OSCE Presence in Albania holds activities in support of Master’s Programme in Criminology establishment at Law Faculty in Tirana
On 28 and 29 May 2020 in Tirana, the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Law Faculty at the University of Tirana, organized a workshop with the academic staff of the new Master Programme in Criminology, aimed to improve capacities of professionals, academics and policy-makers to identify root causes of crime.
Professor Kimberly McCabe, an international expert in criminology, University of Lynchburg, Virginia, shared her experiences with some 30 academics from the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social Sciences. Professor McCabe also held an open lecture in Victimology on 20 May with the participation of about 90 students from the Master’s Programme in Criminal Justice, from the Law Faculty.
The activity aims to assess the needs and challenges of the lecturers and provide concepts, tools and skills for the new master programme. It also shaped future training sessions for the same target group scheduled to take place September - October 2020.
“Well-planned crime prevention strategies not only prevent crime and victimization, but also promote community safety and contribute to the sustainable development of countries,” said Claudio Pala, Head of the Presence’s Rule of Law and Human Rights Department.
Prof. Dr. Artan Hoxha, Dean of the Law Faculty, said: "We are all involved in the process of establishing this master programme, a challenging commitment, but we have had constant support from the OSCE Presence and the academic staff itself. Thanks to the long and continuous preparation, we will implement this programme successfully."
Professor Vasilika Hysi, a veteran criminology expert and part-time lecturer, shared how she feels responsible for the Master’s programme. “I have been dreaming about it for 20 years now.”
A collection of papers on the protection of victims of crime, the role of the state in human trafficking; factors that influence adolescent criminal behavior, and the impact of alternative criminal punishment measures in Albanian can be found here: https://www.osce.org/presence-in-albania/453195
The United States Government financially supported these activities, implemented in close co-operation with Tirana’s Law Faculty, and the support of the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Ministries of Justice and Internal Affairs.