75 Notable Alumni of the University of Tirana [Sorted List]

Ismail Kadare

Born in: Albania
Years: 1936-.. (age 88)
Occupations: novelistpoettranslatorwriter
Biography: Ismail Kadare is an Albanian novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and playwright. He is a leading international literary figure and intellectual. He focused on poetry until the publication of his first novel, The General of the Dead Army, which made him famous internationally.

Ilir Meta

Born in: Albania
Years: 1969-.. (age 55)
Occupations: politiciandiplomat
Biography: Ilir Rexhep Meta is an Albanian politician. He served as the president of Albania from 24 July 2017 to 24 July 2022.

Sali Berisha

Born in: Albania
Years: 1944-.. (age 80)
Occupations: cardiologistsurgeonpolitician
Biography: Sali Ram Berisha is an Albanian cardiologist and conservative politician who served as the president of Albania from 1992 to 1997 and 32nd prime minister from 2005 to 2013. Berisha serves as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania since 2022 and has held the position previously from 1990 to 2013. He also serves as the incumbent Leader of Opposition in the Albanian parliament.

Nexhmije Hoxha

Born in: North Macedonia
Years: 1921-2020 (aged 99)
Occupations: partisanjournalistpolitician
Biography: Nexhmije Hoxha was an Albanian communist politician. For many years she was the wife of Enver Hoxha, the first leader of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania and the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania. Very close to her husband, she attempted to remain politically influential after his death in 1985. She was one of the few spouses of a ruling communist party leader with a high political profile of her own.

Bujar Nishani

Born in: Albania
Years: 1966-2022 (aged 56)
Occupations: politicianjurist
Biography: Bujar Faik Nishani was an Albanian politician. He served as the president of Albania from 24 July 2012 to 24 July 2017.

Fatos Nano

Born in: Albania
Years: 1952-.. (age 72)
Occupations: diplomatpoliticianeconomist
Biography: Fatos Thanas Nano is an Albanian socialist politician who served as Prime Minister of Albania in 1991, from 1997 to 1998 and from 2002 to 2005. He was the first leader and founder of the Socialist Party of Albania and a member of the Albanian Parliament from 1991 to 1993 and 1997 to 2009. He reformed the anti-revisionist Marxist-Leninist ideology of the Labor Party of Albania into social democracy for its successor, the Socialist Party. During his leadership, the Socialist Party, as a result of reforms, joined the Socialist International and Party of European Socialists. Nano was a candidate in the 2007 presidential election but did not win. He again tried in the 2012 presidential election, but he did not even qualify as a candidate, because the leaders of parties in Parliament obstructed their respective MPs to elect him as candidate in the elections.

Rexhep Meidani

Born in: Albania
Years: 1944-.. (age 80)
Occupations: university teacherphysicistpolitician
Biography: Rexhep Qemal Meidani is an Albanian physicist, professor, diplomat and politician. Meidani was the president of Albania from 1997 to 2002, and the second to be elected after the first multi-party elections in 1991.

Monika Kryemadhi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1974-.. (age 50)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Monika Kryemadhi is an Albanian politician, member of Parliament and former leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration party. She is also the wife of the former President of Albania Ilir Meta. Monika Kryemadhi refused the position of First Lady of Albania—delegating the role instead to her eldest daughter, Bora.

Laura Mersini-Houghton

Born in: Albania
Years: 1969-.. (age 55)
Occupations: physicistcosmologisttheoretical physicist
Biography: Laura Mersini-Houghton is an Albanian-American cosmologist and theoretical physicist, and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a proponent of the multiverse hypothesis and the author of a theory for the origin of the universe that holds that our universe is one of many selected by quantum gravitational dynamics of matter and energy. She argues that anomalies in the current structure of the universe are best explained as the gravitational tug exerted by other universes.

