In the capital, in the area known as "Student City", where the largest number of students has been housed over the years, work is being done every day to establish the campus of the European College, an elite college that is located in only 3 cities in the world: in Bruges, Brussels, Natolin, Poland, and since 2024, its activity has expanded to Tirana.
This project was welcomed by experts and authorities as a development that brought European expertise to Albania, formed future cadres that would lead the integration and development of the region, and above all, increased Albania's visibility as a strategic partner.
But, the construction of this building comes at a time when Albanian public universities are faced with depreciated buildings, a lack of space, and pending projects.
Experts and civil society actors raise concerns about the implementation of this project, which seems to be taking shape over what actually belongs to the 20,000 students of the Public University of Tirana.
The project enjoys direct institutional support, public land, and significant state funding, which were previously promised to Albanian students.
Public land and millions of euros diverted
In 2019, Prime Minister Edi Rama and Mayor Erion Veliaj promised Albanian students the realization of a new campus of the University of Tirana that would be built in Student City.
They also held introductory meetings about the project in auditoriums packed with students, who were promised a new university campus according to European standards.
This promise came a year after students marched in the 2018 protest, where they protested, among other things, a lack of student spaces.
According to Rama, this project was designed in 2015, but the obstacle was the seizure of the Student City premises by people in power, accusing figures from the opposing political side.
"The project stalled for a very concrete and significant reason because everything planned to be done in this territory needs territory. The territory resulted from all the data collected, a land stolen by the politicians of the party that was born in the student city. The symbol of this is the taking of the large manor of the student city by the brother of the President of the Republic. Libraries were turned into strip clubs or lottery and buildings were also occupied for personal purposes, it was built without permission, it was also built with permission." - Rama said in his speech before the students of the University of Tirana.
According to the Prime Minister, the time had come to build the campus, and the goal was to complete it during the second term of Erion Veliaj, who was on the verge of running to win Tirana for the second time.
Thus, Prime Minister Rama entrusted this initiative to the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj.
The students were presented with the ambitious project that included the revitalization of existing buildings and the creation of modern study spaces with special attention to the socio-cultural aspect, designed to offer young people a dignified student life.
At the end of June 2020, the Albanian government approved a decision signed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the time, Mr. Erion Brace, where the Municipality of Tirana was designated as the contracting authority for the development of procurement procedures for the purpose of "Construction of the Tirana Campus".
After 2 years passed without any concrete action, the Municipality of Tirana announced the tender procedure for the study-design "Construction of the University of Tirana", along with "Construction of the University of Arts" and "Construction of the Police Academy".
This September 2022 procedure, which cost 5 million euros from the state budget, seemed to restore the premises for the start of work.
The construction of the campus, which was presented as the largest investment ever made in Albanian higher education, was expected to begin in 2021 and be ready in 2026. The financial effects for the development of the project would be borne by the state budget, while the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Interior were charged with implementing this decision.
The Albanian government had estimated the value of 17 million euros for the construction of the New Campus of the University of Tirana, a sensational promise returned again in the 2021 central elections.
But the fate of the construction of this campus took a different turn. While Albanian students were waiting for the start of work on their campus at the University of Tirana, another prestigious and private university expanded its activities in Albania.
Instead of the UT, comes the College of Europe
On a cold autumn day, Federica Mogherini, former European High Representative and Rector of the College of Europe, arrives in Tirana. In the company of Prime Minister Edi Rama and Mayor Erion Veliaj, she signs an agreement that will mark a turning point in the history of higher education in Albania. In front of dozens of cameras, they signed the “Memorandum of Understanding” that paved the way for the operation of the Tirana branch of the Elite University of Young Diplomats from the World.
This moment was accompanied by enthusiasm and big words about "European cooperation", while a few days after the signing of this agreement, the government also approved a special decision announcing the construction of the European College campus.
The government also allocated 17 million euros for the construction of the campus, the same amount that had previously been promised as a government investment for the University of Tirana in equally pompous election campaign meetings.
On August 22, 2024, the tender for the "Establishment of the Educational Infrastructure of the College of Europe" was held, with a limited fund of 1,695,747,920 lekë. The companies "Fusha" and "Ed-Konstruksion" were declared the winners, and the works are continuing.
Experts see this as a "diversion" of funds. The 17 million euros, which should have gone to 20,000 Albanian students, are being used for a private institution with far fewer students.
Academic Taulant Muka, former Minister of Education, calls this decision a moral irregularity, emphasizing that it is unfair to give priority to a private institution, bypassing the public university.
"You cannot give priority as a state to an institution that is not state, is not public, and moreover is foreign, and overlook the most important educational institution in the country, which is the University of Tirana," said Muka.
He pointed out that the 17 million euros, which were supposed to serve 20,000 students, are going to an institution that has far fewer students, considering this an economic and moral problem.
