A group of students and professors in Albania and abroad have publicly expressed their objection to the DCM approving the merging of the Academy of Albanological Studies.

Through an open letter, they express solidarity with ASAn and affirm that they will support any legal, administrative or social initiative that will be undertaken by them in the future.

The letter has been supported by many academics, intellectuals, researchers, activists and organizations, Albanian and foreign, who are known for their academic and social contribution in Albania and abroad.

"In solidarity and support of the demands of the Academy of Albanological Studies for not closing, but for its development

We, researchers and scientific researchers inside and outside Albania, writers, publicists, journalists, activists, engaged citizens, associations, organizations and various collectives, we have followed with deep concern the decision of the Council of Ministers dated May 31, 2023 to close the Academy of Albanian Studies (ASA) and to merge it within the Academy of Sciences.

We share our disagreement with this arbitrary and harmful decision for the future of Albanological Studies, which we also consider harmful to academic freedom and the development of theoretical thought in the humanities, specifically in comparative and critical Albanian studies.

With this open letter, we would like to once again draw attention to the importance of ASA with its four research institutes not only for academia and the Albanian public, but also for the contribution of the researchers working there in the pluralization of knowledge at the regional and global level. Despite numerous limitations, the team of researchers at ASA has created institutional frameworks for enabling critical discourse and deepening knowledge about Albanians in various disciplines of cultural anthropology and art studies, archaeology, language-literature, history, etc. This institution has addressed topics little explored before and has been open to new theoretical paradigms and inter-societal, interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research practices. It is also worth mentioning the work he has done in terms of the realization of a series of agreements and different forms of cooperation (projects, publications, study visits) with international academic institutions of great interest to Albanian academia, which in general still remains isolated.

In summary, ASA has contributed to the work with scientific knowledge in Albania being more open, more democratic, freer and with more diversity, these prerequisites for simultaneously plural and advanced knowledge. These institutional practices are added values for the Albanian society and should be taken as an example to be followed and supported and not to be interrupted.

Criticism towards any institution, including ASAn, is certainly necessary and welcome, but it must be constructive and aim at their further development and construction. ASA and all institutions of higher education should be empowered and supported for the development of research and the advancement of scientific knowledge in a decentralized, democratic and academically independent manner. It is unacceptable that changes and restructuring of such proportions are undertaken unilaterally, without being based on the law, without consulting interest groups, without considering academic interests, and not in accordance with broad public interests.

Considering the above, we reiterate our solidarity with the engaged researchers of ASA and support every legal, administrative and social initiative that will be undertaken in defense of this institution and academic freedom in Albania.

We will continue to follow with great attention the further actions of the government regarding this matter of vital interest to the Albanian academic world", as quoted from the letter.