Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has vowed to elevate the country’s higher education to European levels, as he unveiled the Higher Education Policy Document 2030 at a national conference.
A key focus? Doctorates.
Rama defended the temporary freeze on PhD programs, calling it a necessary halt to the “barbaric” state of higher education just a decade ago.
“We stopped PhDs because we were emerging from an era where universities were businesses, not institutions of learning,” Rama stated. He recalled a time when private universities treated students like paying customers, handing out degrees even if they skipped classes.
Now, Albania is back in the game—but with a new vision.
“We’ve reopened PhDs, but our goal is clear: doctorates that match European standards,” Rama emphasized. He insisted that research must serve Albania’s development, pushing for deeper reforms to strengthen academic integrity.
With reforms in motion, is Albania’s education system finally ready for the big leagues?
