The Albanian government has taken an important strategic step toward the internationalization of higher education. The Council of Ministers decision of 21 May 2025, which eases entry and residence procedures for foreign students, is seen as an attempt to turn Albania into a regional and international education destination. The aim is to attract young people from the Balkans, Southeast Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and India, placing Albania on the map of global higher education. However, the success of this initiative will not be measured only by the numerical increase in foreign students, but by the ability to guarantee quality and academic integrity.
Institutional progress and government decisions
The May 2025 decision recognizes alternative income sources for foreign students (scholarships, work contracts, grants) and gives Albanian universities the competence to issue accommodation confirmations, thus shortening bureaucracy. Moreover, universities have a legal obligation to report on the academic progress of foreign students every six months. This step brings Albanian institutions closer to European practices, granting them greater autonomy, but also greater responsibility.
Support from private universities has been immediate. They see internationalization as an opportunity to expand their presence in the market through the offer of programs in foreign languages, internationally accredited degrees and more competitive curricula. The League of Private Universities was created precisely to harmonize study programs, increase scientific research and work toward international accreditation.
Structural problems: integrity and academic standards
However, the main obstacle lies in the current reality of Albanian higher education. Albanian universities – both public and private – suffer from weak academic standards, lack of integrity and a problematic post-communist legacy in the management of the sector. The crisis of private universities, which for more than a decade sold diplomas illegally, has left behind a legacy of distrust in society. Only after the closure of these “diploma factories” and subsequent reform efforts has the system tried to regain credibility.
The main risk is that the internationalization initiative will be seen primarily as a business opportunity and not as a qualitative reform. Market-oriented private universities may focus on the number of students and their fees, viewing the foreign student simply as a consumer. Yet without clear academic standards, internationally competitive curricula and credible quality assurance, this initiative may fail.
This article has been prepared by the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) within the framework of a sub-grant awarded by the Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC), as part of the project “Civil Society against Corruption: from a Local Challenge to a European Response,” financially supported by the European Union. Responsibility for the content rests solely with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Albanian Helsinki Committee.
