The 70th anniversary of the Albanian University of Medicine was marked today with a ceremony celebrating a particular part of the country’s scientific and intellectual history. The University of Medicine started off right after the World War as a High Institute of Medicine with an initial group of only 61 students and where many generations of medical and health professionals were educated to leave their indelible hallmark in our national health system.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, who attended the ceremony, presented the University rector with the Star of Public Gratitude in recognition of the 70-year hard work of the University of Medicine of Tirana for the dedication to the professional education of generations of health professionals, their education with the human values and the essential values embodied in the Hippocratic Oath, as well as for the special contribution and all-time readiness, especially during a particularly hard time like the Covid- 19 pandemic.
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Good evening everyone! First of all, I would like to apologize, because I have to leave immediately after delivering this speech. I am sure you don’t miss me much, since I am now present in the homes of each and every one of you, yet I found it impossible to decline attending this event and I would like to thank you for the invitation, because it represents a very important moment in the history of this university that has actually become a role model and has set an example of how to move forward, not by demanding everything from the government and the state, but take the initiative independently instead.
I would also like to thank and welcome all the foreigners attending the event in this very hall as this University partners and they are reliable and trustworthy witnesses of the progress this University has made, which started off as a High Institute of Medicine with an academic staff featuring professionals graduated from leading international universities and was first attended by an initial group of 61 students, whereas this higher education institution of medicine is now attended by a considerable number of students and this fact clearly shows to us that a way should be found to increase their number and distribute somehow the burden of their education.
But what is worth emphasizing, in my view, and should be highly evaluated with is what I briefly touched upon a bit earlier and which is related to the already systematic exchanges the University of Medicine has established with the University of Bologna, a leading institution in the mosaic of Europe’s higher education institutions, and with the University of Chieti in Pescara.
On the other hand, the University of Medicine of Tirana ranks first in terms of absorption of the EU funds and this is a very good omen for the future, because as we make every effort to enhance and expand the base of the potential EU funding for our higher education institutions, it is essential for the higher education institutions to respond by building up all the capacities in order to absorb these funds and indeed, most recently, also thanks to the leadership of the Minister of Education, a significant increase has been recorded in terms of the EU funds for our universities.
On the other hand, I would also like to add the fact that around 300 students and academic staff from this university have benefited under the exchange programmes with the EU and all these represent a very strong reason to believe and be confident that should we succeed in delivering on this efforts we are persistently making with the EU – and this topic will be up for discussion at tomorrow’s EU-Western Balkan summit to make sure that our universities and the higher education institutions in the whole region join the European Union’s system of the Higher Education Institutions. This would be a major accomplishment, a new highway opening up before our institutions of higher education and I am convinced that your University of the Medicine is quite adept for this issue.
I repeat – and this is not just for the sake of saying nice words – all the information and performance analysis of our higher education system show that the University of Medicine of Tirana turns out to be one of the best-managed universities, the most active one and with the highest internal initiative.
All these University professors and lecturers are to be credited with this merit, but also “the commander” leading the work here is to be highly praised and acknowledged. In the meantime, I would like to express the assurances of my highest consideration and personal esteem for the older university professors, if I may use such a term, the retired university lecturers. Upon entering this very room, I think I saw Professor Besim Elezi, a legend of Albanian medicine and a legend of Tirana University.
I have been fortunate enough not to undergo a surgery, but I and everyone have been told of the highest expertise and best results from the procedures performed by him. Therefore, Professor Besim and everyone else like him deserve the deepest of gratitude and highest of respect.
I have here a long list of the good things we have delivered on Albanian medicine and the country’s health system as a whole, yet I am sparing you of mentioning all of them today. However, before I leave I would beg the University rector to approach and accept this symbolic medal of gratitude, one we at the Prime Minister’s office confer very rarely.
This is the certificate showing that the medal is not a fake one. The Star of the Public Gratitude is awarded to the University of Medicine of Tirana on the 70th anniversary, for the dedication to the professional education of generations of health professionals, their education with the human values and the essential values embodied in the Hippocratic Oath, as well as for the special contribution and all-time readiness, especially during a particularly hard time like the Covid- 19 pandemic.
A famous doctor has once said that such a combination of intellectual and moral interests is found in no other profession but medicine.
I would avail myself of this occasion to express through entire power of my heart and mind – because in my capacity as the Prime Minister I have been provided the opportunity to see and experience firsthand many parts of today’s reality of our health system – full solidarity with all people serving in this system and wearing the white coat and I am sure they sometimes feel sad when they are all blamed and portrayed as an army of people who provide no service, but I am sure that the opposite is totally true. Therefore I would like to express my gratitude, respect and strong solidarity.
