David Geer, the ambassador of the EU in our country, visited University of Tetova today where he was welcomed by the Rector, Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli, the President of the Senate, Prof. Dr. Vullnet Ameti, the General Secretary, and the vice-rectors of this institution.
At this meeting, the Rector of University of Tetova acquainted the EU ambassador with the recent developments at the University, as well as its 30-year history. He stated that University of Tetova is the first university in the Albanian language in the Republic of North Macedonia and plays a significant role in educating young people in all three study cycles. In addition to its educational and scientific role, University of Tetova as stated by Rector Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli, contributes to the advancement of society in the country and simultaneously assists in the integration processes.
While Ambassador David Geer expressed his pleasure in visiting this public university and emphasized that he follows the institutional developments and overall progress, he also showed interest in the cooperation that University of Tetova maintains with European Union universities and in the interest of our students in utilizing and participating in educational programs funded by the EU, such as Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020.
He also announced that the EU supports young people in advancing their studies through various programs and projects, allocating annual budgets for this purpose. During this visit, he also highlighted the plan for growth in the Western Balkans, which involves strengthening the capacities of aspiring countries in line with European standards. In addition to the aforementioned programs, Ambassador David Geer announced the opening of the Europe House in Tetovo, which will be another opportunity to promote EU values and will provide direct access to EU projects for both students and the civil sector.
The leaders of University of Tetova informed Ambassador Geer about the successful cooperation and partnership of this institution with well-known universities from Europe and beyond, regarding the utilization of Erasmus+ program quotas. However, they requested that these quotas be increased because of the considerable interest from both students and academic staff. They reaffirmed University of Tetova’s pro-European and pro-Western orientation, the opening of the American Corner and the Austrian Corner on campus premises, as well as the implementation of academic processes in accordance with democratic norms.
After the meeting with the leadership of Universityof Tetova, Ambassador David Geer held a lecture and conducted a fruitful discussion on the expansion of the European Union with students from various academic units. The lecture primarily focused on the fundamental reforms that need to be carried out by the new government of North Macedonia and the criteria that need to be met for the country’s full membership in the European Union.
