History

The University of Medicine, Tirana was established on January 23, 2013. was established by Decision No. 48 of the Council of Ministers, “On the Establishment of the University of Medicine, Tirana (UMT).” The creation of the University came as a result of fundamental changes in the structures of public higher education institutions in Albania. The transformation of the Faculty of Medicine into a public university and the establishment of the University of Medicine, Tirana represented an essential need for the professional training of medical staff in Albania, enabling them to better interpret and guide the fundamental transformations and developments of the time, while ensuring the advancement, innovation, transfer, and evaluation of knowledge for the benefit of both individuals and society. This initiative was driven not only by the demands of the time for the further development of Albanian education and medicine, but also by the aspiration to build a high-quality educational institution offering an alternative and contemporary model of education, different from the existing traditional models.

The University of Medicine, Tirana presents a new vision and serves as a response to the essential need of Albanian medicine for better management of teaching and the centralization of medical studies within a single, integrated institution. This public university combines theoretical and scientific studies delivered by distinguished professors with many years of experience, together with the practical skills required to apply this knowledge in practice at the country’s University Hospital Centers.

The teaching tradition and professional experience of its distinguished professors are among the finest examples of what the University of Medicine, Tirana has conveyed throughout the years. Graduates of the University of Medicine, Tirana are professionally competent and highly capable of addressing the complex needs of Albanian medicine. For this purpose, the two pillars of UMT’s academic philosophy — theoretical studies and practical clinical and pre-clinical skills — are closely interconnected, enabling the best possible preparation for the future of its students. The University of Medicine, Tirana was not established merely to serve as a stronghold of medical thought and studies. On the contrary, the University aims to remain closely focused on national and broader healthcare developments, as well as on the collective well-being of society, in order to respond more effectively to the ongoing needs of patients. It serves not only as a higher education institution, but also as an institution primarily dedicated to training specialists in all fields of medicine and to creating the appropriate conditions to guide its students toward continuous scientific research for a healthier society.

With the establishment of the University of Medicine, Tirana, the structure of the University incorporated the Faculty of Medicine and the former Faculty of Nursing, which were separated from the long-standing structure of the University of Tirana and became integral parts of the five main units of the University, respectively organized into five faculties: the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, and Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences.

In 2016, the University of Medicine, Tirana underwent a reorganization, being structured into three main units: Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Faculty of Medical Technical Sciences and in this form it continues to function today.