The European Union Ambassador to Tirana, Silvio Gonzato, said that the EU supports education and youth in Albania with the aim of instilling belief that their future lies in the country.
Present at an event in Tirana for the “National Program for Professional Development of Teachers”, Gonzato spoke about several programs through which the European Union contributes to education in Albania. He stated that EU investments have significantly increased in support of the education system in Albania.
“Perhaps the most prominent example of this commitment we have is the ‘EU for Schools’ program, through which we have supported the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 64 schools in Albania, and in my opinion, this is one of the most fantastic programs we have in Albania. We are pleased to announce that 52 schools have been completed. From these rebuilt schools, students will experience a new environment for studying and benefit from better conditions for their professional lives,” Gonzato said.
“In parallel, we are also heavily investing in inclusive education in Albania, so that no one is left behind. Last year, we launched a project implemented by the Open Society Foundation through which 135,000 students and students will benefit, as well as 50,000 teachers will be trained. So, this is a massive effort,” he said.
“We also support schools for children who cannot see and cannot hear, to provide them with the highest quality conditions and teaching. We see education as a key tool to strengthen regional cooperation. Therefore, we support the ‘Super Schools’ project, a fantastic program for school exchanges across six Western Balkan countries managed by the regional youth cooperation office. This has been successful in its second phase. We will have another 100 schools, 1,200 students who will benefit from this fantastic opportunity, which allows young people to create contacts and opportunities throughout the region,” Gonzato said.
“Another important pillar of cooperation is vocational training and education. So, in Albania’s economy, we see urgent needs regarding skills in key sectors, such as tourism. Therefore, we are looking for Albanian institutions, but also the private sector, to be optimal regarding vocational education in Albania. The EU also invests in skills development and youth employment,” he said.
“In Albania, more young people than necessary are not in education, not trained, and not employed today, so we support you with the ‘Youth Guarantee’ program, which is also implemented in EU countries. This scheme is innovative, giving subsidies to companies to employ young people under 30, and it is quite successful. 24 million young people have benefited from these schemes in the EU. The first pilot part of this scheme was launched in Tirana, Shkodra, and Vlora, and I expect it to be expanded nationwide,” Gonzato said.
The Ambassador also highlighted the “Erasmus Plus” initiative, emphasizing that it is “another opportunity for academic exchanges. From this initiative, 10,000 Albanian youths have benefited from Erasmus since 2014. Albania also participates in the European University initiative, just like the EU. This helps in creating alliances for the universities of the future. Part of the initiative is also the University of Durres now”.
“The EU has been very quick regarding the campus for the College of Europe, an idea launched by the Council of Ministers. This institution has trained those who are EU policymakers, those of the future. From this new campus, opportunities will be opened for young Europeans from the EU and the region. We will continue to cooperate with you to offer opportunities to young people in Albania. Young people must believe that their future is in Albania,” Gonzato concluded.