Pandeli Majko

Born in: Albania
Years: 1967-.. (age 57)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Pandeli Sotir Majko is an Albanian socialist politician. He served twice as Prime Minister of Albania; once from 1998 to 1999, and again in 2002.

Azem Hajdari

Born in: Albania
Years: 1963-1998 (aged 35)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Azem Shpend Hajdari was the leader of the student movement in 1990–1991 that led to the fall of communism in Albania. He then became a politician of the Democratic Party of Albania (DP). He symbolizes the start of the democratic era in Albania. He was a member of the Albanian parliament and the Chairman of the Defence Parliamentary Commission. He was assassinated in Tirana on September 12, 1998.

Lindita Nikolla

Born in: Albania
Years: 1965-.. (age 59)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Lindita Nikolla is an Albanian politician who is serving as the Speaker of the Parliament since September 10, 2021. Previously she served as the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth in September 2013 until May 2017, where she temporarily handed over the post to Mirela Karabina as part of a pre-election agreement between the position and the opposition. Nikolla was appointed again Minister of Education, Sports and Youth in September 2017 until 2019.

Aleksandër Meksi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1939-.. (age 85)
Occupations: politicianarchitect
Biography: Aleksandër Gabriel Meksi is an Albanian archaeologist and politician who served as the 28th Prime Minister of Albania from April 13, 1992, to March 11, 1997. A former archaeologist, he was the first person to be prime minister of Albania after the end of communist rule. Meksi was a member of the Democratic Party of Albania and took office at the same time as President Sali Berisha, who also belonged to that party. Before entering politics, Meksi was a researcher and restorer of monuments of medieval architecture (mainly churches and mosques).

Jozefina Topalli

Born in: Albania
Years: 1963-.. (age 61)
Occupations: politicianuniversity teacher
Biography: Jozefina Topalli is an Albanian politician who formerly served as the Chairwoman of the Parliament of Albania from 2 September 2005 until 9 September 2013. She held the title of vice president of the Democratic Party of Albania. Topalli is married and has two children.

Mimi Kodheli

Born in: Albania
Years: 1964-.. (age 60)
Occupations: economistpolitician
Biography: Mimi Kodheli is an Albanian economist and politician who served as Minister of Defense of Albania in the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama. She was the first woman to be appointed to the post.

Ben Blushi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1969-.. (age 55)
Occupations: journalistwriterpolitician
Biography: Ben Blushi is an Albanian politician, writer and journalist.

Liri Berisha

Born in: Albania
Years: 1948-.. (age 76)
Occupations: physicianpediatrician
Biography: Liri Berisha is an Albanian pediatrician and president of the Albanian Children Foundation, and also a UNICEF ambassador.

Ditmir Bushati

Born in: Albania
Years: 1977-.. (age 47)
Occupations: politiciandiplomat
Biography: Ditmir Bushati is an Albanian politician and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2019. He previously chaired the Parliamentary Committee for European Integration.

Arben Ahmetaj

Born in: Albania
Years: 1969-.. (age 55)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Arben Ahmetaj is an Albanian politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Albania from 2021 to 2022. Since 2013 previously has served in several important departments such as: Minister of Economic Development, Minister of Finance, as well as Minister of State for Reconstruction after the devastating earthquake in 2019 that occurred in the central area of the country.

Majlinda Bregu

Born in: Albania
Years: 1974-.. (age 50)
Occupations: university teacherpoliticiansociologist
Biography: Majlinda Bregu is an Albanian politician and diplomat. She served as Minister of European Integration and Government Spokeswoman from 2007 to 2013 in the Berisha cabinet. A member of the Albanian Parliament from 2005 until 2017 representing Tirana County, since January 2019 she is the Secretary-General of the Regional Cooperation Council.

Fatos Lubonja

Born in: Albania
Years: 1951-.. (age 73)
Occupations: journalistphysicistwriterphilosopher
Biography: Fatos Lubonja is an Albanian writer and dissident.

