A ceremony to celebrate the first 30 graduates of the Master's degree in Criminology and to thank all those that made possible this programme took place at Tirana University's Law Faculty on 27 September 2023.
The Master's Programme - established in December 2020 upon the initiative and support of the OSCE Presence in Albania - aims to enhance the research capacities of criminal justice professionals, academics and policy makers in preventing and combating crime in Albania in line with human rights standards and OSCE commitments. It is the first Executive Master Programme in Albania included in the third cycle of studies, making it equivalent to a doctorate degree.
"Today, we are harvesting the results of our efforts, following more than five years of intensive work. The Master's Programme in Criminology has already shown the potential to being ground-breaking for the country: departing from a classic approach to crime, based on investigation and punishment, and switching focus and effort to a more encompassing, restorative, and empirically sound approach", said Ambassador Bruce Berton, Head of the OSCE Presence.
Rector of the University of Tirana Prof. Dr. Artan Hoxha said: "The Executive Master has advanced the scientific research in the field of criminology, which will enhance the capacities of the academic staff and students. The implementation of the OSCE Presence's project on establishing the Master's Degree has improved the academic infrastructure by increasing the participation of students in scientific research".
Since 2019, the OSCE Presence and the Faculty of Law have worked intensively to develop the structure and curricula of the programme, and building the capacities and resources of the University of Tirana to deliver and manage it. The 90 students enrolled so far in this programme come from a variety of backgrounds. They are mostly police judicial police officers, defence lawyers, Security Academy lecturers, staff of Albanian parliament administration, civil society activists and criminal justice experts. The Master's Programme offers a comprehensive, integrated curriculum, which is beneficial for various career paths in the justice system.
The event was organized as part of the OSCE Presence's extra-budgetary project "Establishing a Master's Programme in Criminology," funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the U.S. Mission to the OSCE, the British Embassy in Tirana and the Government of Italy. The OSCE Presence implements the project in close co-operation with the Faculty of Law of the University of Tirana, with the support of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior.
