The Armed Forces Academy (AFA) (Albanian: Akademia e Forcave të Armatosura) is a military education institution which trains military officers (for the army, navy and air force) in Albania.[1][2][3][4]
Akademia e Forcave të Armatosura | |
 | |
| Type | Military Academy |
|---|---|
| Established | May 10, 1958 |
| Rector | Ruzhdi Kuçi |
| Students | Officers of the Albanian Armed Forces |
| Location | , |
| Website | www |
History
editThe Academy of the Armed Forces was established decision of the government on 10 May 1958, in the Rrapit i Treshit District of Tirana, initially with the name Military High School.[3] The school bore the conventional number of Military Department No. 2002.[3] The Council of Ministers, on October 28, 1961 decided that on the basis of the Military High School to establish the "Military Academy of the People's Republic of Albania" with a three year educational program accredited by the Ministry of Education.[3]
By a special decision of the Council of Ministers, on 5 January 1963, the Military Academy was renamed to the "Mehmet Shehu Military Academy",[3] honoring the 50th birthday of the then-Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu.[5] Years later, in December 1992, the institution was renamed the General Staff Academy.[3] The Academy was in 1994 renamed to the Defense Academy of Albania.[3] In 1998 the Defense Academy was accepted as a full member of the council of military academies of NATO.[3] In 2004, the Defense Academy was renamed the Spiro Moisiu Defense Academy. In early 2012, the Academy was renamed the Academy of the Armed Forces. It consisted of 2 Faculties:[3]
- the Faculty of Security and Defense (remnants of the former Spiro Moisiu Defense Academy)
- the Center for Foreign Languages and the Faculty of General Education (remnants of the former Skanderbeg Military Academy)
Leaders
editThe leaders of this unique institution over the years have been:[3]
- Major General Thoma Xhixho (1958–1961)
- Major General Spiro Shalesi (1961–1964)
- Major General Ernest Jakova (1964–1967)
- Colonel Koli Mborja (1968–1970)
- Lieutenant General Vaskë Gjino (1970–1974)
- Colonel Mendu Tetova (1974–1975)
- Major General Vehbi Hoxha (1975–1977)
- Prof. Spiro Adhami (1977–1981)
- Major General Kostaq Karoli (1982–1991)
- Colonel Halim Abazi (1991–1993)
- Brigadier General Ali Koçeku (1994–1997)
- Major General Ruzhdi Gjatoja (1998–2000)
- Colonel Flamur Skrapalliu (2000–2001)
- Colonel Selim Shiroka (2001–2003)
- Colonel Dhori Spirollari (2003–2005)
- Rear Admiral Kudret Çela (2005–2008)
- Colonel Nexhbedin Shehu (2009–2010)
- Colonel Kristaq Xharo (May 2010-July 2011)
- Colonel Perikli Koliçi (August 2011-September 2012)
- Colonel Agim Sula (September 2012-September 2014)
- Colonel Idriz Hazhiaj (October 2014-November 2015)
- Colonel Ruzhdi Kuçi (January 2016-December 2017)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "55 Vjet, Akademia e Forcave të Armatosura". Archived from the original on 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
- ^ Akademia e Forcave të Armatosura nis vitin e ri Akademik
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Historiku i Akademive dhe Shkollave Ushtarake". Archived from the original on 2021-07-09.
- ^ Zotaj, Bernard; Cani, Ylvie (2008). 50 vjet Akademi e Mbrojtjes [50 years of the Defense Academy] (in Albanian). Tiranë: Akademia e Mbrojtjes.
- ^ Agency, United States Central Intelligence (1963). Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts.