University of Tirana

The University of Tirana (Universiteti I Tiranës, abbreviated UT) is a public university located at the central borough of Tirana 10 in Tirana, Albania. It was established as the State University of Tirana (SUT) in 1957 through merging of five existing institutes of higher education.

The main building was planned by Italian architect, Gherardo Bosio at the beginning of 1940. It is situated at the Mother Teresa Square, south of the city center of Tirana.

The primary language of instruction is Albanian, but there are a number of faculties of foreign languages which are carried out in English, French, Greek, Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese and other languages.

The University of Tirana was founded in 1957 as the State University of Tirana (Universiteti Shtetëror i Tiranës), through the merging of five existing institutes of higher education, the most important of which was the Institute of Sciences, founded in 1947. Immediately after the death of Enver Hoxha in 1985, the university was renamed the Enver Hoxha University of Tirana (Universiteti i Tiranës Enver Hoxha) until 1992.

Academics and size
The university is the largest and highest ranking university in Albania. It includes eight colleges, 50 academic departments, and 41 study programs or majors. Most programs are offered in Tirana; a few smaller affiliated campuses are located in other Albanian cities, including Saranda in the southern part of the country and Kukës in the north. It offers three-year Bachelor, one- or two-year Master, and three- to five-year doctorate degree programs, in accordance with the Bologna system.

The current campus is urban and decentralised. A new large and centralised campus has been planned in the southeast periphery of Tirana. Students dorms are grouped in a separate location called Student City (Qyteti Studenti) in southeast Tirana.

UT is the biggest university in Albania, and among the biggest in Europe with 35 000 students. In 2013 the college accepted 95 new Ph.D. students. These are students in possession of bachelor's degrees.

Faculties and departments

 * Faculty of Social Sciences
 * Faculty of Natural Sciences
 * Faculty of History and Philology
 * Faculty of Law
 * Faculty of Economic Sciences
 * Faculty of Foreign Languages
 * Department of Physical Education

Notable people

 * Sali Berisha (born 1944), cardiologist, President of Albania and Prime Minister
 * Shpresa Gjongecaj (born 1952), Professor of Numismatics
 * Odhise Grillo, writer of children's books
 * Nexhmije Hoxha (1921–2020), politician
 * Shefki Hysa, writer and journalist
 * Helena Kadare (born 1943), author
 * Ismail Kadare (1936—2024), novelist and poet, winner of the 2005 Man Booker International Prize, the 2009 Prince of Asturias Award, and the 2015 Jerusalem Prize.
 * Harilla Papajorgji (1933–2019), politician and professor
 * Ardian Klosi (1957–2012), publicist and activist
 * Dhori Kule (born 1957), Rector of the University of Tirana
 * Pandeli Majko (born 1967), politician
 * Jakup Mato (1934–2005), publicist and educational administrator
 * Laura Mersini-Houghton, cosmologist, theoretical physicist, and professor
 * Ilir Meta (born 1969), Albanian President
 * Fatos Nano (born 1952), Prime Minister of Albania, member of the Albanian Parliament
 * Anila Paparisto, entomologist and 2002 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards recipient.
 * Drita Ziri, tv host and Miss Earth 2023