Rector of the University of Tetova, Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli, accompanied by the Vice-Rector for International Relations, Prof. Dr. Salajdin Salihi and the Dean of the Faculty of Philology, Prof. Dr. Berton Sulejmani (on November 15, 2023), welcomed the Head of the Department of Albanology of the University of Belgrade, Prof. Dr. Naile Mala-Imami. The focus of this meeting was the further deepening of cooperation between the departments, in the field of scientific research, but also in other segments aimed at the advancement of albanological sciences. Rector Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli appreciated the work that takes place in the Department of Albanology at the University of Belgrade, especially when analyzing the circumstances in which it has operated for over a century. He also expressed the support of the University of Tetova to help this department, both with scientific publications, academic staff and other forms of inter-institutional cooperation.
Prof. Dr. Naile Mala-Imami expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and the willingness of the University of Tetova to support the study program of Albanology at the University of Belgrade, which aims to develop its activity in accordance with the expectations of public opinion. She expressed her gratitude to the University of Tetova for being invited to participate in the International Congress of Human, Social Sciences and Arts, namely in the plenary session of the 8th International Scientific Conference of the Faculty of Philology, where she presented the statement: “102nd anniversary of the Department of Albanian Language at the University of Belgrade”.
In the presentation of the paper in front of the professors and students of the UT, she stated that the interest in learning the Albanian language in Serbia appeared in 1905 when the University of Belgrade in 1905 approved the Regulation which provided that in the future it would be taught ” Albanian language and literature, and that this work should be entrusted to a lecturer”. In this year, in the month of September, the newspaper “Albania”, which was published from 1902-1906 in Belgrade in three languages, in Albanian, Serbian and French, published the news of the newspaper “Politika” on September 11, 1905 that “it will be founded the Department of the Albanian language and the professor and in this department will be appointed Zhorzh Meksi, a professor from Athens”.
“In 1950, Anton Çetta was chosen as an assistant, and in 1953, Idriz Ajeti was chosen as a lecturer, who previously graduated from the same faculty with a degree in Romance Studies. Later they became prominent Albanian linguists in Kosovo. When the Faculty of Philology was founded in Pristina in 1960, Idriz Ajeti was chosen as an Assistant Professor for the subject of Albanian language, while Anton Çeta was a lecturer in Albanian folklore. In 1960/61, the Faculty of Philology was founded in Belgrade, separated from the Faculty of Philosophy. Then the Seminary continued its work as the Department of Albanian Language and Literature, while the Head of the Department was elected Prof. Dr. Vojislav Dančetović. In 1962, was chosen as a lecturer Remzi Nesimi, from Macedonia, who studied Albanian language and literature at the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade. Halit Tërnavci, who in this faculty in 1969 completed his post-graduate studies on the topic “The motive of walling in Serbo-Croatian and Albanian oral poetry”, and defended the doctoral thesis “The motive for the dead sister and brother in the oral literature of the Balkan peoples” (1970)”, emphasized Prof. Dr. Naile Mala-Imami.
Evidencing the activity of recent years that takes place in the Department of Albanology at the University of Belgrade, Prof. Dr. Naile Mala-Imami, among other things, underlined that since 2007 many professors from Albania have held lectures in this unit, among them are: Stefan Çapaliku, Ledia Dushi, Primo Shllaku, Persida Asllani, Adem Jaklari, Dhimitër Bello, Adelina Çaushi, Olimbi Velaj, Elon Doçe, Ardian Kyçyku, and this year we have cooperation with the professors of the University of Tetova, where they are currently teaching, Prof. Dr. Salajdin Salihi and Prof. Dr. Berton Sulejmani.
It should be noted that the first PhD of science from the ranks of Kosovo Albanians came from the University of Belgrade. Idriz Ajeti defended his doctoral thesis in 1958 at the Faculty of Philosophy in the field of philological sciences “Historical development of the Gheg speech among the Albanians of Zara”. At the Faculty of Philosophy, in 1960, Hasan Kaleshi defended his doctoral thesis “The oldest documents of vaqfs from Macedonia in Arabic language”. In Belgrade, from 1902-1906, started publishing the magazine “Albania”. A total of 44 issues were published and the editor was Jashar Erbara.
