EU Health Issues

Students of Master of Science in Law (5 years integrated program), students of Political Sciences/International Relations program, students of EU legislation and Politics program and students of Psychology program are eligible for admission in the Course of EU Health Issues.

Associate Professor Eda Gemi, PhD – Project Coordinator

Ass.Prof. Gemi is Political Sociologist specialized in governance of migration and integration. She is currently Associate Professor and Head of Law Department at the University of New York Tirana. Her main areas of research and field of expertise are the governance of migration, social integration, transnationalism, mobility, and political participation.

Elona Gjebrea Hoxha, PhD – member (Lecturer of the Course)

Dr. Gjebrea is a full time lecturer in University of New York, Tirana. She used to be a Member of the Albanian Parliament. Her field of expertise is Human health, Biology, Human nutrition, contemporary health issues etc. She holds a master degree in Aerobiology from Faculty of Natural Sciences and a PhD from Worcester University in cooperation with Coventry University in the United Kingdom. Mrs. Gjebrea received awards for her scientific dedication and achievements.

Ledja Burnazi Mitllari, MSc – Member

MSc. Burnazi is a full time lecturer in Faculty of Law and Social Sciences in University of New York, Tirana. She holds the title Advocate and her field of expertise are EU company law, EU contract Law, European Integration harmonization and alignment of legislation etc. She has maintained an internship at Ministry of Integration during 2016-2017 and has properly studied and worked with 5 priorities of Integration process in EU.

Associate Professor  Enila Cenko, PhD -Member

Dr. Cenko is a developmental and counseling psychologist. Her field of expertise and research interests focuses on issues of child welfare, child abuse and neglect, child development, and socio-cultural issues in human development. She is actively involved in academic research, and has acted as the scientific coordinator in Albania for the Balkan Epidemiological Study on Child Abuse and Neglect. She has a BA, Master degree and PhD education from Clark University, US. She also holds a double certification in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Therapy with children and families. She is the Dean of Faculty of Law and Social Sciences in University of New York, Tirana.

Dr. Stela Dhima – Member

Dr. Dhima is a full time lecturer of Psychology in University of New York, Tirana. She is also a psychologist. She is actively involved in academia and research. Her field of Expertise remains with Organizational and Behavioral Psychology, Ethics in Psychology, Consumer Psychology, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Social Psychology, Child health Psychology etc. She holds a PhD from University of Tirana, Albania.

Sokol Lleshi, PhD – Member

Sokol Lleshi is a full time Lecturer of Politics at the University of New York Tirana. He researches political projects of breaking with the past in post-socialist Eastern Europe, processes of institutional emergence, and effects of EU political conditionality. His most recent publications have appeared in European Politics and Society, Sage Research Methods Cases and Stan Rzeczy/State of Affairs: Social Theory East Central Europe issued by Institute of Sociology, University of Warsaw. He holds a PhD from Central European University in Hungary.

• Understanding the interdisciplinary approach to contemporary health problems
• Evolution of right to health
• Right to health as socio-economic right
• Right to health as international right
• EU Health Legal Framework
• European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control
• European Medicines Agency
• Psychological health for women
• Psychological health for children
• Right to health as international right
• Right to Health in the EU
• Structure of the EU institutions
• The SAA agreement
• EU values and health policies
• EU enlargement in the Western Balkans
• Application of EU values in the health policies in the Western Balkans

1.      Veshi D., & Koka E., (2019). A new law of “Living Will” in Italy: A critical analysis. Liverpool Law Review 40.2:113-130. Published by Springer. (Scopus Indexed).

2.      Participation and Presentation in Biennial Scientific Conference “Sovereignty towards Globalization” by Denard Veshi, PhD with topic “Living Wills in Albania: A Comparison with the Other EU Member States”.

3.       Veshi D., Koka E., & Pani M., (2020). The Role of Legal Proxies in End-Of-Life Decisions in Albania: the need for an ad hoc Law. Bio Law Journal.

4.      Veshi D., Koka E., & Pani M., (2020). Covid-19, Albania and the Right Not To Be Treated Presentation in the e-Conference: “The uncertainties and challenges in the Balkans: Case of COVID’19”, organized by University of New York Tirana.

5.      Students’ papers 2019-2020 [Here].

6.      Students’ papers 2021-2022 [Here].

February 2020 – students participated in the yearly student workshop. The average result of the course ‘EU Health Issues’ is successful. Here you can find several pictures:

November 2020 – Ass Prof. Arif Jamil was invited as a guest lecturer in the course EU Health Issues.

27 October 2021 – An Open Lecture by Av. Ledja Burnazi MSc was held on 27th of October 2021 on topic “EU Health Legislation: EU Health Legal Framework, Right to Health as Socio-Economic right, Right To health as International and Human Right”. Students participated with great interest and interacted during the lecture by exchanging different point of views depending on the background of the students. A mock trial and presentation were held by the students by improvising the role models of consultants and EU health issues.

Find the presentation here.

November 25th, 2021 – Open lecture by Dr.Stela Dhima.

In the Framework of the activities for the third year of the running project of Eu Health Issues, an Open Lecture with topic “ENHANCING NARRATIVE SKILLS IN PRE-SCHOOLERS THROUGH SHARED READING” was delivered via ZOOM Platform by psychologist Dr. Stela Dhima. Students participated with active voice and enjoyed the information shared and disccused. The lecture took some Psychological doses in the EU and Albanian perspective by making the discussion even more interesting.

