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Ditmir Bushati and Faton Limani: Learning Albanian at Harvard

2025-12-20 17:44:00, Aktualitet CNA
Ditmir Bushati and Faton Limani: Learning Albanian at Harvard
Faton Limani/ Ditmir Bushati

Harvard University offers about 100 foreign languages ??as elective courses. For two years, Albanian has been one of them, as it is part of the curriculum. In the next episode on #PublicSquare “Learning Albanian at Harvard”, Ditmir Bushati talks to Faton Limani, administrator at Harvard University and initiator of this fantastic idea.

Limani emphasized that the Albanian language was approved as an elective subject after a commitment by Albanian students. “The university is much more responsive to student demand than to individual initiatives.” According to him, since 2023, the demand for the Albanian language has increased significantly, showing that Albanian is no longer just a language of identity, but also an academic object of international interest.

The discussion also addressed the relationship of this initiative with Albanian state institutions. Limani emphasized that the support has been mainly declarative and not substantial, especially in terms of curricula and academic cooperation. “If small countries do not seriously invest in language and knowledge, they risk disappearing from the global academic map,” he said, adding that his aspiration is to create in the future a program or institute for Albanian studies at Harvard, as a sustainable structure for research and scientific production.

The conversation focused on another challenge that Albanians face today, such as “brain drain”, demographic decline and the strategic disengagement of the diaspora. Limani emphasized that knowledge is the most underestimated capital by Albanian governments: “You can easily transfer financial capital, but knowledge is the most difficult and most important asset for state building.” The interlocutors supported the idea that without wise policies for the inclusion of the diaspora and without long-term investment in knowledge and culture, the sustainable development of Albania and Kosovo remains uncertain. /CNA





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