STARS EU welcomes two new international degree pathways through cooperation between UAMD, IPB and ULL

Both the double degree in Accounting and the dual doctoral programme in Law will commence in the next academic year

STARS EU will begin offering, in the 2026/2027 academic year, a Joint Degree Programme in Accounting between Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (Albania) and the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal), as well as a dual doctoral programme in the field of Law between the University of La Laguna (Tenerife) and Aleksandër Moisiu University.

The newly launched Joint Degree Programme in Accounting between UAMD and IPB marks a significant step in cross-border academic cooperation and curriculum alignment. The programme is designed to harmonize academic pathways, support student mobility and prepare graduates for the European and international labour market through a shared educational experience.

According to this programme framework, students are expected to complete 180 ECTS credits, including at least 30 ECTS credits abroad, with courses delivered in English and mobility opportunities for up to 10 students per year. The agreement is established for a period of six years, renewable in three-year cycles. Graduates will receive two bachelor diplomas in Accounting, one from each institution, fully recognized across Europe and granting direct access to master’s studies.

Promoting European cooperation

This initiative illustrates how collaborative programme design can serve as a practical mechanism for strengthening academic interoperability between institutions and for offering students an enriched educational pathway that combines dual recognition, international exposure and stronger employability prospects. It also reflects the kind of structural academic cooperation that aligns closely with the objectives of STARS EU in promoting European cooperation through concrete and sustainable formats.

Both agreements have been signed by the rectors of the three universities: Shkëlqim Fortuz and Orlando Rodrigues, rectors of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës, respectively, have validated the Double Degree in Accounting; Francisco García and Shkëlqim Fortuz, from the University of La Laguna and UAMD, have done likewise for the dual degree programme in Law.

The signing ceremony for both agreements took place following the STARS EU committee meeting, held during the second day of the alliance’s Annual Conference, which has taken place in recent days at Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic), under the theme Transformative Education for the Future of Europe.

Doctoral degree in Law

The signing of the memorandum of understanding to launch the first dual doctoral programme in Law, which will begin in the 2026/2027 academic year, will enable students from both institutions to obtain a doctoral degree in both countries, provided they meet the academic requirements established by each university.

The programme, a pioneering initiative within the alliance, предусматриes the participation of a limited number of doctoral candidates per year—up to a maximum of five per university—who must complete mobility periods at the host institution lasting between six months and one year. During this period, participating students will receive academic supervision from both their home and host universities.

The doctoral thesis will be supervised by advisors appointed by the Faculties of Law of both institutions and must be approved by both parties prior to the defence, which will take place at the home university. As regards the examination panel, the agreement stipulates that it will be composed of members appointed by both institutions—in accordance with their respective regulations—when awarding the final grade, which will be valid for both universities.

Promoters of the agreement

The memorandum has been promoted and developed by Brikena Dhuli, a lecturer in the Department of Law at Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës and an expert in Public Law, and Dulce M. Cairós Barreto, Professor of Labour and Social Security Law at the University of La Laguna. Both experts have worked together with the Doctoral School and the Faculties of Law of each university to define a common framework that ensures both the feasibility and the quality of the programme.

In addition to Cairós and Dhuli, the implementation process has also involved Belina Bedini, Vice-Dean for Scientific Research, and Evis Garunja, PhD in Public Law at Aleksandër Moisiu University, as well as Andrea Padrón Villalba, Academic Secretary of the Doctoral School at the University of La Laguna.