. Dr. Ferid Murad honored us with his presence; International Congress of Tourism, Economy and Business; Implementation of scientific project titled “Achieving biodiversity conservation through the effective creation and management of protected areas and the inclusion of biodiversity and land use planning” by the Institute of Ecology; International Scientific Conference on the 10th Anniversary of Independence of Kosovo, on the topic: “State Consolidation and Euro-Integration Challenges”; The Fourth Conference of the Balkan Universities Association, on the topic: “Collaboration between universities and cultural coexistence – a premise for a sustainable platform across the Balkans”, attended by over 40 rectors of Balkan universities and many researchers. In the proceedings of this conference was also realized the handover of the Presidency of the Balkan Universities Association. After the University of Tetova, the presidency of this Association during the academic year 2018/19, is run by the “Aristotle” University from Thessaloniki; The Third International Conference of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the 2nd National Congress of Trauma and Emergency Surgery; The Second Annual Conference of the Center for Peace and Transcultural Communication held in Chicago, USA; 12th International Seminar on Albanology; Organization of the Open Day and Second Food Industry Fair “Food Expo 2018”; Joint organization of the artistic project, “Three-arched Bridge”, with the University of Prishtina and the University of Tirana; Opening of the traditional exhibition of the students of Fine Arts; Annual Concert of the students of the Faculty of Arts; The organization of the forum on the topic: “The vision of the young people for the future of the EU” with the participation of the Ambassador of the European Union in our country, Samuel Zhbogar; We have participated in the Second Forum of Western Balkan Rectors, held at the University of Zagreb, where we signed the Declaration of Founding of the Association of Southeast European Universities and the Western Balkans, which develops the regional platform for cooperation in scientific research, with particular emphasis on improving the quality of higher education in Southeast Europe and the Western Balkans; We were part of the 13th European Quality Assurance Forum, which was organized by the European Universities Association held in Vienna, Austria; Students from various faculties of University of Tetova, with their participation in national and international competitions, have won several awards by confirming their professional capacities. We are also very pleased with the performance and success of our volleyball clubs, especially with the success of the women's volleyball club, whose members were awarded trophies, by winning the second place in the national championship. Also important is the participation of our student, the athlete Berat Mustafa, in the 2018 Olympic Games in the Junior Athletics Discipline, in Buenos Aires, Argentina; With academic celebrations we have marked some of the main dates, such as: March 7 – Teacher’s Day; May 9 – Europe Day; November 22 – Albanian Alphabet Day; November 28 – Albanian Flag and Independence Day, World Book Day, International Day People with Special Needs, 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Freedoms, World Diabetes Day, Nationwide Skanderbeg Year, through the opening of the exhibition of 50 Albanian artists led by Prof. Dr. Miftar Memeti, not forgetting the realization of dozens of educational debates, publishing of scientific journals of our faculties, publishing and promoting of books, such as: Volume VI, VII and VIII of the capital work “Kosovo”, of the famous writer and historian Jusuf
Buxhovi; “Berisha’s Political Dictionary ’90 – ‘92” of the author from Albania, Alfred Lela; “Ethimological Dictionary of the Albanian Language”, the Academician Kolec Topalli; Promotion of 12 issues of the literary magazine of Tirana “Illz”, dedicated to Albanian personalities such as: Gjergj Fishta, Naim Frashëri, Ismail Kadare, Luan Starova, Teki Dervishi, Zija Çela, Xhevahir Spahiu, Gjergj Kastrioti – Skënderbeu …; Promotion of the student magazine “Beyond”, published by the Student Parliament of our University; Redesigning the Official Website of our University; Special attention has been paid to our cooperation and participation in international educational projects and programs such as Erasmus + MEVLANA, FULBRIGHT …
Through them we carry out: Exchange and mobility of our students and professors as well as the visit of eminent professors at our University; Expansion of cooperation with 5 new networks under the Ceepus III program, which provides: Research, development and education in unconventional processes”; Gaining knowledge and sharing experience in CFD; Recognition of borders and border crossings in cultural anthropology in university education; Ecological study and management of aquatic ecosystems in Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe; Internal and external evaluation by the European Universities Association and many other activities.
At the end of my speech, let me emphasize that we all together – students and professors, are walking towards the future, with the determination and vision to turn this source of light and knowledge into a modern University, into the model-center of higher education, here and elsewhere”, concluded his speech Rector of the University of Tetova Prof. Dr. Vullnet Ameti.
Whereas the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Macedonia, Doc. Dr. Arbër Ademi, assessed that each time the University of Tetova marks anniversaries, we Albanians of these areas also mark the beginning of realizing the idea of having an institution of higher education in Albanian language in the Republic of Macedonia. “Today we mark the sacrifice of Albanian families and the citizens of the country in order to have an institution like the UT and what it represents today.
I would like to express our highest gratitude to all those who contributed to the consolidation of this University, appreciating all those professors from the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Albania who have made a valuable contribution by respecting all professional standards so that this University works and functions properly in accordance with the legal framework. I as Minister of Education and Science have always supported and will support even in the future the University of Tetova and that as we previously introduced the new study program together with one of the most prestigious American universities, I hope that even in the future we will have such projects that will be in the interest of our students and citizens”- stated Doc. Dr. Arbër Ademi, Minister of Education and Science of our country.
On behalf of the Macedonian Parliament, the academy was welcomed by the deputy chairman, Prof. Dr. Vesel Memedi, who stressed that every world university has its own history, but the University of Tetova has a completely different story. “You can rarely find an academic and scientific institution in the world that has been built by the people, and this people has sacrificed, made the utmost for this sacred educational hub, and even someone gave his life for the creation, construction and development of this sacred education center. The initial mission of this institution was to teach in Albanian language and this mission has now been realized and not only has achieved this goal but today this institution has paved the way for the creation of many other state and private universities that teach in Albanian language” quoted in his speech, Prof. Dr. Vesel Memedi, deputy chairman of the Assembly.
On behalf of the Prime Minister of Macedonia, a speech in this academic celebration held his adviser, Mr. Ismet Ramadani. “Let me, on behalf of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, who is not present today because of the agenda and engagements that he has during these days, to greet you and wish you on the marking of the twenty-fourth anniversary of the University of Tetova. The Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev was always interested in the University of Tetova. With admiration and pleasure, he follows the successes of the University of Tetova and in most cases takes the example of how the University of Tetova cooperates not only with universities from the country but also with international ones, and this should be an example of how the Republic of Macedonia must pursue the path of integration towards European Union and NATO membership”- said Macedonia’s PM Advisor Mr. Ismet Ramadani.
This academy was also enriched with an abundant artistic program prepared by the professors of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Tetova.
