Albanian University is a private, independent and secular institution of the Higher Education!
AU was licensed in April 2004 by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania, opened its doors for the academic year 2004-2005, with the first course of study in the program of dentistry, with attendance of about one hundred students. From the very first year of its establishment, this institution has put the focus of academic life on promoting the intellectual product and integrating teaching with scientific research, finalized at the First Dental Conference UFO Dental, which opened the line of a tradition already consolidated.
The following year, this institution offered university degrees for other programs, such as; Pharmacy, Architecture, Law, Political Science. During the academic year 2005-2006, the number of undergraduate students who attended our institution was 600. Contemporary study programs, staff with a very long academic and professional background, modern and qualitative infrastructure conditions were some of the elements on which the University developed. In this academic year, the translation of the Dentistry literature obtained from Boston’s Tuft’s University was completed, published by the UFO Press Publishing, which was followed by a large number of books in all study areas.
In the academic year 2006-2007, the University was completed with its eight fields of study; Dentistry, Pharmacy, Architecture, Finance-Banking, Legal Studies, Political Studies, Psychology, Communication Sciences, and was attended by about 2000 students. In this academic year, besides fulfilling academic duties, the University emphasized the involvement of academics in public debates and issues. The meetings and debates on the legalization issues of lobbying and the identification of interest groups were the first steps towards being a factor in the public life of the country. Forums, workshops, seminars, conferences, debates involved not only academics but also students and interest groups as part of the intellectual formation towards realizing the University’s mission. In April 2007, apart from the UFO Press, the university expanded its public space through UFO education television (now UTV News). It was conceived as an educational television in any information disclosure. His goal is a cultural formation in political, artistic, literary aspects, trying to transmit the values of education and society.
In its fourth year, the university obtained a special value and understanding not only for the 3100 students who were sitting in the auditoriums of this institution but because it was the year in which the first generation of students graduated from the Department of Dentistry and Political-Administrative Science. 94 Dental Practitioners and 26 Politicians, all of them already employed, continue post-graduate studies in and out of the country. In the history of our University, the academic year 2007-2008 marked the first honorary title awarded by the Academic Senate, “Professor of Honor” to Dr. Erhard Busek, lecturer, scholar and politician, a strong supporter of Albania in the international arena.
The academic year 2008-2009 came with new results for the University. Second and third cycle study programs, profiling and specializing of its students, bringing them closer to the labor market were the new challenges. The second level and Master’s degree programs, all provided under a specific project “On the Qualification of Public Administration”. 600 students in these programs were joined to the 4000 first cycle students, extending and completing the U.F.O University community. This year was successfully finalized by honoring the title “Doctor Honoris Causa” to Mr. Gordon Richard England for his contributions to the Albania’s membership in the Euro-Atlantic community.
The academic year 2009-2010 was the year of qualitative consolidation of our university, in this year all the bachelor programs and integrated pharmacy programs passed the accreditation process and in 2010 they were positively evaluated by the Public Accreditation Agency of Higher Education.
The academic year 2010-2011, marked a special year in the life of our institution. The old name of the university differed from U.F.O University, in a more meaningful name that prestigiously represented the 7100 Albanian University students. The year 2011 marked the agreement in the framework of cooperation between the University of Palermo and Albanian University, Tirana. Rector of the University of Studies of Palermo, Prof. Roberto Lagalla and Rector of Albanian University of Tirana, Prof. Dr. Paul Congo considered inter-university co-operation an indispensable tool for mutual recognition of cultures, cultural, scientific knowledge and dissemination.
The academic year 2011-2012 marked an important year in the academic life of this university, because in this academic year was opened the third cycle of studies of long-term specialties in the field of dentistry in its 8 directions, where internships were organized with foreign professors. This year marked a large number of scientific and cultural activities in all departments, reflected also in the journal Optime, as well as a large number of new editions and publications of the printing press.
The academic year 2012-2013 was an important year because it marked the 10th anniversary of the opening of the private service activity in education. This year also offered a broader range of second cycle programs, a master’s degree in nursing and psychology, as well as the opening of third cycle of doctoral programs in the Law, Economics, Psychology, Political science, Pharmacy and Architecture.
The academic year 2013-2014 was a year of great achievements regarding the expansion of study programs which the licensing of the 5 first and second cycle programs and 3 doctoral programs, in addition, during this year were accredited 10 study programs of the bachelor’s degree offered at the both branches of the university, in Berat and Tirana. This was a year of organizing major scientific activities such as the first European Implantology Conference, international conferences in the field of psychology and political sciences as collaborations with other public and private universities in the country.
The academic year 2014-2015 remains the year of consolidation and achievement of quality standards, both in the field of teaching and in the field of international research and cooperation. The University in this academic year signed an agreement with the University of L’Aquila for the purpose of exchanging academic staff, research staff and students; exchange of publications, scientific materials, research projects, development of research projects, organization of joint publications, conferences and workshops etc.
The academic year 2015-2016 was a very important year as well as it achieved some inter-university agreements in the framework of institutional cooperation not only in the exchange of academic and student staffs but also in the joint development of scientific research. The co-operation universities are as follows: The Corvinus University of Budapest, University of Padova, Faculty of Dentistry in Bucharest and Sigmund Freud University in Vienna.
