President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, Afrim Gashi, paid a visit today to the University of Tetova, where he was welcomed by the Rector, Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli, the President of the Senate, Prof. Dr. Kenan Ferati, the Vice Rector for Education, Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Neziri, the Vice Rector for Finance, Prof. Dr. Aida Baftjari-Yzeiri, the Vice Rector for International Relations, Prof. Dr. Salajdin Salihi, the Secretary General, Mr. Adem Beadini, and the President of the University Student Assembly, Leart Ibrahimi. During the meeting, the leadership of the University of Tetova presented the institution’s most significant developments, placing particular emphasis on the advancement of the educational process, the strengthening of scientific research activities, and the expansion of inter-institutional cooperation. They highlighted the reputation that the University of Tetova enjoys today at both the regional and international levels, as a result of its continuous commitment to quality and development.
In this context, the representatives of the University informed the President of the Assembly about the institution’s current scientific activities, highlighting the organization of the most recent International Scientific Congress, as well as achievements in the field of international indexing of the scientific journals published by its academic units. At the same time, they emphasized the need to develop a long-term strategy for the advancement of higher education and to establish a comprehensive and collaborative approach among relevant institutions, with the aim of continuously improving the quality of education and scientific research.
The President of the Assembly, Afrim Gashi, reaffirmed his support for the academic community and students, emphasizing that education must remain one of the key priorities of state institutions. He praised the historic role of the University of Tetova, describing it as an institution born out of the dedication and determination of citizens to pursue education in the Albanian language. He also expressed his willingness to contribute to overcoming the challenges facing higher education and to creating better conditions for the advancement of knowledge.
As part of the Parliamentary Caravan project, “The Assembly among youth”, organized by the Parliamentary Institute in cooperation with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Embassy of Switzerland, President Gashi held an open discussion with students of the University of Tetova.
This activity aimed to bring the Assembly closer to young people, increase transparency and institutional accountability, and encourage the active participation of students in democratic and decision-making processes. During the debate, topics related to political culture, the functioning of the Assembly, the responsibilities of Members of Parliament, and the role of young people in public life were addressed.
Addressing the students, President Gashi encouraged them to be active, critical, and demanding toward institutions, emphasizing that social and political change can only be achieved through open dialogue, civic participation, and confronting the challenges of the present time.
The activity concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which students showed great interest by raising various issues and directly sharing their ideas, expectations, and concerns regarding democratic processes and the country’s development with representatives of the Assembly.
