Motivating Albanian women seeking higher education

• Author: Adriana Qafa - Brikena Osmani
• Position: Albanian University, Berat - Universite Populaire Albanaise-Geneve
• Pages: 73-80

Vol. 3 No. 2

July 2017

ISSN 2410-3918

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

73

Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

Motivating Albanian women seeking higher education

PhD (C.) Adriana Qafa

Albanian University, Berat

Dr. Brikena Osmani

Universite Populaire Albanaise-Geneve

Abstract

Education is recognized by UNESCO (2012) as “a fundamental human right, one that all

individuals are entitled to enjoy whatever the circumstances in which they live, that also

brings important benefi ts to human society as a whole (p.8).

In order to achieve faster these benefi t, it is necessary the participation of men and women on

an equal basis. In that sense, keeping women away in all aspects of the development process

only be reason of gender is a waste of valuable resources, even more when they constitute half

of the population.

However, the importance of women’s participation in education is critical. According to

Dundar and Haworth (1993), education of women is important not only from the angle

of equal education opportunity between the sexes, but also for the substantial social and

economic returns to female education that can be achieved by raising women’s productivity

and income level, producing be er educate and healthier children, and reducing fertility

rates (p.1). Vanderslice and Litsch (1998) in turn, expressed that woman who have increased

education are more aware about opportunities for themselves. They are more self-confi dent,

open minded, and more competitive. While Kelly and Slaughther (1991) argued that through

qualifi cations and credentials secured through the higher learning, women would equip

themselves for all manners of professional positions, entering the market place and political

arena with the same advantages as men.

Keywords: Albania, women, higher education.

Introduction

During the communism, Albania had achieved universal literacy rates, with an

appreciation on the high levels of women’s education and their participation in

the labor force. However, the sharp economic decline and the changes in the labor

markets accompanying the transition of Albanian society to free market policies has

had a great impact on people’s live as well as the position of women in society (ETF,

2010). Although, Albania is still going through a long process of democratic reforms,

political and economical transitions that are proving to be painful to a vast majority of

citizens, with the new reforms and changes Albanian women have be er opportunities

to get higher education than they had in the past (UNESCO-CEPES, 2011). Therefore,

this study aim to explore and to identify the factors, which motivate Albanian women

to seek their higher education and as well as to make recommendations that would

encourage more their participation in higher education.