South East European University Marks its 11th Anniversary of Establishment

The ceremony was organized in two parts, in the first part a short documentary film was presented, which was dedicated to Quality at the University, promotion of the latest generation PhD students -graduated at the SEEU during the period November 2011-November 2012, appreciation to the companies that have contributed to the University were awarded and the culminating event was the award of the post-humus title Honorary Member to the late Mr. Arben Xhaferi for his contribution given to the establishment of the University and the unveiling of the inscription of Lecture Hall 4 for intellectual debates named after the late Arben Xhaferi.

The title Honorary Member was given to the brother of the late Mr. Arben Xhaferi.

The second part of the ceremony was reserved for SEEU employees, where all those who had completed ten years of employment at the University were given appreciation and a wristwatch. Also, in the second half, newly elected Student Parliament and Association Members and the Ombudswoman took an Oath of Office.

By summarizing achievements, SEEU Rector Prof. Dr. Zamir Dika, said that “at this eleventh anniversary of the establishment of the South East European University, among other things, I want to share together today three specific commitments.”

“The first commitment is our dedication to quality. Not only to confirm our university’s commitment to quality, but at the same time sharing with others the belief and evaluation that quality is the subject of a positive emission in the dispersed and mass higher education in Macedonia and the wider region. We have chosen at this anniversary to talk about the future, but with respect to the past. In this regard, is our second commitment. On this anniversary, we will honour the contributions of a great man, a rare visionary and thinker who supported this initiative from the early stage and freely we can be considered him as one of the founders of the South East European University, the late Arbën Xhaferi.

The third commitment is included in the mission of the University. In the first paragraph of the first goals of the mission, in the SEEU Statute, is stated: "The University shall contribute to the promotion of higher education in the Albanian language." So, today, together we are marking this purpose as part of the celebrations of the hundredth anniversary of the Independence of the Albanian State and National Flag.," said among others Rector Dika.

The Albanian Ambassador to Macedonia, H.E. Arben Çejku, in his speech expressed his congratulations on the 11th anniversary of the establishment of the University, which coincides with celebrations of the 100^th Anniversary of Independence of Albania and the National Flag Day.

“This anniversary obliges me twice to bow before the originators, founders, contributors, collaborators, friends, students and professors of the University, who contributed to this jubilee to be greater. By honouring the past, we work for the future. Our universities, academies, universities, schools, centres wherever they are, today and in the future, will have the sacred mission to prepare new generations for the second century of independence. Universities must remain labs of thoughts and progressive ideas because knowledge centres are eternal. Education and training are the most precious asset of any nation. How the universities are today that is how the future will be tomorrow," said among other things Ambassador Çejku.

For the life and work of the late Mr. Xhaferi, spoke the President of the University Board, Prof. Dr. Dennis Farrington, who said “the late Arben Xhaferi was the prime instigator of our project and remained one of our strongest supporters and friends until his untimely death earlier this year.”

“I am the first to admit that our role was largely to steer the ideas generated by Mr Xhaferi and his collaborators, including notably our Rector and Rector Emeritus, into a form in which they would be attractive to potential international donors and ultimately to the people of Macedonia, whatever their ethnicity. It was not to impose some irrelevant European or American concepts on the people of Macedonia,” said among others in his speech, the President of SEEU Board, Prof. Dennis Farrington.

For the artistic part of the ceremony were engaged Blerim Grubi and Sihana Badivuku and Tetovo Choir led by Jeton Pustina.