The number of youths applying for university studies is markedly diminished

University professors and expert education issues estimate that among the factors that have affected the decline in the number are non-employment, competition, migration and labour market demand for certain profiles.

For years at the University of Pristina, there is a decline in the number of students, where there are about 1,000 fewer students this year alone. For university professionals, this is because of youth departure but also competition from private colleges.

Professor at the Faculty of Electric and Computer Engineering of the University of Pristina, Blerim Rexha, who is among the fugitives in recent years, told RTK that the demand to become part of this faculty has increased greatly due to demands on the labour market for this kind of profile.

Our “program this year has marked an increase at the University of Pristina, making the programme more popular after that of medicine. This is the result, in my opinion, because of increased demands on the job market. Now we have very serious competition from private colleges and other public universities”, Rexha said.

Recognition of education issues are assessing many factors that have affected the decline in the number of students over the years.

Xhavit Rexhaj told Kosovo Radio one of the factors is that young people after completing their studies are not managing employment.

“One of the reasons for declining is that those who have received higher education have been educated as second chances, on the other hand we have the escape of youth due to migration and the other factor is without prospects”, Rexaj said.

And, in terms of increasing young people's interest in computer and engineering direction, Rexhaj said that youths better measure the demand of the labour market rather than institutions themselves.

“Better young people follow employment trains and labour market demands than higher education institutions. Thousands of people have graduated from accounts that were not wanted by the market, and that has led to the decline of youth interest after having completed university and has not been employed at all or has been employed in another account”, he said.

Directions, Albanian Literature, Albanian Language and Philosopher, at Pristina University “Hasan Pristina” year-on-year are fading, risking future extinction, should the same trend continue. This year at the Albanian Literature Branch at the University of Pristina Faculty of Philology “Hasan Pristina”, only six students -- that number, too small and disturbing. Meanwhile, 20 students have applied in Albanian Language, much lower numbers compared to the past years.