Delegates visited Albania to deepen cooperation with Barleti University and present our faculty at Tirana University

Teachers from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB completed a study trip to Albania from October 23 to 29. The trip was a conclusion of long-standing cooperation of the head of the Institute of Social and  Special-pedagogical Sciences (USV) of the FHSS USB  doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Jitka Vacková, Ph.D. with Albanian partners mainly from the field of social work. The other delegates were Ing. Radka Prokešová, Ph.D. from the Institute of Humanities in Helping Professions and PhDr. Lenka Motlová, Ph.D. together with PhDr. Salim Murad, Ph.D. from the Institute of Social and Special-pedagogical Sciences.

The cooperation of both schools originates in 2017 at Clemson University, South Carolina, USA. Albania and the Czech Republic have similar historical experience which opens a variety of topics for our teachers and students. The representatives of the FHSS USB have attended a comprehensive Erasmus+ study programme which included lectures of all participants at the partner university and examples of good practice concerning their research and practice. The team of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences received a warm welcome at Barleti University and the attention of its representatives. They attended two meetings with the rector of the university Prof. Suzana Guxholli, an internationally known economist. She thought back on her experience with Czech environment that she gained thanks to her teacher Jan Švejnar.

One of the achievements in Tirana were talks at Tirana University, public and the biggest university in Albania. Our colleagues established cooperation with the Faculty of Social Sciences which focuses on social work, among other things. The delegation from the University of south Bohemia was received by the dean of the faculty Prof. Dr. Edmond Rapti and vice-dean Prof. Asoc. Dr. Rudina Rama. Our teachers had an opportunity to talk to the crowded auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Tirana University where they presented the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB and the possibilities for Tirana University students to study the master´s degree programme called European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations whose Czech branch is provided by the University of South Bohemia (www.emmir.org).

Besides the programme on the academic grounds of both universities, it was also important to get familiar with the functioning of institutions such as the Community Centre in Tirana, and last but not least, an insight into Albanian history in the House of Leaves museum where the participants discussed modern Albanian history. Dr. Murad said: “The programme was inspiring in many aspects and the interest of Albanian students and academics is promising for further development of cooperation.”