TIRANA, Oct 6 /ATA/ – The new academic year officially began at the Armed Forces Academy (AFA), in a ceremony attended by Minister of Defence Pirro Vengu, who congratulated the new students for choosing to study at what he described as one of the country’s most reputable and tradition-rich higher education institutions.
Minister Vengu noted that interest in joining the Armed Forces Academy has grown significantly year after year.
“In 2020 we had 685 applications; in 2024, 1,114; and this year, 1,634. That’s a 138% increase in just five years,” Vengu said.
He emphasized that this rise clearly shows the AFA has become an institution respected and trusted by young people in both Albania and Kosovo.
“Out of the 1,634 applicants, 400 were shortlisted through the online portal and testing process, and 80 of the best were ultimately admitted, including 10 from Kosovo,” he added.
Vengu also pointed out that confidence in the Academy’s quality is reflected in the Officer Training Course, where applications doubled from 61 last year to 127 this year, with a threefold increase in female candidates.
“This is an encouraging signal that the military career is increasingly being seen as a dignified, modern, and inclusive path,” the minister said.
Vengu underlined that, thanks to major government investment, the Academy is building one of the most modern university campuses in the country.
“The Armed Forces Academy has all the potential to compete with dignity within the European military education space and to stand at the forefront of the Armed Forces’ transformation,” Defence Minister concluded.
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