Fatos Kongoli

Born in: Albania
Years: 1944-.. (age 80)
Occupations: journalistwritermathematician
Biography: Fatos Kongoli is an Albanian novelist and a utilizer of contemporary Albanian prose.

Bashkim Shehu

Born in: Albania
Years: 1955-.. (age 69)
Occupations: writertranslator
Biography: Bashkim Shehu is an Albanian writer who lives in Barcelona, Spain.

Pjetër Arbnori

Born in: Albania
Years: 1935-2006 (aged 71)
Occupations: translatorwriterpolitical prisonerpolitician
Biography: Pjetër Filip Arbnori was an Albanian gulag survivor. He was dubbed "the Mandela of the Balkans" by Albanian statesmen because of the length of his 28-year internment. He was born in Durrës, on the Adriatic coast. President Topi bestowed the Nation's Honor Order upon Pjetër Arbnori (post mortem).

Jakov Xoxa

Born in: Albania
Years: 1923-1979 (aged 56)
Occupations: writer
Biography: Jakov Xoxa was an author from Albania of the 20th century.

Odhise Grillo

Years: 1932-2003 (aged 71)
Occupations: children's writerwriter
Biography: Odhise Kristo Grillo was an Albanian writer of children's books.

Kastriot Islami

Born in: Albania
Years: 1952-.. (age 72)
Occupations: physicistpoliticianuniversity teacherdiplomat
Biography: Kastriot Selman Islami is an Albanian politician. Formerly member of the Communist Party of Albania, turned moderate Socialist. He was Chairman of the Parliament of Albania from April 17, 1991 to April 6, 1992. On April 3, 1992, when the last communist president, Ramiz Alia resigned, Islami served as acting president for three days. During the presidency of Sali Berisha (1992–1997), Islami had no important positions in the government, but from 1997 to 2005 he was an important person in the government again holding several Ministerial positions in the Socialist "NANO government". Most prominently he was foreign minister from 2003 to 2005, but lost his position in the cabinet when a new government was formed with Berisha as prime minister after the 2005 elections. He returned to Democratic Party on 7 May 2013 after he left the Socialist Party in March.

Fatmir Mediu

Born in: Albania
Years: 1967-.. (age 57)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Fatmir Mediu is an Albanian conservative politician. He is the current Chairman of the Republican Party of Albania, and served as Minister of Defence from September 2005 to March 2008, and Minister of Environment, Forests & Water Administration.

Neritan Ceka

Born in: Albania
Years: 1941-.. (age 83)
Occupations: archaeologistpoliticianuniversity teacheranthropologistart historian
Biography: Neritan Ceka is an Albanian archaeologist, professor, and politician. He served as Albania's Minister of Internal Affairs from 27 July 1997 to 18 April 1998.

Arta Dade

Born in: Albania
Years: 1953-.. (age 71)
Occupations: university teacherpoliticiantranslator
Biography: Arta Dade is an Albanian politician and former member of Parliament for the Socialist Party. She served from 1997 to 2007. During her political career, she held several government posts such as Minister of Culture and Minister of Foreign Affairs, being the first women to be appointed as a Foreign minister. She is currently Chairwoman of the Committee on Foreign Policy.

Petrit Vasili

Born in: Albania
Years: 1958-.. (age 66)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Petrit Vasili is an Albanian politician. He was the chairman of Socialist Movement for Integration party and minister of health in the cabinet of Sali Berisha.

Damian Gjiknuri

Born in: Albania
Years: 1972-.. (age 52)
Occupations: politicianlawyer
Biography: Damian Gjiknuri is an Albanian politician. He was a Minister of Energy and Industry and a member of the Albanian parliament for the Socialist Party, chosen in the District of Elbasan. He is member of Commission of Legal Affairs at the Parliament.

Besnik Mustafaj

Born in: Albania
Years: 1958-.. (age 66)
Occupations: journalistwriterpoliticiandiplomat
Biography: Besnik Bajram Mustafaj is an Albanian writer and diplomat.

