Debate for the Academy of Albanological Studies, the rector: Why can't we be part of ASH

The Rector of the Academy of Albanological Studies, Luan Përzhita, declares that the Ministry of Education has not forwarded any notification regarding the draft decision for the merger of this institution with the Academy of Sciences.

In an interview for "Panorama TV", Professor Luan Përzhita argues why the Academy of Albanian Studies cannot be part of the Academy of Sciences.

Referring to the law, he clarified that ASH does not have the right to establish scientific research within its system because it is an honorary level academy.

He also said that Prime Minister Rama promised that the Academy would have a special status, but this is not happening.

" We have not received any notification from the Ministry of Education about the preparation of this draft decision. It was a very shocking news and it did not go with any of the rules of organization of state structures.

It was an initiative in 2021, at the time when the elections took place in our academy.

The academy is organized on the basis of the law of education and science.

In 2018, the academy's charter was approved by the former minister of that time, Lindita Nikolla. In this statute, which is also our internal constitution, it is clearly defined that this is a scientific research institution that consists of 4 main institutes.

There is a continuity of scientific research work. Funding sources are from the Ministry of Education.

In a meeting that the former rector had in Vlora, he was promised by Rama that our academy should definitely have a special status. So focus on those academies that are specialized in certain fields and that are elements of scientific research.

Although we have tried several times, the rule is that the Ministry of Education must propose to the government. Instead of this happening so that we have a special status, we see that a law has been prepared that dissolves the Albanological Academy and it is claimed that it will be part of the Academy of Sciences.

Here we have another problem, not even the Academy of Sciences is legally ready to host institutes in ASH. In its law, it has no right to establish scientific research within its system because it is an honorary level academy.

If we are dealing with a reform, then why are we not also part of this discussion. How can a reform be done when the institutions do not discuss and the parties are excluded" , said Perzhita, while clarifying that " this institution has 32 international collaborations that if merged, these will be lost".