Lecture halls at the University of Prishtina have become an international meeting ground this summer, with 350 students from around the world taking part in PISU, a programme that blends academic learning with the opportunity to discover Kosovo.
With the conclusion of the academic year at the University of Prishtina, lecture halls and student dormitories have been filled with hundreds of students from around the world as the Prishtina International Summer University, PISU, kicked off on July 6.
For two weeks every summer, classrooms at the University of Prishtina become meeting points for students from countries that rarely share the same lecture hall.
This year, around 350 students from across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia have travelled to Kosovo to take part in the 26th edition of PISU.
As the students gathered for a group photo at Kosovo’s ‘Pjeter Bogdani’ National Library in Prishtina on Tuesday, they told Prishtina Insight that the programme offers them something beyond learning: a chance to learn about a country they knew very little about before arriving.
“I didn’t know much about Kosovo before coming, and that was one of my main motivations to come,” said Celia Gaillard, a medical student from Germany. “I wanted to discover it for myself.”
“I was like, ok this is part of Europe and part of European history, which I am not that familiar with,” Gaillard said.
As a medical student, she added that she appreciated how the program gave her “the opportunity to learn about other topics which I don’t usually come into contact with.”
More than just an academic program
Students participating in the Prishtina International Summer University program in Prishtina, July 7, 2026. Photo: BIRN.
Organised by the University of Prishtina, PISU has become the institution’s flagship internationalisation initiative. Over two weeks, students will attend 19 interdisciplinary courses co-taught by local and international academics while participating in workshops, cultural events and excursions around Kosovo.
Speaking at the programme’s opening on Monday, University of Prishtina Rector Arben Hajrullahu described PISU as more than an academic project.
“It serves as a platform for academic development, but also as an environment that encourages new friendships, intercultural cooperation, and social exchange,” he said.
The diversity of this year’s participants reflects those ambitions.
Lawrence Antenson Ansah, a student from Ghana visiting Kosovo for the first time, said he had been struck by both the country’s landscape and its people.
“I think Kosovo is a very beautiful country,” he said. “The people are very kind, and meeting people from so many different countries has been a great experience.”
For Christine Swanson, a student from New York, the programme marked a return to Kosovo after participating in a diaspora initiative in 2025.
“I was excited to come back to learn more about Kosovo while expanding my knowledge and opportunities,” she said.
Others are already spending longer periods in the country. Evan Griffith, an American intern with the NGO The Ideas Partnership, said the university environment and the city’s walkability stood out.
“I really like the professors and the learning environment. I also like how walkable the city is,” he said.
Maddie LaRosa-Ray, another participant from the United States who has been living in Kosovo since May, said learning some Albanian had helped her connect with local people.
“I’ve learned a little Albanian, and people always compliment my accent, even though I’m sure it’s not that good,” she said.
Returning year after year
Prishtina International Summer University program logo, July 7, 2026. Photo: BIRN.
International faculty members say the programme benefits lecturers as much as students.
Kohei Arai, a professor from Japan teaching artificial intelligence for business, said he enjoys returning to Kosovo because of his students’ enthusiasm.
“They have many questions and enjoy discussion,” he said, adding that programmes such as PISU help expose students to rapidly developing fields of artificial intelligence that may not yet feature in standard university curricula.
For Joanna Jaskula, a professor from Poland attending for the ninth time, the programme has become a fixture of her academic calendar.
“It feels like my second home. If I could recommend one place to someone, this would be one of my highest recommendations,” she said.
Alongside lectures, participants take part in film screenings, sports activities, cultural evenings, and excursions across Kosovo. A traditional night introduces visitors to local music, dance and cuisine, while an international evening allows students to present their own cultures.
According to Rozafa Basha, Vice Rector of the University of Prishtina, this year’s edition is characterised by a larger number of workshops.
“Since the Summer University was established, weekends have always been dedicated to excursions to Prizren, Peja, Rugova, Prekaz and the ancient city of Ulpiana in Gracanica, among other destinations. But every year we also introduce new activities and workshops, and this year we have more than ever.”
She further emphasized that on Friday, they will mark the 250th anniversary of the United States with a series of events.
“Some of these activities are open to the public, so anyone interested is welcome to attend.
As you know, during this period the city is always buzzing with youth and students,” Basha noted.