The Rector of UBT, Prof. Dr. Edmond Hajrizi, made an official visit to Texas at the invitation of Sam Houston State University (SHSU), within the framework of the cooperation between the two institutions and the joint commitment to advancing academic and research cooperation.
During the visit, Rector Hajrizi held a series of meetings with academic leaders, research institutions, and personalities from the Albanian community in the US, where opportunities for expanding study exchanges, joint projects, and strategic initiatives in areas of common interest were discussed.
The delegation was also attended by representatives from partner universities in the region: the Rector, Prof. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli, and the President of the Senate of the UT, Prof. Dr. Kenan Ferati, as well as representatives of the University of Tirana. Their participation further increased the weight of the regional inter-university dimension, making the visit an important step towards consolidating new bridges of cooperation.
Visits to the University’s infrastructure were another important part of the program, where Rector Hajrizi visited the Faculties of Business, Nursing, Medicine and a number of other academic units of SHSU. These visits served to see up close the high academic and laboratory standards of the institution, identifying concrete opportunities for collaboration and professional exchanges.
During his stay, Rector Hajrizi held an important meeting with Major General David P. Glaser, whom UBT has honored with its highest institutional award. The meeting discussed opportunities for further collaboration in the fields of security, leadership and professional education, as well as the involvement of experts from both institutions in joint training and research projects.
Also, a meeting was held with the Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, Dr. Sharmistha (Shar) Self, who was the main organizer of the visit, along with Alban Fetahun – former SHSU student and initiator of this important partnership.
The Rector was also received by the deans of the faculties of Criminology, Sciences, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences, and Humanities, with whom they exchanged ideas on academic programs and opportunities for joint research projects.
A special moment of the visit was the meeting with the President of SHSU, Dr. Alisa White, and the Provost, Dr. Sumanth Yenduri, where the deepening of institutional cooperation, the development of joint study programs and the creation of concrete opportunities for UBT students were discussed. In all meetings, Rector Hajrizi presented UBT's academic programs and the potential for expanding cooperation in various fields, agreeing to soon launch concrete joint projects.
On both occasions, Rector Hajrizi presented the initiative for the creation of a center for American studies at UBT and Albanian studies in Texas, which was very well received by everyone.
The program also included visits to important educational institutions and schools in the Houston area, as well as a visit to NASA Headquarters and their museum, where the possibility of involving UBT students in international educational activities and programs was discussed.
One of the most important activities of the visit was participation in the SHSU academic and cultural event, "Bridge-Building Event: Strengthening Partnerships with the Albanian Community", where new perspectives for long-term cooperation and further engagement with the Albanian community in the US were discussed.
This event was attended by representatives of the Albanian-American community from Houston and Dallas, as well as the Ambassador of Kosovo to the United States of America, Mr. Ilir Dugolli, who enthusiastically welcomed the cooperation initiative and expressed their willingness to support Albanian students with scholarships and other academic opportunities.
Thanks to this collaborative approach, UBT students will potentially have the opportunity to benefit from scholarships to study at Sam Houston State University, as well as participate in joint study and research programs.
On the evening of December 2, Rector Hajrizi was invited to participate in the lighting ceremony of the city lights of Crown in Texas, organized by the Mayor and Vice Mayor of the city. For this event, Mr. Joe Haliti, a member of the Albanian-American community and an extraordinary contributor to the life of the community, who was declared this year’s “Personality of the Year” in the region, was selected. At this ceremony, Rector Hajrizi gave a speech during the dinner, which was attended by representatives of the district institutions, the Albanian community, representatives of Albanian universities and Sam Houston State University, further strengthening the ties between the community and academic institutions.
This visit underscores UBT's commitment to strengthening its network of international partnerships and creating new opportunities for the academic, scientific and professional development of university students and staff.
