The State University of Tetova (Albanian: Universiteti Shtetëror i Tetovës; Macedonian: Државен Универзитет во Тетово) is a public university in North Macedonia. The university was established on 17 December 1994 as the first Albanian-language higher education institution in Macedonia, though not recognized as a state university by the national government until January 2004. As of 2018–19 academic year, 7,097 students are enrolled at the university.

State University of Tetova
Universiteti i Tetovës
Универзитет во Тетово
TypePublic
Established17 December 1994; 29 years ago (1994-12-17)
RectorProf. Dr. Jusuf Zejneli[1]
Students7,097 (2018–19)[2]
Location,
42°00′00″N 20°58′00″E / 42°N 20.9667°E / 42; 20.9667
CampusUrban
ColorsRed and Yellow   
Websitewww.unite.edu.mk
Building details
View of the campus building, August 2015
Map

History

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The State University of Tetova was founded on 17 December 1994 by Albanians,[3] without government approval.[4] The Macedonian authorities had previously rejected an application by Albanians of Tetovo for permission to establish a university with education in Albanian.[5] The first lectures were held on 16–17 February 1995, in Poroj and Rečica. The first rector was Fadil Sulejmani from Bozovce. After North Macedonia's independence, it was the first institution that permitted Albanians to receive higher education entirely in the Albanian language.[6] To prevent the university from opening, the Macedonian police used force, which resulted in nineteen people being seriously injured and the death of an Albanian man.[7][8] Sulejmani and his colleagues were imprisoned. The university was able to continue organizing lectures but its credentials and degrees were not recognized in the country.[5] On 17 December 1996, the local assembly of Tetovo decided to sponsor the university. The operation of the university was approved by Macedonia's Albanian political parties.[9] The Macedonian parliament passed a law to legalize the university in 21 January 2004 with 68 votes (26 votes from Albanian deputies), while it was opposed by VMRO-DPMNE deputies. In the academic year 2004–2005, it became the third state university in the country.[4][10]

The university was at the center of a forged diploma scandal throughout the 2000s and early 2010s.[11] In neighboring Albania, diploma mills were selling forged diplomas on the street for between 500 and 800 euros, with diplomas coming from the State University of Tetovo a popular choice, given that the university was outside the remit of Albania's official institutions. The State University of Tetova rector claimed that former students who had not completed their studies were purchasing these forged diplomas, with forged diplomas even being sold in Kosovo and Montenegro.[12] In 2021, at least seven professors from the medical faculty of the university were accused of engaging in academic dishonesty, allegedly plagiarizing and copying scientific works.[13][14]

Faculties and departments

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The university consists of eleven faculties:

  • Faculty of Economics[15]
  • Faculty of Law[15]
  • Faculty of Applied Sciences
  • Faculty of Fine Arts
  • Faculty of Philosophy[15]
  • Faculty of Philology[15]
  • Faculty of Medicine[15]
  • Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics[15]
  • Faculty of Food Technology
  • Faculty of Physical Education
  • Faculty of Business Administration
  • Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology
  • Faculty of Pedagogy

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Јусуф Зејнели изгласан за нов ректор на Тетовскиот универзитет, реакции по изборите на кои тој беше единствен кадидат". Meta.mk (in Macedonian). 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Запишани студенти на високите стручни школи и факултетите во Република Северна Македонија во академската 2018/2019 година" (PDF). stat.gov.mk (in Macedonian). Statistical Office of North Macedonia. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  3. ^ Arda Özkan; Pinar Yürür, eds. (2020). Conflict Areas in the Balkans. Lexington Books. p. 45. ISBN 9781498599207.
  4. ^ a b Cvete Koneska (2014). After Ethnic Conflict: Policy-making in Post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. Ashgate. pp. 140–146. ISBN 9781472419798.
  5. ^ a b Sabrina P. Ramet (2006). The Three Yugoslavias: State-Building and Legitimation, 1918-2005. Indiana University Press. pp. 576–577. ISBN 9780253346568.
  6. ^ Rozita Dimova (2013). Ethno-Baroque: Materiality, Aesthetics and Conflict in Modern-Day Macedonia. Berghahn Books. p. 80. ISBN 9781782380412.
  7. ^ Jenny Engström (2009). Democratisation and the Prevention of Violent Conflict: Lessons Learned from Bulgaria and Macedonia. Ashgate. p. 128. ISBN 9780754674344.
  8. ^ Vasiliki P. Neofotistos (2012). The Risk of War: Everyday Sociality in the Republic of Macedonia. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 31–32. ISBN 9780812243994.
  9. ^ Victor Roudometof (2002). Collective Memory, National Identity, and Ethnic Conflict: Greece, Bulgaria, and the Macedonian Question. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 177. ISBN 9780275976484.
  10. ^ "Balkan Report: January 30, 2004". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 30 January 2004.
  11. ^ Jakov Marusic, Sinisa. "News Macedonia: Forged Diplomas Scandal Unfolds". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  12. ^ Vezaj, Flamur; Abdiu, Drita; Likmeta, Besar. "Albania Ignores Trade in Fake Degrees". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Portalb.mk: A plagiarism scandal at the University of Tetovo, who is accusing whom?". Meta.mk. 22 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Big scandal shakes Tetovo University: At least 7 professors plagiarized scientific papers". Sloboden Pecat. 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Pål Kolstø (2014). Strategies of Symbolic Nation-building in South Eastern Europe. Ashgate. p. 193. ISBN 9781472419170.
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