Find the presentation here.

15 December 2021 – Open Day at Youth center “PO”, that offers different clinical, non clinical and refereal services for the youth. Students of the EU Health Issues class spent a day at this center where a discussion with Dr. Lindita Myzyri was held.

Youth Center “PO” was opened in Tirana in 2000 as an ambitious project of the Albanian Center for Population and Development (ACPD) focusing mainly in Youth actitivities. For 7 years Youth Center has functioned as a counselling center and a suitable and qualitative service provider of Sexual and Reproductive Health. The productive work of the center staff and volunteers has contributed to the improvement of the sexual and reproductive health situation in Albania. In 2009 the center was renovated in conception of services and facilities focusing on the provision of Youth Friendly Services.

12 January 2022 – An Open Lecture by Sokol Lleshi, PhD was held on 12th of January 2022 with topic ” ‘EU Political Conditionality and Administrative Reform”. Students participated with great interest and interacted during the lecture by exchanging different point of views depending on the background. Dr. Lleshi is a Lecturer of Politics at the University of New York Tirana. His research interest focuses on processes of institutional emergence and transformation in politicized settings, and the role of memory politics in post-authoritarian regime legitimation. His expertise gave a total interesting point of view in the subject.

Find the presentation here.

25 January 2022 – An Open Lecture by Dr. Ermira Danaj as a guest lecture, coming from University of Lisbon was held on 25th of January 2022 on topic “Social perspective on Marriages, Civil Unions and Cohabitation in the frame of EU social and legal framework”. Students participated with great interest and interacted during the lecture by exchanging different point of views depending on the background of the students.
Ermira Danaj is a feminist activist and sociologist, PhD in social sciences (magna cum laude, University of Neuchatel), and a Fulbright Scholar Alumna (The New School). Since 2002, she has co-authored and authored various research reports, books, and articles on gender and feminist studies in Albania and the Balkans. Her main research interests cover feminist activism in post-socialist countries, gender and migration, VAW, etc. Currently she is an invited lecturer and researcher at ISCTE-IUL.

Find the presentation here.

26 January 2022 – On 26th of January 2022, a Seminar with the topic: “Mental Health in a Global Pandemic Era”, delivered by Assoc. Prof. Enila CENKO Ph.D. was held in the premises of the University of New York, Tirana with the inclusion of the EU Health Course students and Psychology students. The topic discussed was very interesting and produced a very scholastic, also practical one, considering the recent development in the pandemic global aspect. Certificates were issued to the students.
Dr. Cenko is a developmental and counseling psychologist. Her research interests focus on issues of child welfare, child abuse and neglect, child development, and socio-cultural issues in human development. She is actively involved in academic research and has acted as the scientific coordinator in Albania for the Balkan Epidemiological Study on Child Abuse and Neglect.

Find the presentation here.

2 February 2022 – On 2nd of February 2022, a workshop on topic ” The governance of Migration in Times of Multiple Crisis” delivered by Assoc. Prof. Eda GEMI PhD was held in the premises of University of New York Tirana in the frame of the activities planned for the EU Health Course. The participation was wide and diverse, with the inclusion of the students of the course and other student from different majors of the University.
As an actual topic, students were strongly engaged in the debate and expressed freely their opinions and shared their personal experiences. Professor Gemi, as one of the experienced experts of the Governance of Migration gave a very deep perspective and analysis on the issue. Certificates were issued at the end of the workshop.

Dr. Eda Gemi is Political Sociologist specialized in governance of migration and integration. She is currently Associate Professor at the University of New York, Tirana; University of Tirana, and New York College, Athens. From 2010 to the present, she has been Research Fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies of the European University Institute (EUI), Florence, Italy. Currently, she is the national correspondent for migration, representing Greece at OECD Network of International Migration Experts in Paris and member of Euro-Mediterranean Research Network on Migration (EuroMedMig) Steering Committee. Dr. Gemi has authored three books on migration, integration and transnationalism, and EU-Western Balkan migration system. Her fourth monograph (co-authored with Anna Triandafyllidou) “Rethinking Migration and Return in Southeastern Europe: Albanian Mobilities to and from Italy and Greece” is expected to be published by the Routledge in 2020. She has published many articles in refereed journals (e.g., International Review of Sociology), book volumes (e.g., Oxford University Press) and media.

Find the presentation here.

• I am not a student of UNYT. Can I participate in this course?

Jean Monnet Module is reserved only to students enrolled at the University who has won this project. Nevertheless, you can come during the annual workshop or during the office hours in addition to ask us an individual colloquium.

• I am not a researcher. Can I still be part of the workshops?

Definitely, yes. The goal of the workshop is to disseminate knowledges about protection of rights of vulnerable groups; in particular, refugee rights. Therefore, everyone is welcome to participate in these workshops, as participant or as active member by presenting his/her work.

• I plan to be part of UNYT in the future. Will this course be given after the financing period?

Yes, this course will be taught also after the financing period of three years since this a mandatory course. UNYT aims to enhance rights of marginal groups and in particular of refugees.

• I could not come during the office hours in the first semester. Can I still ask enquiries about health issues?

Yes, the team will be available to answer your questions all the academic years of implementation.