Mirela Kumbaro

Born in: Albania
Years: 1966-.. (age 58)
Occupations: politiciantranslator
Biography: Mirela Kumbaro Furxhi, is an Albanian politician who is serving as the Minister of Tourism and Environment since 18 September 2021. Previously she has served as the Minister of Culture of Albania.

Jorida Tabaku

Born in: Albania
Years: 1979-.. (age 45)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Jorida Tabaku is an Albanian liberal politician with the Democratic Party of Albania. During the Tirana mayoral leadership of former DP leader Lulzim Basha, she served as deputy-mayor in the years 2011–2015.

Adriatik Llalla

Born in: Albania
Occupations: judge
Biography: Adriatik Llalla is an Albanian lawyer. He served as the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Albania between 2012 and 2017. During the years 2008 to 2012 He was Inspector General of the High Inspectorate of Control and Audit of Assets and Conflict of Interest HIDAACI.

Ferit Hoxha

Born in: Albania
Years: 1967-.. (age 57)
Occupations: diplomat
Biography: Ferit Hoxha is the Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations, in New York City. He previously served in the role from 2009 to 2015, was succeeded by Besiana Kadare, and again assumed the role in October 2021.

Blendi Klosi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1971-.. (age 53)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Blendi Klosi is an Albanian Socialist Party politician and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Berat. On 13 September 2017, Mr. Klosi was appointed as Minister of Tourism and Environment by the 2nd Rama government.

Vanghel Dule

Born in: Albania
Years: 1968-.. (age 56)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Vangjel Dule is a politician who belongs to the ethnic Greek minority of Albania. Since 2002, he is the chairman of the Unity for Human Rights Party, a political party that focuses on the rights of minorities in Albania.

Etilda Gjonaj

Born in: Albania
Years: 1981-.. (age 43)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Etilda Gjonaj is an Albanian politician, lawyer, and professor. She served as Minister of Justice of Albania.

Edmond Haxhinasto

Born in: Albania
Years: 1966-.. (age 58)
Occupations: politiciandiplomat
Biography: Edmond Haxhinasto is an Albanian politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Albania from 2011 to 2013.

Kreshnik Spahiu

Born in: Albania
Years: 1969-.. (age 55)
Occupations: politicianjudgelawyer
Biography: Kreshnik Spahiu is an Albanian lawyer and politician. In 1991, he graduated in Law from the University of Tirana. He is the founder and leader of the Red and Black Alliance since 2012. Between 2007 and 2012 he was head of the High Council of Justice of Albania until he resigned on 10 February.

Luljeta Lleshanaku

Born in: Albania
Years: 1968-.. (age 56)
Occupations: journalistwriterpoet
Biography: Luljeta Lleshanaku is an Albanian poet who is the recipient of the 2009 Crystal Vilenica award for European poets. She was educated in literature at the University of Tirana and was editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine Zëri i rinisë (The Voice of Youth). She then worked for the literary newspaper Drita (Light). In 1996, she received the best book of the year award from the Eurorilindja Publishing House. In 1999, she took part in the International Writers Program at the University of Iowa. She is the author of four poetry collections, one volume of which has been translated into English: Fresco, available from New Directions. The writer, critic and editor Peter Constantine, in his introduction to Fresco, sums up her style in this way:

Genc Pollo

Born in: Albania
Years: 1963-.. (age 61)
Occupations: politicianhistorian
Biography: Genc Pollo is an Albanian conservative politician. An Orthodox Christian and trained historian, Pollo was co-founder and first spokesman of the Albanian Democratic Party. He first became a member of the Albanian Parliament in 1996 and has held various ministerial posts since 2005.

Ina Zhupa

Born in: Albania
Years: 1987-.. (age 37)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Ina Zhupa is an Albanian political scientist who studies Democratization and Values of Albanian Society.

