University of Pristina

The academic year of the university runs from 1 October through 30 September, organised in two semesters, with 30 weeks of teaching per year. With youth up to 19 years of age accounting for over 50 per cent of the population, by 1980, every third inhabitant in the province was enrolled either in school or at the university. In Kosovo, the expansion of the student body in higher education was unparalleled in Yugoslavia, rising from 149 in 1958–59 to 35,706 at the university and other post-secondary educational institutions in 1975–76.[7] In the academic year 2016—2017 the university counted 38,974 active students, 17,042 (43.8%) men and 21,932 (56.2%) women; 38,334 (98.3%) of the students were from Kosovo, 413 (1%) from Preshevo, Medvegja and Bujanoc, 99 (0.25%) from Montenegro, 56 (0.14%) from North Macedonia, 49 (0.12%) from Albania, and 23 (0.06%) from other countries.[8]

About 5,000 students receive bachelor, and about 1000 master degrees every year at University of Pristina, the majority in social and human sciences[8] More than 70,000 have graduated from the university since its establishment.[9]

Unlike most other European universities, the university operates as a loose association of faculties, each with a legally autonomous status and administrative structure. This has been criticized by the World Bank as leading to a redundant duplication of programmes and facilities, hindering an effective prioritisation of programmes.[10]

As a result of The League of Communists of Kosovo)s requesting more self-governance for their region, large-scale protests arose in Kosovo during November 1968, affecting the founding of the University in 1969-70. The University's first faculties were those of philosophy, medicine, law and engineering. The languages of instruction were Albanian and Serbo-Croat. Because the organizational status of the institution was language-based it is often considered as two separate universities. The Albanians welcomed the founding of the University, but only considered it as a milestone towards political equality and not as the final goal. Although it was supported by Jospi Broz Tito, President of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, it faced a lot of political opposition from the Serbian Communists, who considered it an "indication of autonomy for Kosovo". As early as 1971, the Serbs and Montenetgrins protested against the inauguration of the University.[13]

The university was the starting point of the 1981 Kosovo student protests. The university contributed to unemployment, with highly educated and aggravated Albanians becoming recruits for nationalist sentiment.[14] Additionally, the Serb and Montenegrin population of Kosovo increasingly resented the economic and social burden incurred by the university's student population. The demonstrations, which started on 11 March 1981, originally started as a spontaneous small-scale protest for better food in the cafeteria and improved housing conditions in the halls of residence and ended with violence provoking mass demonstrations across Kosovo, a state of emergency, riots and numerous casualties.[15]

Many Albanian lecturers were accused of breaking the Serbian education laws, dismissed and replaced by Serbs. The Albanian-language education then continued in private facilities, as part of the unofficial parallel shadow state, a self-declared Republic of Kosovo, enabling the education of some 30,000 Albanian students to continue. In the second half of the 1990s, Government of Serbia started negotiations with Albanian leaders about the university and came to the agreement that the Albanians would get control over 60% of the University campus, Serbs 35% and Turks 5%. However, Kosovo Serb protesters staged violent protests against the transfer and eventually had to be evicted by government forces. The buildings were extensively damaged, with furniture and equipment deliberately vandalized as to make them unusable.[16]

The 1999 War in Kosovo disrupted both the official university and its counterpart branch in Mitrovica. Most of the staff and students had fled from Kosovo in early June 1999. The Serbian population of Pristina, in August 1999, had fallen from 40,000 to under 1,000. As a result the university broke into two separate branches, the one in Pristina and the one in North Mitrovica.[17]

On December 12, 2013, eleven officials of the university Faculty of Medicine were arrested for grade forgery.[18][19][20][21] Arrested officials were physicians, professors, assistant professors, and administrative staff; some students were also arrested.[22]

The 2014 student protest began when Kosovo media accused Rector Ibrahim Gashi and his staff of falsifying research and publishing scientific papers based on that false research to bolster their academic credentials.[23] Gashi refused to resign after it was revealed he had published articles in predatory journals to meet the requirements for promotion to full professor. Student protesters became outraged after parliament failed to pass a vote demanding that Gashi resign, with coalition government political parties opposing the move. Gashi eventually resigned.[24]

The main governing bodies of the University of Pristina are the Steering Council and the Senate. The Steering Council has overall strategic responsibility for the effective institutional functioning of the University.

The University Senate is the highest academic body of the University. It is chaired by the Rector of the University, which is the University's main managing authority. The Rector is the main academic and administrative leader and is responsible for the effective and regular work of the University and for its management according to the policy defined by the Steering Council. The rector is assisted by the Vice Presidents and the Secretary General of the University. The duties of the Vice-Rectors are determined by the Rector in accordance with the provisions of the UP Statute.

The Secretary General of the University is the highest executive and administrative officer of the University. He answers the Rector for efficient, economical and effective administration at all levels of the University.[25]

The Central Administration of the University of Pristina was established by the decision of the University Board of Pristina in 2001.

According to the Statute of the University, the Central Administration is responsible for professional, administrative and technical issues related to:

1. Education, scientific research and artistic work;

2. Administration of recognition of studies;

3. Personnel administration;

4. Legal Aspects;

5. University Development Plan;

6. Accounting and finance;

7. Maintenance and documentation of property;

8. Folders;

9. Movement of goods;

10. Management of the information system;

11. Central database;

12. Other General Aspects of University Administration.

All these are coordinated by the Secretary-General.