The academic year 2016-2017 coincided with the undertaking of some academic initiatives. The University established the Office of Projects and Scientific Development to promote and develop inter-university relations with international institutions and academies. From the most popular and directly impacted initiatives to students and academic staffs, this office started organizing and applying for Erasmus Plus, Jean Monnet, Marie Sklodowska Curie and dozens of direct cooperation agreements with European universities. Furthermore this academic year has started with an increased presence of AU in social networks. The restructuring of the Foreign Relations Office has given a proactive and facilitating dimension to the University-Student relationship, significantly increasing the interest and participation of the public and the student body versus the University. In addition to developments within the institution, Albanian University successfully completed the accreditation of 29 Bachelor and Master programs and successfully completed the external institutional evaluation process. Albanian University is accredited by Decision of the Accreditation Board no. 90, dated 20.10.2017 by the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency in cooperation with QAA (British Quality Assurance Agency).
In the academic year 2017-2018, the AU prioritized the consolidation of the quality of the development of teaching and research activity, in accordance with state quality standards and best practices at home and abroad. During this year, in line with the requirements of Law 80/2015 “On Higher Education and Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions in the Republic of Albania”, all curricula have been revised and the Master’s professional study programs have been reorganized from 90 to 60 ECTS. In addition, Basic Departments (Departments) at Albanian University have undertook labor market studies for all the study programs they offer and have put forward proposals to offer new programs based on market demands.
For the academic year 2018-2019, Albanian University, with the official approval of MASR, has opened for the first time 3 programs of Master study in “Manual Therapy”, “Energy Systems” and “Interier Design”.
In the academic year 2019-2020, Albanian University has opened a 2-year professional program in “High Dental Laboratory”. During this academic year, the process of external institutional evaluation was successfully completed, where Albanian University received the periodic accreditation by Decision of the Accreditation Board no. 1, dated 01.24.2020. During this year, was finalized the reorganization of the Bachelor study program in “Legal Science”, to the integrated program of Master of Science of “Law”, according to the legal framework in force with the orders of the MESY no.188, dated 03.07.2020 and no.188/1, dated 17.09.2020 . For the next academic year, Albanian University has applied for the opening of several programs that will bring innovations in the labor market.
For the academic year 2020 – 2021, Albanian University offers a diversity of diplomas in the three cycles of study and programs of professional character, being coherent with labor market demands and bringing innovations into new study programs. Today, AU is a consolidated name in private higher education in Albania with the highest number of active students and graduates among private universities. We are proud of the generations of graduates who carry different nationalities and have found themselves in the national and international job market or in deepening their academic knowledge.
Periodically, all active study programs have passed the external evaluation process by QAAHE and have been positively evaluated by the Accreditation Board. The progress of this process and its implementation in accordance with the legislation in force is at the center of the activity of the Institution.
Within the framework of scientific research, Albanian University continues to expand the network of agreements by cooperating with foreign Institutions of Higher Education, as well as with national and international structures in order to apply and develop joint projects. Through them, the University has been able to participate/apply in several European research and mobility programs (Erasmus +, CEEPUS, Horizon 2020, Mevlana, etc.).
2021 – 2022 academic year: “Albanian University” offers diplomas in three study cycles: Bachelor, Master and Long-term Specialisations in Dentistry, as well as a program of professional character “Higher Laboratory Technician”, in line with requirements of labour market and introduction of advances in new study programs.
In the framework of the internationalisation process, AU applied for opening of the joint integrated program Master of Science in “Odontoiatria e Protesi Dentaria” at the Department of Dentistry, which was approved by MoES upon Order no. 444, dated 22.07.2022, in cooperation with University of Ferrara.
Based on new quality standards according to Council of Ministers Decision no.824, dated 24.12.2021, AU reorganized the study program “Long term specialisation in Oral Surgery” for 3 academic years and 180 ECTS.
Periodically, same as each year, many study programs have passed during 2021-2022 academic year a successful external evaluation process by ASCAL.
The progress of this process and its realisation in compliance with legislation in force is always in the focus of AU activity.
“Albanian University” has carried out staff and students exchanges (mobilities) according to the agreements signed with international educational institutions.
In the framework of requirements of Law 80/15 “On Higher Education and Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions in the Republic of Albania”, the academic staff is involved in scientific research projects, aiming to boost quality of teaching.
The diversity of study fields in AU, such as dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and physiotherapy, engineering, art-design, economic and social sciences, turns this university into the most competitive and popular among high school graduates.
2022-2023 academic year: “Albanian University” counts 41 active study programs, out of which: 15 Bachelor programs, 12 Professional Master programs, 7 Master of Science programs, 4 Integrated Second Level Programs, 2 Long-term Specialisation programs, 1 program of professional character “Higher Laboratory Technician”.
A novelty is the new joint Integrated Master of Science Program in “Odontoiatria e Protesi Dentaria”, in cooperation with University of Ferrara, which is active for the first time with the registration of 20 foreign students, approved upon Order of Minister (MoES) No.444 dt 22.07.2022.
This cooperation is also in line with completion of national objectives for internationalisation of Albanian universities.
In the framework of periodical institutional accreditation, the Institution successfully passed this year the external evaluation process of ASCAL and was applied for re-accreditation of 15 study programs.
Study programs offered by “Albanian University” are drafted and performed in compliance with legal and by legal acts in force, meeting the quality state standards.
In the course of this academic year was applied for the opening of two new study programs, as well as for the third cycle study programs: Doctoral Studies (opening and reorganisation).
During 2022-2023 academic year, number of applications in national and international projects by the academic staff have increases, marking also an increase in the number of staff and students mobilities in foreign higher education institutions, aiming to exchange experiences for improvement of quality of teaching process.