Arben Malaj

Born in: Albania
Years: 1961-.. (age 63)
Occupations: economistpolitician
Biography: Arben Malaj has been Minister of Finance and Economy in the Republic of Albania different times from 1997 until 2005. He is known for transforming the Albanian economy into a European profile, after the hard social-economic crisis that this country passed during the year 1997. He served as a Member of the Albanian Parliament from 1997 to 2013 chairing the Parliamentary Committee on Economy and Finance.

Linda Rama

Enrolled in the University of Tirana: Graduated with doctorate in economics
Occupations: economistuniversity teacher
Biography: Linda Rama is a senior Albanian economist (Doctor of Economic Science), researcher, university lecturer, and women's and children's rights advocate.

Valentina Leskaj

Born in: Albania
Years: 1948-.. (age 76)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Valentina Leskaj is an Albanian politician and political economist who was a member of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania for the Socialist Party from 2002 until 2017, when she decided to resign and leave politics.

Edmond Spaho

Born in: Albania
Years: 1958-.. (age 66)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Edmond Spaho is an Albanian Democratic Party politician and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Korca since 25 April 2021.

Lindita Arapi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1972-.. (age 52)
Occupations: journalistpoettranslatorwriter
Biography: Lindita Arapi is an Albanian writer and journalist. She is cited as a noteworthy example of a generation of female Albanian writers. Together with her contemporaries, Ervin Hatibi, Agron Tufa, and Rudian Zekthi, Arapi is one of Albania's present-day literary avant-garde writers. She has been living in Germany since the late 1990s, where she has published several volumes of poetry. Her first book of poetry, Am Meer, nachts ("By the sea, at night"; 2007) was the first book of poetry written by a female Albanian poet in German. Her first novel, Vajzat me çelës në qafë (2010), translated into German in 2012, was awarded a Book of the Year prize in Albania.

Albana Vokshi

Years: 1971-.. (age 53)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Albana Vokshi is a member of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania for the Democratic Party of Albania.

Ina Rama

Born in: Albania
Years: 1972-.. (age 52)
Occupations: judgelawyer
Biography: Ina Rama was the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Albania from 2007 to 2012.

Irma Kurti

Born in: Albania
Years: 1966-.. (age 58)
Occupations: journalistwriterpoet
Biography: Irma Kurti is a well-known Albanian poet, writer, lyricist, journalist and translator. She is a naturalized Italian citizen.

Llambi Gegprifti

Born in: Albania
Years: 1942-2023 (aged 81)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Llambi Gegprifti was an Albanian politician who was the mayor of Tirana (precisely Chairman of the Executive Committee of the People's Council of Tirana District) from 1986 through 1987 and 1989 through 1990. He was candidate-member of the Politburo of the Party of Labour of Albania for terms of 1971, 1976, 1981, and 1986 (the last one).

Zef Mazi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1956-.. (age 68)
Occupations: diplomat
Biography: Zef Mazi is an Albanian diplomat, ambassador, who has served as Albania's Chief Negotiator with the European Union during 2020-2022. He previously served as Special Assistant to the Director General for Strategy at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 2011 to 2018, where he has been in charge for Agency-wide strategy formulation, planning and implementation, as well as risk-management and knowledge management.

Floreta Faber

Born in: Albania
Years: 1968-.. (age 56)
Occupations: diplomat
Biography: Floreta Faber, is the Albanian ambassador to the United States.

Ylljet Aliçka

Born in: Albania
Years: 1951-.. (age 73)
Occupations: writerscreenwriteruniversity teacherdiplomat
Biography: Ylljet Aliçka is an Albanian writer and scriptwriter, mostly known as the author of the novel The Stone Slogans, and the controversial novel A Story With Internationals, which satirizes the diplomatic elite accredited in transition countries.

Eglantina Gjermeni

Born in: Albania
Years: 1968-.. (age 56)
Occupations: politiciandiplomat
Biography: Eglantina Gjermeni is an Albanian politician and diplomat. She is an expert in gender equality and she was a government minister for four years. In 2022, she was appointed Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna.

