Bujar Nishani, President of Albania

His Excellency Bujar Nishani has served as President of Albania since July 2012. He has been an active member of the Democratic Party since 1991, and his career highlights include serving as Minister of the Interior, Minister of Justice, Member of Parliament, and Director of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Defense. A native of Durrës, Albania, President Nishani studied at the Skanderbeg Military Academy, where he later taught. He studied defense resources management in the United States, and earned a law degree from Tirana University. In 2005, President Nishani completed a master’s degree in European Studies at Tirana University’s School of European Studies.

President Nishani's lecture at the University of Michigan will focus on Albania's democratic transformation past two decades as it transitioned from a socialist state to a candidate for membership in the European Union, as well as government measures to ensure European integration and obstacles to success. Additional topics will include religious freedom and harmony within Albania, regional security in the Balkans, and the role students can play in advancing democratic principles worldwide.