Until October 2013, according to the PAAHE there are 1318 study programs in all HEIs. The main burden of these study programs consists in Bachelor programs (BA), about 548, or 48 % compared to the total programs. The second ranked, Master in Science study programs (MOH) with 371 programs or 28 % of the total, to be followed by the Professional Master programs in 272 programs or 20 %. Taking in consideration that the programs offered by HEIs reflect the market demand, we can say that this ranking reflects largely the Albanian?s preferences for high education.
Source: Accreditation Agency for Higher Education
Processing and comments: ODA
Private HEIs seem to be prevalent in the programs for these three study cycles, an expected performance given the high number of private HEIs compared with the public ones. Thus, in the Bachelor cycle, they offer 308 programs against 240 offered by public HEIs or 57% to 43%.
Source: Accreditation Agency for Higher Education
Processing and comments: ODA
Meanwhile, the differences are lower among the study programs of the second cycle. In absolute terms, the proportion of private versus pubic programs regarding Master in Science is 196:174, while 143:128 is in the Professional Master. In both cases, private HEIs provide about 53% of Master study programs. The following chart reflects information according to the second cycle programs of study for MSc.
Source: Accreditation Agency for Higher Education
Processing and comments: ODA
As for the Master Professional the chart would look as follows:
Source: Accreditation Agency for Higher Education
Processing and comments: ODA
Meanwhile, the situation is different in the third cycle of studies for PhD. Of all the 96 programs of study, 76 of them or 80% are offered by public HEIs and the rest from private HEIs.
However, at the end of the analysis it should be noted that the number of programs offered should not be confused with market dominance. Thus, regardless of the fact that private HEIs have the highest number of study programs, which actually comes due to the high number of private HEIs themselves, public HEIs continue to be dominant in the market, having the majority of students attending these programs of study.
- Data for 1318 programs refer to the section on the official website of PAAHE:http://aaal.edu.al/sq/?option=com_content&view=article&id=364&Itemid=156&lang=sq From the information reviewed another discrepancy in the data is noted but in another section of the web’s official of PAAHE: http://www.aaal.edu.al/sq/publikime/informacione/1082-nis-viti-i-ri-akademik-2013-2014.html according to which the number of accredited programs is 1350.
- The discrepancy and the figures of total study programs and the ones obtained by the classification based on their accreditation status information is due to the official website of PAAHE: http://aaal.edu.al/sq/?option=com_content&vieë=article&id=364&Itemid=156&lang=sq However, the differences are relatively small in size and do not affect the analysis.