Europe : Albania : UFO University

The History of U.F.O. University

U.F.O University – Universitas Fabrefacta Optime is a private, independent and lay (laical) Institution of High Education.

Licensed in April 2004 by the Ministry of Science and Education , The Government of Republic of Albania opened the doors for the academic year 2004 – 2005, with the first course of study in Stomatology Branch with about one hundred students. One year later the institution also offered University Diplomas in the branches: Pharmacy, Architecture, Juridical Science, Political Science. During this academic year (2005 – 2006) about six hundred students followed the university studies.

In the academic year 2006 – 2007, UFO University was completed with its eight branches of studies: Stomatology, Pharmacy, Architecture, Bank – Finance, Juridical Science, Political Science, Psychology, Communicative Science, and about two hundred students followed the studies.

In the fourth year of its life, in the academic year 2007 – 2008, in UFO University about 3100 students go on their studies. The same year about 120 students end the studies, 94 students in Stomatology Branch and 26 in Politic – Administrative Science Branch.

This academic year 2009-2010, 4500 students begin their academic year studding at the first, second and third level of study.

Mission and Philosophy

The mission of U.F.O University has as its mission developing of acknowledge through studying using influence in society through education, study and scientific researches in the highest levels.

The aim of U.F.O University is to offer his students a better education , to push the borders of acknowledgement and contribute in national and international community. As an Institution that concepts the future inspires to promote climate and intellectual environment constructing the bases of acknowledgement and evaluate the critic thought on world and society while it serves community with values and virtues based on academic preparation.

Realizing the upper mentioned mission with a clear vision, U.F.O University as an institution “per excellence” of High Education, requires to involve the mind and to raise the spirit, to stimulate the best attempts for all members connected with the University and keep a leader role in society in what it does and represents.

The values in such we believe:

• Quality in every academic initiative

• Integrity and organizational correctness and the participation in decision making

• Institutional responsibility and academic freedom

• the importance we give the community and responsibility in achieving the teaching standards

• the protecting of ethic and creation of credibility

Organization and Leadership

U.F.O. University, as a higher education institution, bases its academic and organizational activities on the Statute and Regulations of this university, which are drafted upon the legislation of the Republic of Albania.

The Statute presents and constitutes decision-making and executive structures of the university and allocates the duties and responsibilities of each unit. The Statute also presents the academic and administrative structure of the university and appoints the interaction between them. The Statue is prior to the university and faculty Regulations as well as to the orders or other documents drafted by the University Structures.

The Rector of the university is the head of the academic hierarchy. He leads and directs all the academic activities of the university. He, in cooperation with the Administrative Leaders Board and the Senate, builds and guides the practice policies of the institution.

The Senate is the second in the academic hierarchy. The Senate is a body elected by the academic staff based on the criteria set in the Statute. It deals with different issues which involve all the faculties. It ensures the academic freedom within the faculties, examines the possibility of expansions of study fields, assists the Administrative Leaders Board and the Administration on issues related to the academic aspect.

The other unit in the academic hierarchy is the Faculty. The Dean of the Faculty is the organizer, the leader and the one responsible for the teaching and research activities in his faculty. He coordinates the department activities and plans the development of the faculty according to its departments. He also monitors the teaching process.

The Departments of U.F.O. University are the bases of teaching and research.

The Department proposes the basic criteria on which the academic programmes will be based. It follows the fulfillment of these programmes, plans the extra-curricular activities, gives ideas, drafts and proposes the present and perspective strategy of the department.

The instructor is responsible for the taught subject. He or she is responsible for planning and executing the subject programme, and evaluates the performance and academic growth of the students. He or she challenges, guides and encourages the students in their daily work and academic development.

Institutional Organization

UFO University is an Institution of High Education, which bases its academic and organizational activities on the Status and Regulation of University, composed on Legislation in power of Republic of Albania.

The Status presents and constitutes decisive and executive structures of university and defines the tasks and responsibilities of each unit.

The Statute has the priority over the regulation of university, regulation of the faculties and orders or other documents composed by the university structures.

The Rector is the Head of academic hierarchy; he directs and coordinates all the academic activity of university. In collaboration with Administrative Leading Board and University Senate, he builds and coordinates all the politics of development of the Institution.

The Senate makes up the second leader in academic hierarchy. It is an organ chosen from academic staff, on the base of fixed criteria in Statute. Senate deals with the solving of the problems that affects more than one faculty. He secures the academic freedom in faculties, examines the possibility of broadening the fields of academic study, monitors the application of the regulation; assist the Leading Administrative Board and Administrate for problems linked the academic side.

Faculty is the intermediate unit of academic hierarchy.

Dean of the Faculty is the organization, leading and the main responsible in the science – teaching activity of the departments under his independence. He coordinates the activity of departments, composes the plan of the development and monitores the teaching process.

Departments of U.F.O University are the base teaching – science units.

Department proposes the base criteria over the which the programs of academic studies will rise, composes and proposes the strategy of procedure and perspective development of department.

Pedagogue the main discourse of a certain subject. He is responsible for the composing and developing of the program of respective subjects; following the procedure and the progress of the students. He encourages, orientates and leads the students in their everyday science academic formation work.

U.F.O. Press Publishing House

The U.F.O. Press Publishing House is a real commitment in the giving of information and its aim is to have a leading position in the field of book publishing at a University level. The publishing spectrum covers the scientific as well as the social sector.

Working with authors of high professional and academic levels as well as buying the rights of translating and publishing books from reputable publishing houses such as “Elsevier”,” McGrae Hills” etc, our publishing are recognized for high quality standards.

We have more than 300 books published, which have proved useful not only to students but also to professionals all around the country. Offering the latest information, we are sure to have given a considerable contribution to the community of Albanian researchers.

One of our greatest achievements is the large number of books in the field of stomatology. U.F.O. Press, with over 100 titles in this field, covers about 95% of the curricula of this Faculty. These books offer a very good source of information not only to the students but also to stomatologists who like to offer high quality service based on the latest techniques and materials.

The texts offered in Albanian by the U.F.O. Press are those used by students of the best universities in the world. These books are present not only in Albania but also in Kosovo and Macedonia.

The U.F.O. Press has its own list of important scientific and academic texts for every discipline the University offers. U.F.O. Press aims to publish scientific, academic and pedagogic curricula specialized for every field of study.

Besides books, we offer ideas and information through the net.

U.F.O. Education is a television of a special format which has been presented to the Albanian public with a special mission. U.F.O. Education is the only channel in Albania that aims to inform the public with educational and cultural programmes. It brings something new compared with other medias in Albania, giving this enormous space a special and dynamic dimension U.F.O. Education aims to become the main channel to transmit knowledge and culture in Albania and in all other Albanian speaking regions.

U.F.O. Education has an ambitious and difficult mission to fulfill, but thanks to the close collaboration with U.F.O. University as one of the main sources of knowledge, academic debate, intellectual potential, the aim and mission of this channel becomes more than achievable.
Important part of the programs in U.F.O. Education, plays the live transmission of lectures in auditoriums, fulfilling this way one of its main goals; that of education.
U.F.O. Education aims to become the main representative of educational reforms, started by the Ministry of Education and Science in Albania