Falenderime nga Miqtë e UMT-së!

It was a great pleasure to be with you to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the High Medical Institute, predecessor of the University of Medicine in Tirana.

Once again, I want to congratulate the University of Medicine for what has been an outstanding 70 years and what is an exceptional story of transformation from humble beginnings to European excellence. It is my good fortune to serve as an honorary professor as we commemorate this milestone in the life of the University of Medicine in Tirana which is led by an absolutely outstanding and internationally admired Rector.

Over the past seven decades, the University of Medicine in Tirana has firmly established itself as one of the finest universities in Europe and, in fact, in the world. It has produced generations of bright doctors and great professors.

Major milestones such as this 70th anniversary afford us the opportunity to look back and celebrate the history but also to look ahead and plan for the future. Our students are our most important connection to that future.

And they are in exactly the right place in Albania!

Albania is an outstanding and enviable country for talented students and doctors, clinical and academic staff. Adorable and hospitable people, beautiful lakes, fantastic beaches, stunning mountains, lush forests, world heritage, beautiful castles, countless fortresses, excellent museums, genuine and delicious food. Where else – where else? – in Europe can you find all this?

I am very grateful for our fantastic cooperation, which covers many areas such as research, teaching, patient care, public health, artificial intelligence, leadership and management, to mention just a few. As we look forward to the next 70 years, I hope that the ties between us deepen and broaden in further ground-breaking ways.