University of New York Tirana East Campus | Opening Ceremony

University of New York Tirana held a grand opening for its new East Campus, which houses modern classrooms, faculty, and administrative offices.

The ceremony was attended by high-profile personalities of Albanian and Turkish Institutions, such as; His Excellency Mr. Tayyar Kağan ATAY – Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Albania, Prof. Dr. Birol AKGÜN – President of Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF), Dr. Albana TOLE – Deputy Minister of Education and Sports of Albania, Ms. Anuela RISTANI – Deputy Mayor of Municipality of Tirana, Mr. Mahmut ÖZDİL – UNYT Chair of the Board of Administration, Mr. Mustafa ÇALTILI – TMF Member of the Board of Directors, Mr. Mesut ÖZBAYSAR – Country Representative of TMF and Dr. R. Feridun ELGÜN – Administrator of UNYT.

The Rector of UNYT, Prof. Dr. Erkan ERDEMİR, opened the ceremony. In his opening speech, Rector ERDEMİR addressed the accomplishments of UNYT by stating:

“This year we are using the motto “UNYT is growing”. The most tangible thing of our motto is this campus. Part of this motto will also be reopening the PhD study programs with the Ministry of Education and Sports support. We have doubled the number of international students this year. We will continue to invest in the education of the youth of Albania and young entrepreneurs”.

Albanian Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Dr. Albana TOLE emphasized that:

“The Ministry of Education and Sports’ plan for the nearest future is the internationalization of Albanian universities. UNYT has 38 memoranda through the Erasmus + program with universities abroad. UNYT stands one step ahead as it offers English-taught programs and a wide collaboration experience with international universities”.

The Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Tirana, Ms. Anuela RISTANI, stated:

“Nothing makes us prouder than building new schools in Tirana. Tirana is about multicultural sharing since most of the city is the youth. Nothing embodies it better than places like this; UNYT is the place of education, innovation, and building the future”.

In his greeting speech, the President of the Turkish Maarif Foundation, Prof. Dr. Birol AKGÜN, stated:

“Established 20 years ago, UNYT has been part of the Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) since 2018. The motto is “UNYT is growing”, and I’m proud of the accomplishments of our university. During the pandemic, it was the only university not to stop education by finding digitalized solutions. This campus comes as a response to the needs of the Albanian community. UNYT has opened new departments, and new ones are to be opened. Not only the quantity but the quality is essential. We are proud of our students. Our alumni are representing TMF and UNYT, this big family exceptionally around the world. TMF’s mission is to raise and educate a good generation that will contribute to the world. UNYT is an education center for teaching and is on its way to also becoming a home for research. UNYT’s mission is to contribute to the local community and serve the global agenda”.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Albania, H.E. Mr. Tayyar Kağan ATAY, expressed:

“Investments coming from Türkiye are rising. As we all know, Albania and Türkiye are long-term strategic partners. We convey our gratitude to TMF and UNYT for their contribution to the already excellent relationship between our countries”.

Located near TEG in Tirana–Elbasan Hwy Km 2, the new campus is spread across three floors, 3000 square meters, and provides an academic home for up to 600 students. The facility features modern classrooms, high-tech laboratories, and vibrant study spaces designed to support the academic life of our students.

In 20 years, UNYT has been established as a dynamic multicultural leading center for higher education. University of New York Tirana vows to continue its endeavor toward Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders!