RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) raises over 130,000 euros at the “Support Kosova’s Next Success Story” Fundraising Gala Event in support of the student scholarship fund

On May 23, 2023, RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) hosted the highly anticipated "Support Kosova's Next Success Story" fundraising gala event at Klan Arena – with the goal of raising scholarship funds for talented students with limited financial means.

The gala event featured a lineup of influential speakers who shared their insights and highlighted the significance of investing in the future of Kosova's youth. Mr. Ylli Bajraktari, President and CEO at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) joined RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) as the event’s Keynote Speaker. Mr. Bajraktari's address focused on the importance of giving back to the community and emphasized the transformative power of investing in the education and development of young individuals.

As Mr. Bajraktari pointed out “You could have all been elsewhere but you knew deep down this is an important issue and this educational institution is important to support because of the future. And you all recognize the importance of maintaining Kosova’s strategic partnership with the United States and there is no other institution like R.I.T. at the center of that.” Quoting the former American President Franklin Roosevelt, Mr. Bajraktari reminded the audience that “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." As part of the SCSP, Mr. Bajraktari is leading major efforts in exploring the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the national security of the United States. Mr. Bajraktari noted that” We are here to champion the path of these young people who will become the architects of the future who will make Kosova 2030. They will be the leaders who will shape the course of Kosova, and the innovators who will propel us forward in a rapidly changing world because of AI.”

In addition to Mr. Bajraktari, RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) was honored to welcome several high-profile speakers who lent their support to the cause. H.E. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo, expressed that “throughout these past 20 years RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) has provided a high-quality education to our youth and has opened the doors to students also from the region, Canada, Western Europe and beyond”. Further, President Osmani Sadriu said that “I can say with great confidence that what RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) offers is exactly what our country, society, and the economy needs” given that RIT Kosovo (A.U.K has managed to match the study curricula with the needs of the market.

H.E. Albin Kurti, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo also addressed the audience, emphasizing the government's commitment to nurturing talent and providing opportunities for the youth. Mr. Perparim Rama, the Mayor of Prishtina, mentioned that “RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) is contributing to shaping the next generations of leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators” and that the institution is making palpable changes in all spheres of life in Kosovo and even beyond.

At this year’s fundraising event, due to the generosity of the participants and sponsors, RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) managed to raise over 130,000 euros in support of student scholarships. A special thanks to Mr. Esat Likaj and Mr. Elvin Guri for their generous donation announced during the event. Since about 65% of students rely on scholarships for their studies at RIT Kosovo (A.U.K), support from our donors is essential. This event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our general sponsors. As a token of appreciation, Dr. Kamal Shahrabi distributed recognition awards to the following donors for their generous support as event sponsors:

Gold Sponsors
FINCA Kosovë
Telegrafi

Silver Sponsors
Zagragja & Associates
Hallakate
Marigona Hill
Klan Arena
Klan Kosova
Nancy Y. Bekavac

About RIT Kosovo (A.U.K):
RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) is Kosovo’s only private not-for-profit higher education institution offering degrees accredited and recognized world-wide thanks to the partnership with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York. For media inquiries contact: info@auk.org.