"And here everyone asks how it is possible that 17 million euros are taken away from the 22 thousand students that the university has, for a campus for 22 thousand people, and these 17 million euros also cost for a campus for 100 people, because there are no more than 100 students at the College of Europe. So there is an economic problem in the transfer of money as well," said Taulant Muka.
The Ministry of Education did not respond to questions about the concerns raised by the experts, but these contradictions did not prevent the Ministry of Education and the University of Tirana from signing a cooperation agreement with the College of Europe, the Ministry of Education, and the University of Tirana on 29.02.2024 at the beginning of the new academic season of 2024.
This was the first year of the official opening of teaching at this college, the ceremony of which was also attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, not sparing his thanks and praise for the rector Mogherini, who is now under investigation in Brussels on charges of fraud.
For two years, College students have been studying in the "Liria" Building, as a temporary solution, until the new campus is ready.
For expert Taulant Muka, taking over one of the University's best buildings is unfair, especially since students have protested precisely because of the lack of teaching facilities.
"The abuse goes even further as the College of Europe today operates in the "Liria" Building, which is among the best buildings of the University of Tirana. Let's not forget that in 2018 students protested for lack of facilities, and you are practically expelling 22 thousand students to give priority to students from another institution." - said Taulant Muka.
Campus for 100 students
In the Student City, in front of the “Liria” Building, work continues without interruption. The land is surrounded by a metal fence, freight vehicles bring the necessary materials, and the foundations of the building have begun to be erected. Every day, the works continue at a rapid pace to meet the construction deadlines of the European College Campus.
According to experts, the construction of this campus is taking shape on state land, where the construction of the Tirana Campus was promised, but the Ministry of Education told "shteg.org" that the space dedicated to the construction of the College of Europe was not foreseen for the construction of the University of Tirana campus.
The short answer contradicts the Government Decision of March 13, 2024, which clearly states that the development of the “College of Europe” project in cadastral area 8160 was approved taking into account the procedures previously developed within the framework of decision no. 641, dated 29.7.2020, of the Council of Ministers, “On the determination of the contracting authority for the development of public procurement procedures for the projects “Construction of the new campus of the University of Tirana”.
The use of this land appears to hide a series of procedural and administrative irregularities in relation to Albanian legislation on territorial planning.
Experts say that the project is not reflected in the Detailed Local Plan (DLP) of the respective area, a mandatory document for any construction intervention of this magnitude.
"There are problems and irregularities with the way the entire campus is being built, that is, the infrastructure. The detailed plan of the area that needs to be done, in addition to the building permit, has not been approved," said Taulant Muka.
According to Albanian legislation, the Detailed Local Plan (DLP) approved and harmonized with the General Local Plan of Tirana is the first and necessary step for issuing a construction permit.
But his absence did not stop the National Territorial Council (NTC) from approving the concept idea and the construction development permit for the project on July 2, 2024.
Architect and urban planner Entela Koja denounces significant irregularities in the campus construction process. She emphasizes that changing the destination of the land, from public and educational to a private institution, requires official acts and public consultation.
Koja adds that no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) document has been published, which is mandatory by law for projects of this size.
According to her, there was no public consultation with the vulnerable community, violating the law that requires participation and transparency in projects with territorial impact.
"The law provides for the obligation to conduct public consultations for any project with a significant territorial impact. For this project, no such process has been published or documented," said Koja.
For the well-known urban planner, the public consultation process is one of the most important steps when undertaking projects that affect the community, and obtaining their approval should be essential.
Also, the transfer of state property administration to the Albanian Development Fund raises suspicions of excess of powers, as this institution does not legally have the authority to administer state property.
"The law clearly stipulates that state properties are administered only by public administration bodies, while the ADF is a project implementing agency and has no legal competence for the administration of state property," said urban planner Koja.
According to experts, this transfer raises serious suspicions of excess of powers and direct violation of the law.
Experts emphasize that the construction of the European College campus is being carried out on the basis of successive procedural and legal violations, undermining the transparency and legality of the project.
While the construction of the European College continues, the University of Tirana campus has been left in silence, along with the 5 million euros spent on its study and design.
The Ministry of Education and the Municipality of Tirana have not responded to questions about the non-start of the project, the future plan for the construction of the campus, and responsibility for the 5 million spent.
Shteg also addressed a request for information to the College of Europe, but as of the publication of this article, our request has remained unanswered.
But according to academic Taulant Muka, the leaders of Albanian educational institutions are destroying public property by favoring foreign institutions.
"We, at the head of educational institutions, at the head of the Ministry of Education, at the head of policymaking, have placed people who destroy public property and on the other hand favor institutions that are definitely welcome, but respecting the standards with which they were built." - added Taulant Muka.
According to the academic, the expansion of the College of Europe in Albania should reflect European values, but the way the project is implemented leaves much to be desired. However, he expresses confidence that the College of Europe's governing board will reflect on these irregularities.
Editorial