At the suggestion of the Secretary-General, the Rector issues regulations on job placement within the Central University Administration. A more detailed description of the work for Central Administration services is provided in Regulation on the internal organization of the Central Administration of the University.[26]

The National Library of Kosovo is located in the campus of UP. This library is the highest library institution in Kosovo established by the Parliament. It accepts donations; one from ORCA was accepted recently. The mission of the library is to collect, promote and preserve documents that are important for the state. They hold exhibitions, gatherings and they have a considerable and accessible number of books. This library is known for the unique history and architecture. Nevertheless, there is a big controversy for the beauty of the outside appearance of the library.

The campus contains eight halls of residence. They are considered affordable for all students. Moreover, in the per-month-price is included the food in the students' canteen center.[30]

VCP (PVK) is the Virtual Career Platform by which the students and the graduates can participate in the Virtual Career Fair. Through online access the navigators can be meet with institutions, companies and organizations by clicking on these sectors: Banking, Finance, Information Technology, Engineering, Architecture, Design, Consulting, and Education. Through biz-form, one can communicate directly with the institutions’ human resources departments, companies, and organizations, participants in VCP (PVK). VCP (PVK) provides information about: Career education and orientation, high school graduates information, counsel for students, general information about VCP (PVK). CDC (QZHK) online services are free for the students and the graduates from the University of Pristina “Hasan Prishtina”.[34]

• 1975 – Josip Broz Tito – Yugoslavia (First President of Yugoslavia)[35]
• 1975 – Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed – India (President of India)[35]
• 1987 – Dragiša Ivanović – Yugoslavia (Professor at the University of Belgrade)[35]
• 2001 – Michael Weninger – Austria (Ambassador of Austria in Belgrade)[36]
• 2002 – Bernard Kouchner – France (Head of the UN Administration in Kosovo)[36]
• 2003 – William Kerr – United States (President of La Roche College)[36]
• 2003 – Bill Clinton – United States (former President of the United States)[36]
• 2003 – Ismail Kadare – Albania (novelist and poet)[36]
• 2004 – Wolfgang Benedek – Austria (Professor of Law at the University of Graz)[36]
• 2008 – Bamir Topi – Albania (former President of Albania)[36]
• 2009 – Erhard Busek – Austria (Rector of the University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg)[36]
• 2009 – Sali Berisha – Albania (former Prime Minister of Albania)[36]
• 2009 – Albert Rohan – Austria (Former Deputy UN Envoy to Kosovo)[36]
• 2010 – Tony Blair – United Kingdom (Former Prime Minister of the UK)[36]
• 2010 – Doris Pack – Germany (Member of the EU Parliament for Saarland)[36]
• 2010 – Recep Tayyip Erdogan – Turkey (Prime Minister of Turkey)[36]
• 2011 – Adem Demaçi – Kosovo (politician)[36]
• 2012 – Noel Malcolm – United Kingdom (historian)[36]
• 2016 - Mother Teresa - Postmortem, Albanian Missionary in Calcutta

• Fehmi Agani, Kosovar academic, professor of sociology and politician
• Ag Apolloni, Professor of literature science
• Fahri Beqiri, Kosovar composer
• Faton Berisha, Professor of mathematics and vice-rector of the University for the period 2016-2020
• Hysen Bytyqi, professor of animal Science and vice-rector at the University Prishtina
• Masar Caka, Kosovar painter
• Nexhat Daci, former Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, former professor of chemistry
• Marjan Dema, Rector of the University Prishtina 2016-2020
• Ukshin Hoti, Kosovar professor, philosopher, and political activist
• Hilmi Ibar, professor of chemistry and former dean of pedagogics at Trakya University Edirne
• Atifete Jahjaga, former President of Kosovo
• Ali Podrimja, Kosovar poet
• Albin Kurti , former Prime Minister of Kosovo
• Vjosa Osmani, current Chairwoman of the Assembly of Kosovo and acting president of Kosovo
• Dukagjin Pupovci, Kosovar education expert
• Ibrahim Rugova, first president of post-war Kosovo
• Naser Sahiti, Professor and elected Rector of the University Prishtina
• Fatmir Sejdiu, former President of Kosovo and former professor of law
• Hashim Thaçi , former President of Kosovo, former Prime Minister of Kosovo, former student vice-rector

Since its foundation, the University of Pristina has made many improvements. Nevertheless, it is still facing difficulties. A primary concern is the lack of work space and absence of professors. Moreover, plagiarism, lack of infrastructure and other commitments of the professors outside of university of Pristina, continue to hinder the operating of the University. Researchers found out that the campus is used more as a transit area for citizens than the students, and it also misses links between the buildings inside the campus.

A concerning fact is that even though the findings directly disclosed names of the staff who plagiarized, they continued to be employed by the university, unpunished.[40] In addition, politics somehow always influences the UP. In 2003, the University of Pristina was described as being "at the very core of political conflict and the self-esteem of Albanian Kosovars".[41]