Prishtina, 29.03.2019 – On the request of the Minister of Economic Development Valdrin Lluka met together Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Shyqiri Bytyqi, Rector of the University of Pristina “Hasan Prishtina” Marjan Dema, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Enver Hamiti, Gazmend Luboteni Chairman of the Board of the State Council of Quality, Chief Executive Officer of KOSTT, Ilir Shala and other relevant stakeholders to discuss the future of Power Engineering Department at the University of Prishtina.

As three billion euros will be invested in the energy sector in Kosovo over the next few years, and the same sector will be the biggest employer, the market will need new workers and professionals, and on the other hand in the Power Engineering Department at the University of Prishtina, the PhD and master level are closed, but also the bachelor’s degree is also at risk. Regarding this, the Minister Lluka has asked for finding solutions to keep this Department open in the UP.

Minister Lluka during the speech highlighted some of the problems that are causing the closure of this Department and has suggested ideas how to get out of this situation.
“From the reasons why this Department is at risk of closure is the retirement of professors and one of the quickest ideas to keep alive this Department is to look at the possibilities of postponing the retirement age of Power Engineering professors” said Minister Lluka.

On his part, Minister Lluka, as a way to encourage students to choose the direction of Power Engineering is the granting of scholarships.

“Since the energy sector will be the biggest employer, we need to encourage students to study in this Department and of the other ways of overcoming the situation is the motivation of students through scholarships that the Ministry of Economic Development will start to disburse”, said Minister Lluka.

On the other hand, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Shyqyri Bytyqi, thanked Minister Lluka for the initiative and proposed the idea of combining professors between the University of Prishtina and the University of Tirana.

“It is very good that solving this problem is being sought and I thank Minister Lluka for the initiative. We have held several meetings with representatives of the University of Tirana with whom we have discussed to combine the professors of this university and professors of UP in order to keep alive the Power Engineering Department and we will also try to find solution”, said Minister Bytyqi.

Rector of the University of Pristina, Marjan Dema, said that UP is not a policymaking body but is ready to implement the policies that are being undertaken in this direction.
“Special thanks go to Minister Valdrin Lluka for expressing the will to solve this problem” he said.

Meanwhile, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Enver Hamiti, welcoming this initiative, said how the solution of this problem can be seen also in the reduction of the criteria of admission of professors.

“We have staffs that are skilled and prepared to be professors at the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, but because of some criteria they cannot be part of the faculty. I propose to see the possibilities to lower some of the admission criteria for professors”, said the Dean Hamiti.

In this meeting was also present the Chairman of the Board of the State Council of Quality at the Kosovo Accreditation Agency, Gazmend Luboteni, who also provided his full support in this direction.

In the end it is decided to see the possibilities of establishing a working group with experts who will come up with concrete proposals and action plans to solve this problem.