Dhori Kule

Born in: Albania
Years: 1957-.. (age 67)
Occupations: economistuniversity teacher
Biography: Dhori Kule was Rector of the University of Tirana, Albania. He is member of the board at the Balkan Universities Network. He is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Tirana.

Fatos Tarifa

Years: 1954-.. (age 70)
Occupations: diplomat
Biography: Fatos Tarifa is a social scientist and a former diplomat from Albania.

Foto Çami

Born in: Albania
Years: 1925-.. (age 99)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Foto Çami was an Albanian academic and politician of Albanian Party of Labour (PPSh).

Milva Ekonomi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1962-.. (age 62)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Milva Ekonomi is an Albanian politician. She is currently serving as the Minister of State for Standards and Services in the Albanian government of Prime minister Edi Rama. She was appointed Minister of State for Standards and Services since September 10, 2021. She studied Statistics and Economics at the Agricultural University of Tirana, and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Tirana.

Evis Kushi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1975-.. (age 49)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Evis Kushi is an Albanian politician. She is serving as 52nd Minister of Education, Sports and Youth since September 2020.

Milena Harito

Born in: Albania
Years: 1966-.. (age 58)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Milena Harito is an Albanian politician and member of the Socialist Party of Albania.

Ermelinda Meksi

Born in: Albania
Years: 1957-.. (age 67)
Occupations: economistpolitician
Biography: Ermelinda Meksi is an Albanian politician, who held different positions in the Cabinet of Albania during the years 1997 to 2005. She is the first woman to be appointed as Deputy Prime Minister, the highest office held by a woman at the time in Albania.

Ulsi Manja

Born in: Albania
Years: 1973-.. (age 51)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Ulsi Manja is an Albanian politician. Since 18 September 2021, he serves as Minister of Justice of Albania in the third Rama government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tirana.

Anila Wilms

Born in: Albania
Years: 1971-.. (age 53)
Enrolled in the University of Tirana: Studied in 1989-1993
Occupations: writertranslator
Biography: Anila Wilms is an Albanian writer living in Germany.

Majlinda Nana Rama

Born in: Albania
Years: 1980-.. (age 44)
Occupations: journalistwriterpoet
Biography: Majlinda Nana Rama is an Albanian pedagogue, writer and researcher. Her works include poetry, essays, scientific articles, studies, literary criticism, novels and short stories. She is a lecturer at the University of Arts, Tirana.

Shefki Hysa

Born in: Albania
Years: 1957-.. (age 67)
Occupations: writerjournalist
Biography: Shefki Mazar Hysa is an Albanian writer and journalist.

Metropolitan Joan of Korçë

Born in: Albania
Years: 1956-.. (age 68)
Occupations: priest
Biography: Metropolitan John is the Albanian Orthodox metropolitan of Korça, since his installment in 1999.

Bujar Dida

Born in: Albania
Years: 1961-.. (age 63)
Occupations: chemistdiplomatpolitician
Biography: Bujar Dida is an Albanian chemistry Ph.D and D.Sc and the first Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to Japan. He was nominated as ambassador on December 12, 2007 by President Bamir Topi.

Fioralba Cakoni

Occupations: mathematician
Biography: Fioralba Cakoni is an American-Albanian mathematician and an expert on inverse scattering theory. She is a professor of mathematics at Rutgers University.

Pilo Keri

Born in: Albania
Years: 1956-.. (age 68)
Occupations: architect
Biography: Pilo Kristaq Keri is an architect and former member of the Parliament of Republic of Albania.

Ylli Asllani

Years: 1959-.. (age 65)
Occupations: politicianengineer
Biography: Ylli Asllani is currently the President of the Agency for Local Infrastructure Support (AMIV).

Juliana Latifi

Occupations: judge
Biography: Prof. Dr. Juliana Latifi is an Albanian professor, judge and chair of Albania's Competition Authority.