The Rector of the College of Europe, Federica Mogherini, and the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, have signed today the contract for the opening of this College, the first campus outside the EU borders.

The signing ceremony took place in the premises of the Municipality of Tirana.

Mogherini announced a day ago, among other things, the launch of the online application process for the next academic year for students who will study at the European University of Bruges, in the Tirana campus.

The College of Europe will give opportunities to young students from Albania, those from the Western Balkans and from all over Europe to get to know the EU in depth.

The opening of the Campus of the College of Europe in Tirana was initiated last December by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Summit of the European Union of the Balkan countries in Tirana.

The College of Europe is the world’s first university institute of postgraduate study and training in European affairs. Founded in 1949 and has led to the creation of the European Movement. Its original campus is in Bruges, Belgium. A second college campus in Natolin, Warsaw) was opened in 1992 prior to Poland’s accession negotiations with the EU. 

While, Mayor Veliaj said that the opening of this campus in Tirana will give shape not only to a part of the city, but at the same time it is an indicator of the fantastic synergy of the capital.

“I am really very honored today that our friend, Federica Mogherini, is here with us, on the roof of the city, to start a collaboration, which starts from a small cube at the Pyramid, which will be the office of the College of Europe. Today, together with Federica, we shape a part of the city, with the hope that this cube will then shape the city. I believe this is the fantastic synergy we have in this city. We do things with love, we do things not for the next election, but for the next generation. I feel really good when I think about how that small cube, which we have shaped, will shape us with all the fantastic experiences there,” said Tirana Mayor Veliaj.

/a.p./