From 30 May until 2 June 2023, the OSCE Presence in Albania together with the University of Tirana and the Faculty of Law organized a research visit to two prestigious universities in the United Kingdom and worldwide - the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
The visit aimed to build the capacities and resources of the Faculty of Law to deliver and manage the programme in Criminology, as well as to gather best practices on the establishment and work of university research centres.
The delegation from Albania was composed of University of Tirana Rector, Prof. Dr. Artan Hoxha, Dean of the Law Faculty Prof. Assoc. Dr. Dorina Hoxha, lecturers of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social Sciences, and team of the OSCE project "Establishing a Master's Programme in Criminology". They met with professors and senior staff of both universities, including Head of Oxford University Sociology Department, Prof. Federico Varese, Director of the Oxford Centre for Criminology Prof. Ian Loader, and Director of the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge Prof. Manuel Eisner.
The exchange will also contribute to the establishment of the Research Centre in Criminology within the Faculty of Law in Tirana - as a hub that will facilitate sustainable research capacities in the field of criminology, continuous support to the Master's Programme on Criminology, and contribution to data driven policy making.
"The Research Centre in Criminology will increase the scientific research and co-operation with the respective law enforcement agencies. The support of the Cambridge Institute of Criminology will guide us to new methods of scientific research and will create a basis for the development of joint projects in certain fields of criminology", said Dean Hoxha. "The engagement of the best students with the Centre is a priority in order to motivate young researchers in the field of criminology", she added.
OSCE Project Manager Alba Jorganxhi said: "Both Oxford and Cambridge universities have a worldwide reputation for excellence in research and teaching. The established co-operation will contribute to supporting a multi-disciplinary approach in crime prevention in Albania, in particular by developing the links between criminal justice and social justice. We are very pleased to facilitate this exchange and stand ready to support any upcoming co-operation between the universities".
The OSCE Presence organized the visit as part of its extra-budgetary project "Establishing a Master's Programme in Criminology", which is financially supported by the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and implemented 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. The Master's Programme, initiated in December 2020, offers a comprehensive, integrated curriculum that benefits various career paths in the justice system. Through the Master's programme, the Presence aims at improving the research capacities of professionals, academics and policy-makers in Albania to identify the root causes of crime.
