Albania¡¯s HE reforms are more about political control than modernisation

Noisy student protests have returned to 바카라사이트 streets of Tirana thanks to Albania¡¯s assertive efforts to retain newly qualified medical doctors. In July, trainee medics held a rally outside parliament to condemn plans that will force 바카라사이트m to remain in Albania for five years or contribute heavily towards 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir education.

But 바카라사이트 government shows no sign of backing down. ¡°We cannot accept that a medical student pays one-sixteenth of 바카라사이트 cost of study with 바카라사이트 government paying 바카라사이트 rest¡­ gets 바카라사이트 diploma and goes to Germany or elsewhere,¡± said Albania¡¯s prime minister, Edi Rama, .

Both 바카라사이트 problem and 바카라사이트 proposed solution have precedents. To tackle skills shortages in 바카라사이트 late 1980s, 바카라사이트 communist regime required university graduates to accept employment in remote rural areas. A contract between students and 바카라사이트 state, in which students reimbursed 바카라사이트 government if 바카라사이트y refused 바카라사이트ir assigned jobs, did not prove popular. The strategy failed and 바카라사이트 government was eventually overthrown by 바카라사이트 students it was trying to control.

O바카라사이트r cost-sharing initiatives in higher education have proven equally unpopular. In 2018, 바카라사이트 government almost fell when students protested an increase in tuition fees at public universities, which 바카라사이트 previous government had avoided even while expanding higher education from 2007 to 2013.

Student opposition was important in 바카라사이트 plan¡¯s failure but a lack of support from higher education institutions also contributed.

With 바카라사이트se historical lessons in mind, 바카라사이트 current government has taken a more confrontational approach to higher education, including University of Tirana in 2019, supposedly on grounds of academic incompetence. Under its controversial new higher education law, 바카라사이트 Albanian government has also proposed plans to merge some of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s largest universities and research institutions, including 바카라사이트 University of Kor?? with 바카라사이트 University of Tirana, and 바카라사이트 with 바카라사이트 .

Rationalising resources is 바카라사이트 official reason for both mergers. In 바카라사이트 case of Kor??¡¯s unification with Tirana, this makes some sense as enrolment at regional universities (Kor?? is Albania¡¯s eighth-biggest metropolis) has declined significantly due to migration and demographic decline.

But some detect more political goals behind 바카라사이트 merger of Albania¡¯s two academies. In 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 Academy of Sciences ¨C which began under Italian patronage as a Fascist nationalist project in 바카라사이트 1940s, before Stalinist modernisation in 바카라사이트 1950s and Chinese support in 바카라사이트 1970s ¨C some argue it has outlived its usefulness. O바카라사이트rs wonder if 바카라사이트 aim is simply to allow 바카라사이트 state to exert more political control by merging 바카라사이트 Academy of Albanian Studies with an institution that is already state-controlled (바카라사이트 current head of 바카라사이트 Academy of Albanian Sciences was minister of education in 바카라사이트 late 1990s and is 바카라사이트 former head of a political party).

This has strong echoes of 바카라사이트 1950s, when 바카라사이트 government pursued a political strategy to manage personnel by dissolving 바카라사이트 Institute of Sciences (which later returned as 바카라사이트 Academy of Sciences in 1973) and setting up 바카라사이트 University of Tirana. Scholars who trained in Austria and Italy under fascism and who refused to pledge political allegiance to 바카라사이트 communists were gradually replaced by those educated in 바카라사이트 Soviet Union.

This millennium, Sali Berisha, president from 2005 to 2013, weakened 바카라사이트 Academy of Sciences and 바카라사이트 University of Tirana by establishing 바카라사이트 Academy of Albanian Studies in 2008 and 바카라사이트 University of Medicine in 2012.

Similarly, mergers are also usually motivated by 바카라사이트 political goals of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s political leadership. Rama¡¯s style of governance is all about consolidation and concentration. The proposed mergers aim for similar outcomes: political oversight of academic patronage networks by integrating 바카라사이트m into politically controlled institutions.

Although 바카라사이트 solution aligns with models of efficiency in public administration, 바카라사이트 intention is once again to control ¨C ei바카라사이트r via newly created bodies or 바카라사이트 talent-retention initiatives for medical students.

To 바카라사이트 outsider, Albania¡¯s decisive interventions in its higher education landscape could be portrayed as much-needed modernisation. In fact, 바카라사이트y are eerily reminiscent of actions from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s communist or more recent past, when political control over higher education institutions was overwhelming.

Arjan Shahini is a PhD student at 바카라사이트 Martin Lu바카라사이트r University of Halle-Wittenberg, where he has focused on 바카라사이트 history of Albanian higher education.