Ida Ismail
Public universities in Albania are functioning less and less as knowledge centers and more and more as closed financial structures, where the main expenses go to salaries, security guards and secret contracts. The data published by Civic Resistance and the reports of the Supreme State Audit Office paint a bleak picture: Transparency is lacking, scientific research is at a historic minimum, and universities have turned into politically driven, not academic, institutions.
Secret contracts and refusal of transparency
Two of the largest higher education institutions, the University of Tirana and the University of Medicine, have refused to hand over copies of purchase contracts, classifying them as “trade secrets,” according to a report published by the Citizens’ Resistance. This practice deprives the public and students of the right to control how their money is spent.
In 2025 alone, SPAK issued 28 security measures against officials of the Agricultural University for abuses in 9 tenders worth 900 thousand euros. KLSH proposed 35 measures against universities and the Academy of Sciences. According to the Civic Resistance, violations are no longer isolated cases, they have become part of the culture of university administration.
The 8 public universities spent 103 million euros in one year. But, 64% of the budget goes only to salaries and only 4.2% to scientific research. In Korça and Shkodra, personnel expenses reach up to 77%, turning universities into institutions where administration works, but science does not develop.
3 million euros for guards: Universities as security institutions
One of the biggest financial anomalies is physical insurance contracts:
University of Tirana – 1.65 million euros
University of Elbasan – 1 million euros
Polytechnic University – 842 thousand euros
UAMD – 4 times less than UT
These amounts are paid while universities do not report serious incidents. Meanwhile, laboratories, computers, and basic teaching equipment are lacking.
The gap between invoices and reality: Inkless printers, “ghost” computers. The reported cases show a complete disconnect between financial documents and the reality of students: UPT has spent 70 thousand euros on printer ink, but Architecture students pay 100-200 euros per month for printing outside the faculty. Many faculties buy computers, laptops and technological equipment that students “never see”.
Figures showing degradation (2021–2022)
University of Tirana
- 637,454 euros for security
- 0 lek for scientific research
- 1.1 million euros for office equipment and furniture
"Aleksandër Xhuvani" University in Elbasan
- 431,944 euros for building security
- 115,985 euros for per diems/travel
- 29,000 euros for fuel
- 23,479 euros for internet/telephone
- Only 1,200 euros for scientific research
"Luigj Gurakuqi" University in Shkodra
- Nearly 4 million euros in annual expenses
- 2.6 million euros for salaries
- 252 thousand euros for security
- Only 4,628 euros for research
"Fan Noli" University in Korça
- 0 lek for scientific research
- 77 thousand euros for per diems/travel
- 147 thousand euros for office equipment
"Aleksandër Moisiu" University in Durrës
- 195 thousand euros for security
- 3.7 thousand euros for research
- 4.7 million euros for salaries
Education expert Ndriçim Mehmeti describes the situation as a total collapse. Mehmeti said: “The top-down management of education has fallen into the clutches of politics, incompetence, mediocrity and not meritocracy. We need to strip the school of political direction. Let’s draft an action plan for the next 30 years on where education will go, as well as increase the quality of young people who go into teaching programs. The Ministry of Education and educational institutions as a whole should not be seen as a haven for militants, but a place where those who deserve it should be.”
The data released by the Civic Resistance and the control institutions show a structural crisis: Secret contracts, inflated expenses for guards and salaries, a total lack of transparency, depreciated infrastructure and almost extinct scientific research. Without a deep reform, without accountability and without real investment in quality, public universities will continue to produce worthless diplomas, while the education system is emptied of the professionals of the future. /acqj.al
